The course is soft, shorter than usual, the rough is down and there’s barely a drop of wind. This should be a birdie fest this afternoon and Spaun gets the first of the session to give USA an early lead. After a fist-pump from Trump, DeChambeau drives just short of the 1st green but Fleetwood makes a birdie of his own with the most confident of putts from the front edge and the hole is halved. How his putting has improved since Phil Kenyon switched him to a mallet putter at the RBC Heritage in April.
• Meet putting guru Phil Kenyon with three players in each camp (who’s rooting for Europe)
Analysis: Bradley’s odd pairing
Tom Kershaw, Bethpage Black
Luke Donald couldn’t help but smile when a fan shouted, “You’re the best Donald”, as Rahm and Hatton wrested control of the opening match against DeChambeau and Thomas. Even with all the European backroom team’s meticulous preparation, such an electric start in the opening session must have surpassed expectations.
The triumph of Aberg and Fitzpatrick in particular will have brought joy given it was something of a gamble to split the former from Hovland. That statistical calculation by vice-captain Edoardo Molinari was in stark contrast to Bradley’s decision to select Morikawa and English in the foursomes. According to Data Golf, that pair were ranked 132nd out of 132 possible optimal foursome pairings for Team USA. They lost 5&4 against McIlroy and Fleetwood, but, then again, few could have matched their five birdies in the opening seven holes.
Trump watches Spaun tee off at the 1st, where he made a birdie to put USA one up in the first four-balls match
SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL
Schauffele and Cantlay did earn the Americans some momentum heading into the afternoon, but Bradley was more focused on Donald Trump’s presence inspiring a fightback. The president arrived on the first tee, sparking chants of “USA, USA”, but Europe’s Donald is the one really smiling.
My Bethpage scouting mission… sort of
Angus Oliver
How does one prepare for providing live coverage of the Ryder Cup? Stock up on coffee and biscuits, of course, but I went one further by doing my very own Bethpage Black scouting mission this week — just not quite the type that you might expect. As loyal readers, you need course intel, so I went down to my local simulator to take on the 7,468-yard beast off the back tees. And it was luxurious. There was no wind, I walked only a few yards, I didn’t lose a single ball, and I finished with a pleasing four-over round of 75, including a birdie at the 1st. I imagine nobody in the Ryder Cup will be getting a mulligan off the tee at the 15th, as the simulator’s settings allowed me, though.
My card… but with a mulligan at the 15th
The US crowd need ramping up and Donald Trump walking out into the stands behind the 1st tee has done exactly that. There is a rousing rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner then Scheffler — who was out of sorts in his 5&3 this morning — and JJ Spaun march onto the tee to face Rahm and Sepp Straka. All four players miss the fairway.
Trump arrives at the 1st tee
AFP
Analysis: Stellar start for Europe
Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black
Quite a morning here. I walked much of the match between Aberg-Fitzpatrick and Scheffler-Henley, and it is remarkable what the Ryder Cup can do. Indeed, but for a great approach on the 13th and a saving par on the next, this would have been done and dusted earlier. The body language of the Americans was x-rated, whereas uber-cool Aberg was smiling and even winking at Swedes in ice hockey garb by the ropes.
Make no mistake, 5&3 is an awful result for Scheffler, the USA’s biggest gun. It was not necessarily a huge shock, though. Two years ago he started off losing 4&3 in a match against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. And then there was the 9&7 loss against Aberg and Hovland. From this we might judge that foursomes is just not his bag.
A humbling of the opposition’s leading player is always an extra boost for the team. Keegan Bradley was also clearly hoping Bryson DeChambeau would be the team’s emotional leader and he started brilliantly, a monster drive over the trees to the right of the first fairway leading to a birdie putt. He could not see it out.
This was a stellar start for Europe. Fitzpatrick buried a few Ryder Cup ghosts and the key duo of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood delivered, but quite what possessed Keegan Bradley to pair Collin Morikawa and Harris English, ranked as the worst available partnership from 132 options by Data Golf, is anyone’s guess.
Foursomes are usually a happy hunting ground for Europe, so nobody should get ahead of themselves, but when you listened to Bradley’s remarks after losing the three opening matches, you had to cringe. “We just had the President fly over in Air Force One, so I’ve got a feeling things are going to turn here,” he said. They will need a lot more than that this afternoon.
This afternoon’s four-ball pairings are out, with McIlroy — alongside Lowry — up against Cantlay again. Remember in Rome that McIlroy had to be held back by Lowry when clashing with Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava in the Marco Simone car park. LaCava was accused of overly celebrating as McIlroy lined up a putt for a half after Cantlay made a long birdie attempt on the 18th green during the Saturday four-balls. All eyes will be on that match.
