In a commanding start at Bethpage Black, Team Europe surged ahead on Day 1 of the 45th Ryder Cup, establishing a 5.5 to 2.5 lead over Team U.S. The European squad delivered dominant performances in the morning foursomes and backed it up with strong results in the afternoon four-ball session, putting serious pressure on the Americans heading into the weekend.
Morning Foursomes: Europe Hits Hard
Europe opened with a 3–1 win in alternating-shot play.
- Rahm/Hatton defeated DeChambeau/Thomas, 4 & 3
- Åberg/Fitzpatrick took down Scheffler/Henley, 5 & 3
- McIlroy/Fleetwood bested Morikawa/English, 5 & 4
- The lone American victory came when Schauffele/Cantlay edged MacIntyre/Hovland by 2 up
Afternoon Four-Ball: Europe Maintains Grip
Europe continued to assert control in the best-ball format:
- Straka/Rahm defeated Scheffler/Spaun, 3 & 2
- Rose/Fleetwood edged DeChambeau/Griffin, 1 up
- Thomas/Young defeated Hojgaard/Åberg, 6 & 5
- McIlroy/Lowry halved with Cantlay/Burns
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Captain Luke Donald called it “an incredible day,” noting how valuable the early momentum is in Ryder Cup play.
Scheffler’s Struggles: A Worry for the U.S.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler endured a quiet day, failing to pick up a victory. He became the first No. 1 player since 1986 to lose both of his opening Ryder Cup matches without either arriving at the 17th hole. His putting woes and inability to convert opportunities proved costly for the U.S. side.
What Lies Ahead
The schedule for the next two days mirrors Day 1: morning foursomes, afternoon four-ball, and concluding with 12 singles matches on Sunday. To reclaim the Cup, the Americans need to respond aggressively, but Europe has shown that when they lead after Day 1, they have a strong track record of closing things out.
Europe St
At Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, Team Europe seized control of the 45th Ryder Cup, taking a 5.5 to 2.5 lead over Team USA. Europe’s biggest names — Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and Jon Rahm — dominated their matches, while
Morning Foursomes: A Blueprint fo
Europe stormed out of the gates with a 3–1 advantage in alternate-shot play. Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton dismantled DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, while Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick routed Scheffler and Russell Henley. McIlroy and Fleetwood outclassed Collin Morikawa and Harris English, l
Afternoo
The afternoon belonged largely to Europe as well. Rahm and Sepp Straka toppled Scheffler and J.J. Spaun, and Fleetwood partnered with Justin Rose to edge DeChambeau and Ben Griffin. Only Thomas and Cameron Young m
Key Moments and
European captain Luke Donald praised his team’s composure and ability to capitalize early, noting that building a lead on Day 1 “sets the tone for the entire competition.” He highlighted the mental toughness of his players and their ability
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley framed the opening day as “just one quarter of the game,” stressing that his squad remains upbeat despite the deficit. “They made more putts than us today,” Bradley admitted, “but our boys are excited to get back out there tomorrow.”
