Ryder Cup: Europe dominate USA as Rory McIlroy wins both his matches

Europe 6.5 USA 1.5

Friday morning fourballs

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth halved with Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland

A monumental Ryder Cup battle. Europe went ahead when Hatton birdied the first but after Spieth holed out from the rough on the 4th, Thomas pushed on with birdies at the 6th and 12th. The US were two up after 13 but Europe roared back to force it down the last. Thomas and Hovland matched birdies to finish all square.

Best shot: Spieth’s chip-in was huge, flipping the momentum of the afternoon after a brutal morning for the US.

Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka halved with John Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard

Another ding-dong. Hojgaard didn’t disgrace himself, putting up four birdies in the first eight holes. The US won two in a row around the turn though and it was shot for shot most of the way home. For Rahm’s snaking chip-in on 16, see Scheffler’s towering birdie on 17. Finished off by Rahm’s stunning eagle on the last. Incredible golf.

Best shot: Scheffler on the 17th, which went a mile in the air and landed an inch from the hole.

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy two shots off the lead in New Orleans

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Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry tied for the lead at the Zurich Classic

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Wyndham Clark and Max Homa halved with Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre

Daylight robbery by Europe. America had the upper hand most of the way, as the fears about MacIntyre’s form came to pass. The Scot calmly birdied the first but that was about as good as it got for him. Clark was dead-eyed for the US and they were dormie two walking off the 16th. But Rose pulled it out of the bag with a par on 17 and a birdie on 18. Amazing.

Best shot: Rose’s birdie putt on the last was pretty straightforward but given what was on the line, it was brilliant.

Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick beat Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele 5&3

This finished with a McIlroy birdie on the 15th but be in no doubt, it was the Matt Fitzpatrick show. He one-putted the first six greens and when McIlroy followed him in on the next, Europe were six up after seven. After that, it was a matter of seeing it out and waiting for the US to run out of holes. A stunning display from the Englishman.

Best shot: Take your pick from Fitzpatrick’s run of 15-footers that opened the match and finished it too.

Friday morning foursomes

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton beat Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 4&3

A hiding. The American pair won just a single hole all morning, with a birdie on the sixth. Europe were a juggernaut early – Rahm holed from the fringe on the third to put them one-up and they were never caught. Both Europeans met the moment, Scheffler held his end up. But captain’s pick Sam Burns had a dreadful morning.

Best shot: Rahm’s tee shot at the short seventh, hitting the pin from 207 yards and finishing a foot from the hole.

Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg beat Max Homa and Brian Harman 4&3

Also a hiding. Europe won the first two holes, the US hit back and took the next two. But the Scandi pairing just went into overdrive after that, winning four of the next 10 to wrap up the match on the 15th green. When Aberg, playing in his first Ryder Cup, walked in a birdie putt from 25 feet on the ninth, Europe were three up and never looked back.

Best shot: Hovland’s chip-in on the first brought the first ground-shaking roar of the day.

Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka beat Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa 2&1

Europe made slightly heavy weather of this in the end. Fowler and Morikawa initially looked like they’d have been better off staying in bed and were four down at the turn. It should have been plain enough sailing from there but Lowry and Straka got a little scrappy and had to wait until the 16th to close it out against a completely out-of-sorts US pairing.

Best shot: Straka’s sumptuous approach to the long par-four eighth, turning the screw on the US and securing a three-hole lead.

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood beat Patrick Cantley and Xander Schauffele 2&1

By far the tightest match of the day. Europe went two holes up twice on the way round but were pegged back immediately both times on the next hole. Cantlay and Schauffele had never lost a foursomes match together and looked to be reeling the Europeans in on the 15th. But Fleetwood holed from 20 feet and Schauffele missed from four. Huge momentum swing.

Best shot: McIlroy’s towering tee shot at 17, stitched to two feet to close out the match.