17:25 Scottie Scheffler & JJ Spaun v Jon Rahm & Sepp Straka
17:41 Bryson DeChambeau & Ben Griffin v Tommy Fleetwood & Justin Rose
17:57 Justin Thomas & Cameron Young v Ludvig Aberg & Rasmus Hojgaard
18:13 Patrick Cantlay & Sam Burns v Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
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The American fans find their voice again. It’s been pretty subdued at Bethpage, but it’s hardly surprising such has been Europe’s dominance this morning. Hovland slices his drive way right at the 18th, MacIntyre can only hack out the fescue into a bunker, and Schauffele’s approach finishes 9ft from the hole. USA take the final match 2up and the score is 3-1 to Europe after the first session. The four-ball pairings will be revealed shortly.
USA one up with one to play
Hovland’s bunker shot goes long, Cantlay’s putt is left short in the jaws of the hole, so MacIntyre has 8ft for par and a half. The Scot pushes it. The Americans are one up with one to play. Can the European duo salvage half a point?
All square with two holes to play, MacIntyre goes pin seeing, but that’s no good — his ball doesn’t draw enough and leaves Hovland a tricky shot out the bunker for a much-needed up and down. Cantlay has a 21ft putt for birdie.
All square in final match
“It’s not exactly what we wanted,” Bradley says as Schauffele misses way left with his tee shot at the 15th en route to an American bogey. Hovland meanwhile makes a clutch par putt and the red is once again extinguished from the scoreboard. The final match is all square with three holes to play. “We just had the president fly over in Air Force One so I’ve got a feeling things are about to turn,” Bradley says. He better hope so.
Hovland celebrates getting back to all square alongside MacIntyre
REUTERS
Hovland and MacIntyre fight back
Brilliant from Hovland and MacIntyre, who get back from three to one down after consecutive birdies. They have five holes to go, so another Friday foursomes clean sweep is suddenly back on the cards. No team has ever done so in back-to-back Ryder Cups.
Rahm and Hatton thrive in ‘intense atmosphere’
Some reaction from Rahm and Hatton after they beat DeChambeau and Thomas 4&3.
“Against two crowd favourites, we knew it would be loud and need our best,” Rahm said. “We battled in those first seven holes, then found some great vibes. He’s a joy to partner with. He can be very dependable. I have full confidence in him.”
Hatton meanwhile said: “The second shot into seven [when there was a branch resting on his ball] was a bit of hit and hope. Thankfully it went straight. We knew it would be a difficult start. It was a pretty intense atmosphere out there.”
Scheffler and Henley played three times together at the Presidents Cup last year and seemed the perfect pairing going into this second match, but the American duo have been annihilated 5&3 after an incredible performance from Aberg and Fitzpatrick.
How much of that is to do with Bradley picking Henley to tee off on the odd-numbered — and longer — holes? He is the shortest player in the tournament and there is no doubt that Scheffler was shackled — but there is also a trend emerging with American world No1s. They have now lost six straight foursomes matches dating back to 2010.
American world No1s in Ryder Cup foursomes2010 – Tiger Woods (with Steve Stricker) – lost 2018 – Dustin Johnson (with Rickie Fowler) – lost2018 – Johnson (with Brooks Koepka) – lost2023 – Scottie Scheffler (with Burns) – lost2023 – Scheffler (with Koepka) – lost2025 – Scheffler (with Russell Henley) – lost
Just like Rahm and Hatton, McIlroy and Fleetwood — “Fleetwood Mac” — have also won three out of three foursomes matches when paired together. The British duo cruise to a 5&4 hammering of Morikawa and English and Europe are now 2-0 up. The perfect start.
There it is, the first point on the board goes to Europe as Thomas misses from 6ft, giving a 4&3 win to Rahm and Hatton. This opening match had all the makings of a classic but DeChambeau and Thomas have been dominated ever since that extraordinary recovery shot out the rough from Rahm at the 6th. They were five under in 15 holes and have now won three out of three foursomes matches when paired together in Ryder Cups.
Donald celebrates with Rahm and Hatton
REUTERS
Daylight for Cantlay and Schauffele, who go three up after Hovland misses a short par putt, but there’s no respite for the other Americans. Henley makes a huge birdie putt at the 14th but Aberg answers with one of his own — the Swede and Fitzpatrick are an astonishing seven under — then Thomas is forced to take a free drop after DeChambeau’s tee shot at the 15th goes way off line and into the stands. Europe look set to take a 3-1 lead.
Trump headed for Bethpage
The US president has left the White House… in his golf shoes.
