Europe grabs early edge as Ryder Cup opens at Bethpage Black
Team Europe struck hard in the morning foursomes, winning three of the four matches to take a 3-1 lead over the United States after the opening session at Bethpage Black. The U.S. salvaged one point when Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay held off a late fightback to win the final morning match 2 up.
Star-studded lineups set the stage
Both teams arrived with big names ready to go: Team USA features Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau, while Europe countered with Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton. It promised a dramatic few days on the tough Bethpage Black course.
Morning match highlights and turning moments
- Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas opened for the U.S. but were beaten 4 and 3 by Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton after Thomas missed a par putt on 15.
- Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick recorded a convincing win, and Rory McIlroy paired with Tommy Fleetwood also delivered a dominant performance.
- Schauffele and Cantlay provided the lone American bright spot with their 2-up victory in the final morning match.
Afternoon four-ball pairings and tee times
The four-ball matches were announced for the afternoon session, set to begin at 12:25 p.m. ET:
- 12:25 — Scottie Scheffler / J.J. Spaun (USA) vs. Jon Rahm / Sepp Straka (Europe)
- 12:41 — Bryson DeChambeau / Ben Griffin (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood / Justin Rose (Europe)
- 12:57 — Cameron Young / Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Ludvig Åberg / Rasmus Højgaard (Europe)
- 1:13 — Sam Burns / Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy / Shane Lowry (Europe).
What to watch next
Europe’s strong start in alternate-shot play put pressure on the Americans to respond in four-ball, where teams play their own ball and the best score counts. Expect aggressive scoring and plenty of risk-reward shots as the U.S. tries to even things up heading into the weekend.
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