Ryder Cup Day One report: Europe dominate USA after fast start

It’s hard to keep up with the goings-on at the Ryder Cup with action from all angles – so let us keep you up to speed in our daily report from Marco Simone…

So what happened?

Something that Team Europe has never done before – they swept the opening session of the Ryder Cup 4-0. It’s only the fourth time it has happened in a first session in the near 100-year history of the competition.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton dealt with Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 4&3, while Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg beat Max Homa and Brian Harman by the same score.

America didn’t lead at any point in any match as Donald’s decision to play foursomes first paid dividends and America fell apart. Johnson cut a solemn figure at the beginning of the second session.

Among the constant songs and being thrashed 4-0, Zach Johnson must literally be in hell pic.twitter.com/y842xCDoK7
— Matt Chivers (@mgchiversNCG) September 29, 2023

The afternoon fourballs were nip and tuck, with every showdown reaching at least the 15th hole. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas epitomised what Team USA lacked in the morning.

Thomas carried Spieth in the closing stages, but a huge birdie putt on 18 by Hovland secured a crucial half for Europe as he and Hatton stopped America’s golden pair in their tracks.

McIlroy and Fitzpatrick were utterly dominant against Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele, going six up at the turn and eventually converting a 5&3 win. It was the first point former US Open winner Fitzpatrick had won at the Ryder Cup.

Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard made a ton of birdies before the Masters champion ripped out the hearts of Scheffler and Brooks Koepka on 18.

He holed an eagle putt that smashed the back of the cup and popped in the bottom. Another crucial half for Europe that nullified another wave of red. The scores were now 6-1.

Despite a good start, Justin Rose and rookie Robert MacIntyre were fighting an uphill battle against Max Homa and Wyndham Clark, who led from the 7th hole and deep into the back nine.

After a hiccup on the penultimate hole, Team USA were 1-up with the last to play. But, quite incredibly, neither American could make a birdie. That left the stage free for Rose to drain a birdie putt and celebrate in pulsating style.

Johnson’s side had failed to win a match all day – something that seemed completely inconceivable at the start of the week.

Europe lead America 6.5-1.5 after day one of the 44th Ryder Cup

What were the key moments?

Johnson surprised many when leaving Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas out of the Friday foursomes, especially as this strong American pair have played together in each of the last two opening sessions of the Ryder Cup.

The US captain kept his cards close to his chest when NCG’s Matt Chivers asked why he rested them until the afternoon. He might’ve regretted this when it turned midday in Italy.

Thomas lived up to his Ryder Cup billing and performed valiantly. He holed a huge par putt on the 15th hole after receiving grief from the European fans for briefly stepping away for another deep breath.

Although Hovland stopped the dynamic US duo in their tracks, Spieth and Thomas personified America’s attempt at recovery in the afternoon and perhaps reminded Johnson of their talismanic presence.

Jon Rahm chipped in for an eagle on hole 16 to take things to all-square and after Scheffler took America 1 up into 18, he then made his second eagle in the space of three holes.

That was a key moment to say the least, as was Rose’s birdie putt on the last hole which he described as “top, top, top.”

MacIntyre appeared emotional in the post-round press conference and described the day and his half-point as “everything he could’ve hoped for.”

Key quotes from Ryder Cup Day One

Justin Thomas: “Felt like it could have just as easily gone the other way. It’s a bummer. It’s not the start we wanted but fortunately for us, we’ve got a lot of golf left.

“We’ll just go get some sleep, regroup and go try to win as many points as possible tomorrow.”

Rory McIlroy: “Absolutely amazing. You know, for the first nine holes I was trying to hang on to this man’s coattails. I said to him walking up 10, “At least I contributed twice.”

“And then the boys made a few birdies, you know, on the back nine there and we had to just sort of hang in and hit some good, solid shots down the stretch.

Viktor Hovland: “It was about time the ball went in. I felt like we played some really good golf today, and the Americans played some great golf as well and they kept pushing us and yeah, — to make a putt like that on the last hole that was huge for the team.”

Wyndham Clark: “You know, we played good. Max and I played nice. You know, prior to I guess Hole 15, I didn’t make any bogeys, and we didn’t have any bogeys on the card, so that was unfortunate.

“But, yeah, I mean, we played good the whole day. Obviously, we made a birdie and had huge momentum going into 17, and we just didn’t get the job done the last two holes.”

Best fancy dress of the day?

There are countless candidates for the best (or worst) fancy-dressed fans of the day at the Ryder Cup, but I particularly enjoyed laughing at this chap…

American mood pic.twitter.com/IzrP8RgRiK
— D.J. Piehowski (@DJPie) September 29, 2023

Clutch moment of the day?

Justin Thomas essentially had a kick-in birdie putt on the 18th hole to come, so either Hovland or Hatton had to hole their respective birdie putts to secure a half, at worst.

Step up the young Norwegian who was up to the task…

VIKTOR HOVLAND!!! 🇳🇴🇪🇺#TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/KCe0pWZn5Y
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 29, 2023

Stat of the day?

As ever, thanks to the statistics god that is Justin Ray…

McIlroy an Fitzpatrick are 6 up through 7.

The largest margin of victory in an 18-hole four-ball match in Ryder Cup history is 7 and 5 – Lee Trevino/Jerry Pate over Nick Faldo/Sam Torrance in 1981.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) September 29, 2023

What was the best shot of the day?

With just his second shot, Viktor Hovland chipped in on the 1st hole to put himself and Ludvig Aberg 1-up in the foursomes. It was a sign of things to come…

VIKTOR HOVLAND! 💪#TeamEurope pic.twitter.com/olIR1Zq7Jy
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 29, 2023

How much did you enjoy the Ryder Cup first day? Tell us on X, formerly Twitter!

Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.

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