Ryder Cup: USA cruise to 4-0 lead after morning foursomes
Team USA delivered the first session whitewash since 1989 as Team Europe stuttered in the morning foursomes.
Surprisingly the first point of the morning came in the anchor match where Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar comfortably beat veteran Lee Westwood and rookie Thomas Pieters 5&4.
The American duo were 5 up early on after early troubles for the European pair. Westwood was missing fairways and short putts and the young Belgian couldn’t show the form he showed in Denmark a few weeks ago. First blood to the USA.
The second point came from the opening match. Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed took care of the usually reliable pairing of Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson. The young American’s made a fast start and were 3 up through 7 holes. Despite a small blip on the 9th they held on for a rather comfortable 3&2 victory. USA 2-0 Europe. Worrying signs and things were about to get worse.
The third point came from a match that early on looked like a European win. Zach Johnson and PGA Champion Jimmy Walker beat Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer 4&2. The European pair looked good early on and were 1 up through 7 holes but a spirited back nine from the American’s put to bed the European fight. Garcia missed a 20 foot putt on the 16th hole and all of a sudden USA were 3-0 up.
The fourth and final point went to Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler after they downed FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan 1 up.
USA were down early in the match and looked likely to be giving away a point to the European duo. But a brilliant fightback on the final four holes meant it was an abysmal start to the Ryder Cup for team Europe and the perfect start for Davis Love’s men.
The pairings for this afternoons fourball’s have just been released;
6:30pm- Spieth & Reed v Stenson & Rose
6:45pm- Holmes & Moore v Garcia & Cabrero Bello
7pm- Snedeker & Koepka v Kaymer & Willett
7:15pm- D. Johnson & Kuchar v McIlroy & Pieters
Europe simply have to win this final session to get back into this Ryder Cup.