Schauffele and Cantlay dig in
Rahm and Hatton go three up with five to play so this final match is now vital for USA and Keegan Bradley. They have almost certainly lost the first three matches and it’s absolutely pivotal that they avoid being on the wrong side of another clean sweep. Schauffele and Cantlay are doing all they can to make that happen and have just gone two up after a bogey from MacIntyre and Hovland.
Hatton and Rahm led Europe out in Rome as Luke Donald’s side won all four Friday foursomes matches and they now have breathing space over DeChambeau and Thomas in the first match at Bethpage Black. It comes after a brilliant 19ft putt from Hatton and Europe can now sense a 3-1 lead. We’re not quite at this stage, but it is worth noting that no away team has swept a session since Europe in the 1987 Friday four-balls at Muirfield Village.
Rahm and Hatton made three straight birdies at the 12th, 13th and 14th
GETTY
Extraordinary. All red has now been extinguished from the leaderboard as Cantlay misses from 9ft and MacIntyre and Hovland get back to all square. Morikawa and English drag one back in the third match but it’s a five-under front nine for McIlroy and Fleetwood, who are four up. DeChambeau then smashes a birdie putt through the break at the 11th, forcing Thomas to make a gutsy par putt to salvage a par and stay only one down. All the momentum is with Europe.
Hatton looks at a ball obstructed by a twig at the 7th — the European pair still won the hole
AP
It seemed an odd decision when Henley took the first tee shot instead of Scheffler, meaning the shortest player in the tournament would be teeing off on all the odd-numbered — and therefore longer — holes. It means at the 9th, Fitzpatrick has almost 30 yards less than Scheffler for his approach after a booming Aberg drive, the Englishman hits it to 14ft, and the birdie putt is holed. Europe are now four-up over Henley and the world No1, who is 13 down in his past 18 Ryder Cup foursomes holes.
The away team has won just 1 of the past 12 foursomes sessions at the Ryder Cup but Europe are now turning the screw. Rahm makes birdie from 11ft to give Europe the lead over DeChambeau and Thomas for the first time, then McIlroy stiffs it from 100 yards to take a four-up lead with Fleetwood. That truly is a star foursomes pairing for Europe. Donald will be delighted.
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Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black
Early days of course and the 1st tee was curiously subdued other than the emcee pleading “let’s f***ing go”, but the golf is warming up. McIlroy’s putting has been rock solid, DeChambeau started with a stroke of pure adrenaline over the trees, the likes of Fitzpatrick and Aberg have started well, and Rahm and Hatton have just got back on level terms. It’s still fairly quiet out on the course and it might take lunchtime drinking and the arrival of Trump to really stoke the fire.
DeChambeau almost drove the 1st green in the first foursomes match of the tournament
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Putts dropping for Europe
Now the putts are dropping for Europe. First it’s McIlroy to take a two-up lead with Tommy Fleetwood, then it’s Fitzpatrick to go three-up with Aberg, and finally MacIntyre from 14ft to salvage an unlikely half alongside Hovland.
Chris Solomon of the No Laying Up podcast has just made the observation that it is so soft at Bethpage Black that it is almost worth being in the rough — which is so short anyway — to make it easier to control one’s spin. Every player is ripping the ball backwards an absolute mile.
McIlroy’s putting has been exemplary alongside Fleetwood
GETTY
Brilliant from Fitzpatrick and Rahm
Stunning from Fitzpatrick, who responds to an exquisite approach from Scheffler at the 5th by fizzing an iron to less than 3ft from out the rough, but it’s bad news for Europe as Cantlay and Schauffele go 1up over MacIntyre and Hovland at the 2nd.
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Rahm has a revolting lie at the 6th after that Hatton drive but hits the shot of the day so far over the rough, bunkers and to only 12ft from the flag. They remain one down.
Rahm played to only 12ft from the hole from this lie
Aberg and Fitzpatrick lead
Solid start for Europe at Bethpage with Aberg tapping in a birdie putt at the par-five 4th after a beautiful approach to go one up alongside Fitzpatrick. That will please Donald because the Swede had looked a little out of sorts over the first three holes. McIlroy then holes a lengthy par putt to stay 1up with Fleetwood over Morikawa and English, but Hatton’s tee shot at the 6th goes way left into a rancid wasteland. A birdie for Thomas and DeChambeau will likely make it 2up USA in the first match.
Hovland and MacIntyre under way
The final foursomes match pits Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, villain of the 2023 Ryder Cup after he was accused of not wearing a cap in protest against a lack of pay to play in the tournament. Well, the US players are now receiving an additional $200,000, the cap is back on, and his caddie Joe LaCava is still on the bag after clashing with McIlroy in the Marco Simone car park.
