RORY MCILROY AND SHANE Lowry helped secure Europe’s first-ever clean sweep of a morning session at a Ryder Cup as the hosts raced into a 4-0 lead over the United States after the Friday foursomes in Rome.
Viktor Hovland set the tone with a chip-in on the first hole, while Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton clinched the first point with a dominant 4&3 win over world number one Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns.
Hovland and his rookie partner Ludvig Aberg beat Max Homa and a struggling Brian Harman by the same score, while Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka endured a wobble on the 16th to win 2&1 over Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler.
McIlroy then hit a brilliant tee shot to close out a tense 2&1 win with Tommy Fleetwood in the final match against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
In a nightmare start for the visitors, the USA never even led in any of the four matches.
European captain Luke Donald had opted to switch the usual schedule and open with the alternate shot foursomes instead of fourballs in the hope of a “fast start” which his team delivered in style.
An inspired Rahm led from the front, almost holing out from the tee on the par-three seventh, but this being match-play, it made little difference, as Hatton tapped in for a birdie and a 2-Up lead. Rahm then drew some of the day’s loudest cheers with a chip in off the 10th green, to which Scheffler responded by sinking a nervy putt to ensure a half. That merely delayed the inevitable: Rahm and Hatton won the following two holes and the match was over before they made it to the 16th tee.
Hovland set the tone for Europe’s dominance with a divine chip in from the fringe of the first green, following it with a birdie on the next hole to go 2-Up.
“You hit a good shot, it goes in, and you lose your shit”, grinned Hovland to Sky Sports after his round. Hovland played alongside rookie Aberg, who overcame some early nerves. He knocked in a putt on the 14th to give his team a four-hole lead. Their match ended as it started, with another stunning Hovland chip. This effort from the bunker didn’t drop into the hole, but it was left so close as to be a formality. Homa and Harman – the latter among the USA’s worst performers – conceded.
Lowry, meanwhile, pumped his fists to the crowd on the first tee when he realised Hovland’s chip in ahead had found the hole and hose fists kept pumping throughout the day, his impeccable irons on three and four making life easy for rookie partner Straka. The pair led by four at the turn and endured some closing wobbles – Lowry went miles right off the 16th tee – to win without needing to step on the 18th tee, with Straka pouring in a putt to win on the penultimate green.
“I wanted to give Sepp his moment to hole a winning putt!”, smiled Lowry afterwards. “We are off to a great start and we need to keep the foot down. Sepp and I gelled well together and I enjoyed myself out there.
“We dodged a few bullets out there, arouind 11 and 12, but you’ll have that in matchplay. You have to dig deep and we did that.”
McIlroy and Fleetwood’s match against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay was the tightest of the four, but not even it made it to the final hole.
The European pair were two-up when standing on the 16th tee, where Fleetwood left McIlroy an impossible task by leaving their ball plugged in the face of turf sloping into the water. But the Americans couldn’t make the most of their opportunity: Cantlay sent his putt to win the hole chasing five feet past and Schauffele then inexplicably missed the return putt. A hole the American duo should have won was lost instead.
McIlroy effectively settled the match from the tee on the par-three 17th, leaving his iron less than three feet from the pin. Fleetwood happily knocked it in, with McIlroy leaping into his arms in celebration.
“There is ample opportunity out there”, said USA captain Zach Johnson after a shattering start. “We have hungry guys, guys who want adversity. I have utmost confidence in them. Hats off the European team: they are playing quality golf, making shots and making putts.”
Both captains have rotated for the afternoon fourballs, and you’ll find the full draw here.
With reporting by AFP
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