Team Europe established a commanding lead over the United States during the opening foursomes matches of the Ryder Cup on Friday morning at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. The European squad demonstrated formidable play, securing victories in three of the four alternate-shot contests and setting a dominant tone for the event.
The European charge was led by the powerful duo of Spain’s Jon Rahm and England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who secured the first point for their team with a decisive 4-and-3 victory over Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas. The American pair, sent out first by captain Keegan Bradley to generate early momentum, struggled to keep pace. The match concluded on the 15th hole when Thomas missed a critical 6-foot par putt.
American struggles were further highlighted by World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, whose difficulties in Ryder Cup foursomes continued. Paired with Russell Henley, Scheffler fell significantly behind Europe’s Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick, who were 4 up through just 10 holes. This performance echoed Scheffler’s challenging experience in Italy in 2023, where he suffered two alternate-shot losses, including a historic 9-and-7 defeat.
Across the course, the European pairings consistently outperformed their American counterparts. In a striking display of precision, Europe won 10 of the first 13 holes across all four matches, tallying 10 birdies compared to just three for the United States. The strong start was reminiscent of their dominant performance on the opening morning in Rome two years prior.
The lone bright spot for Team USA in the morning session was the established partnership of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. The pair managed to secure a lead in their match, providing the only flash of American red on the leaderboard amidst a sea of European blue.
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