MacIntyre’s tee shot is pushed into the left rough but the lie is good for Hovland, whose approach play is excellent, before Schauffele just misses the fairway on a more aggressive line.
Rahm hits a beautiful second into the par-five 4th but a delicate chip from Thomas salvages a half for USA in the first match. A decent McIlroy approach at the 2nd has given Fleetwood a good luck at birdie.
McIlroy and Fleetwood 1up
World class from Fleetwood, whose chip out the rough at the 1st just evades the hole, leaving Europe an easy birdie putt for McIlroy. English misses his putt so Europe go 1up.
Henley goes close with his approach at the 2nd but Aberg’s is pulled, Fitzpatrick misses the long birdie putt, and Scheffler gets USA back on level terms from 8ft.
McIlroy tees off in front of a packed-out gallery at the 1st hole
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McIlroy close to 1st green
It’s time for Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion and Europe’s best player, and Tommy Fleetwood, who recently won his first PGA Tour event at the Tour Championship. The pair won both of their foursomes matches when paired together in Rome and have made significant improvements to their game this year — McIlroy with his approach play since shortening his backswing, and Fleetwood with his putting since moving from a blade to mallet putter.
Shane Lowry applauds as the European fans sing “is this a library?” to the American fans at the 1st tee. Little of that hostile reception so far. McIlroy then comes close to driving the green before Harris English, paired with Collin Morikawa, takes a safer line down the middle of the fairway.
Up ahead, DeChambeau finds the bunker at the par-three 3rd but makes amends with a clutch par putt to stay one up alongside Thomas.
Aberg and Fitzpatrick 1up
Scheffler can’t get close from the rough to the left of the 1st and Fitzpatrick then exposes Henley’s error off the tee by playing a beautiful wedge to just a few feet. Aberg comfortably knocks the putt in and Europe go one up. Up ahead, Thomas and Hatton both miss their birdie putts so USA remain ahead.
That was the perfect start for Fitzpatrick, who will be well aware of his dismal Ryder Cup record having won only one point from eight matches. However, the Englishman has had success here int eh past…
Aberg and Fitzpatrick in perfect position
Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick are up next against the world No1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley. Aberg, the Swede who was an amateur only three months before the last Ryder Cup, nails his drive over the trees on the perfect line, leaving Fitzpatrick a short distance in.
And then this is bizarre — Henley, the shortest player on either team, hits the opening tee shot instead of Scheffler. That means he will tee off on all of the odd — and therefore longer — holes instead of Scheffler, who ranks first for every tee-to-green metric on the PGA Tour. His tee shot is hooked into the left rough as well, so advantage Europe in match two.
DeChambeau and Thomas 1up
The perfect start for USA. Hatton’s nervy chip out the rough is chunky and leaves Rahm a longer birdie putt than he would have liked, which he leaves short. Nerves. Thomas’s chip was uncharacteristically poor and well short of the hole but DeChambeau got a good read from Rahm’s attempt and the American makes his birdie putt. Keegan Bradley’s side are one up in the first foursomes match.
DeChambeau almost reaches 1st green
DeChambeau and Thomas enter the 1st tee box draped in an American flag before Rahm and Hatton are booed when introduced by the emcee. Rahm is to hit the first tee shot. How are your nerves? He lines up to hit over the trees and directly at the 1st green, some 350 yards away, but flares it out to the right, leaving Hatton a chip out of the rough. The pin is at the back so it shouldn’t bee too tricky but it’s advantage USA after DeChambeau smokes his drive on the perfect line. It leaves Thomas a flick from the front of the green to get up and down for birdie.
Will DeChambeau take on the 1st?
So it’s Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton first up in a mouthwatering clash between the emotional heartbeats of both sides. Rahm is a powerful fader of the fall off the tee while Hatton’s wedge play is among the best in the game, so it is little wonder that Luke Donald — and Edoardo Molinari’s statistical model — has paired them together once again. They are also team-mates on LIV Golf and won both of their foursomes matches when paired together in Rome in 2023. The big question, though, as we approach this first match, is whether DeChambeau will attempt to drive the green with his opening tee shot? It would be a risky play in foursomes, but stranger things have happened…
Not exactly ‘Welcome to Hell’ at the 1st
Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black
Interesting times on the 1st tee so far. They played Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” which is always misunderstood and is really about misery in American heartlands after the Vietnam war. The emcee then arrives with the pithy message “Let’s f***ing go”. Nice. The crowd is much quieter than normal and, although the stands are huge, they are set well back and much less intimidating than in Rome or Paris. Anyway John Denver is on the PA now singing about West Virginia. No sign of any of the USA’s many vice-captains trying to whip up the masses. It’s not exactly “Welcome to Hell”. Fifteen minutes to go.
European fans behind the 1st tee before the Friday morning foursomes
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Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceIs McIlroy’s skin thick enough for the hostility?
Half a block from the flashing Jumbotrons of Times Square on 44th Street lies Jimmy’s Corner, the iconic boxing-themed dive bar where parts of Raging Bull were filmed (Tom Kershaw writes).
If Rory McIlroy tried to invoke the stoicism of Marcus Aurelius before the last Ryder Cup in Rome, only to be coined “Rocky” after nearly coming to blows with a caddie in a car park, the works of Martin Scorsese may provide more apt preparation in New York.
The Northern Irishman might ordinarily be hugely popular in the United States, and his charm offensive went so far as to hail it “the best country in the world”, but Europe’s talisman will be the public enemy at Bethpage Black. There have already been boos and barbs. Now, the proverbial bottles will be thrown into the ring.
● Read more: Is Rory McIlroy’s skin thick enough for the hostility headed his way?
It’s still dark here in Bethpage but the giant grandstand that wraps around the 1st tee and 18th green is already full with music blaring (Tom Kershaw writes). A 2.50am fire alarm was a good warm-up for the 4.30am departure from the media hotel. However, the doom mongering about delays caused by traffic and airport-style security, owing to President Donald Trump’s arrival this afternoon, was a false dawn. Now, up above the first tee, we are waiting for the real one.
How important is the foursomes?
The unique nature of foursomes — the rarity of a professional golfer not simply playing their own ball from start to finish — means that is where a captain’s choices can have the most influence. It is also the format that kicks off the competition, with foursomes matches taking place on Friday and Saturday mornings, and it goes without saying that a fast start is beneficial.
What’s more, recent history shows that, when it comes to the Ryder Cup, if you get your foursomes pairings right, you will probably win the whole thing:
Europe have quality to end away hoodoo and give Ryder Cup contest it needs
On the wall in the gym of Europe’s team room at Bethpage is a quotation from Seve Ballesteros (Rick Broadbent writes).
“I look into their eyes, shake their hand, pat their back and wish them luck.” Then, highlighted in blue and yellow capitals comes the killer pay-off. “But I am thinking, ‘I am going to bury you.’ ”
The words bristle with the tribalism that elevates the Ryder Cup from golf’s polite routines to a parallel universe where they can flog gold coins signed by Keegan Bradley for £5,000.
● Read more: Europe have quality to end away hoodoo and give Ryder Cup contest it needs
Who will play for USA and Europe
Here are the teams doing battle.
Starting with Keegan Bradley’s stunners in stars and stripes: Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.
As for Europe, captained by Luke Donald, we have: Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Ludvig Aberg, Vikrot Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick and Jon Rahm.
The stars are out in New York.
Friday foursomes
12:10pm — Bryson DeChambeau & Justin Thomas (USA) v Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton (Eur)
12:26pm — Scottie Scheffler & Russell Henley (USA) v Ludvig Aberg & Matt Fitzpatrick (Eur)
12:42pm — Collin Morikawa & Harris English (USA) v Tommy Fleetwood & Rory McIlroy (Eur)
12:58pm — Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay (USA) v Robert MacIntyre & Viktor Hovland (Eur)
When is the first tee at the Ryder Cup?
Here is the schedule for the competition. Play gets underway today at 12.10pm UK time with the foursomes, with the fourballs to come at 5.25pm — it’s the same on Saturday too. We begin later on Sunday, with the action getting underway in the singles from 5.02pm.
What does all this mean?
The Ryder Cup has three formats: foursomes, where two team-mates share a single ball, alternating shots, in a match against two players from the other team; four-balls, where four players (two from each side) play their own ball, with the lowest individual score winning the hole for his team; and singles, which is old-fashioned one-v-one matchplay.
Merry Christmas, everyone. Well, not really, but kind of. Why? Well, today is Christmas Day if you’re a fan of golf. Or even, to be honest, just a fan of sport; because the Ryder Cup is finally here. We’ve been kept waiting long enough. There have been 726 days since Europe tasted victory in Rome in the last iteration of the tournament. Winning on home soil is nothing new for Europe, but Luke Donald is hoping that his boys in blue can beat the United States in their own backyard (and it is a yard, we’re in New York) for the first time in 13 years. The Miracle of Medinah. Will we see another miracle? Stay with us for live news and analysis from every hole at Bethpage Black.