ROME – There’s one thing to digest if you’re reading your feasting on your early morning PGA Tour Brunch:
It’s a massive 9 1/2 to 2 1/2 lead for Team Europe as the Saturday afternoon four ball session begin.
Even with a formidable showing in the matches now underway, the Sunday Singles will be the USA’s only way to recover and with the way Team Europe is playing, the possibility of a Team USA comeback is as “Thin as a slice of Prosciutto.”
In its 3-1 session victory, Europe set an all-time Ryder Cup record on Saturday morning when 2023 FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg of Europe defeated the USA’s No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and LIV Golf star Brooks Koepka, 9 & 7. That is – excuse the description – the biggest ass-kicking in the history of the matches.
The previous worst loss in a foursomes match was 7 & 6, which happened three times, most recently by Americans Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson OVER current European team captain Luke Donald and Lee Westwood in 2012.
14 1/2 is the target number for Team Europe to gain possession of the coveted Ryder Cup. Four points are on the line now and TV commentators as stating, “The USA Must Sweep to have a Chance.”
**** At tee-off for these afternoon matches, there were 16 more points to be had and the USA must win 11 1/2 to retain possession of the Ryder Cup.
Pairings for Saturday’s afternoon Four ball, now being played (as of 7:11am ET, the fourth match has teed-off)
Match 1: Sam Burns-Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Viktor Hovland-Ludvig Åberg (Europe)
Match 2: Max Homa-Brian Harman (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood-Nicolai Højgaard (Europe)
Match 3: Justin Thomas-Jordan Spieth (USA) vs. Justin Rose-Robert MacIntyre (Europe)
Match 4: Patrick Cantlay-Wyndham Clark (USA) vs. Matt Fitzpatrick-Rory McIlroy (Europe)
Saturday, Sept. 30 Results
Session Three: Foursomes
Europe – USA – Result
R.McIlroy/T.Fleetwood vs. J.Thomas/J.Spieth – Team Europe won 2 & 1
V.Hovland/L.Åberg vs. S.Scheffler/B.Koepka – Team Europe won 9 & 7
S.Lowry/S.Straka vs. M.Homa/B.Harman – U.S. Team won 4 & 2
J.Rahm/T.Hatton vs. P.Cantlay/X.Schauffele – Team Europe won 2 & 1
Friday, Sept. 29 Results
Session Two: Four Ball
United States Europe Results
Thomas/Spieth Hovland/Hatton Tied
Scheffler/Koepka Rahm/Hojgaard Tied
Homa/Clark MacIntyre/Rose Tied
Morikawa/Schauffele McIlroy/Fitzpatrick 5 & 3 EU
Session One: Foursomes
United States Europe Results
Scheffler/Burns Rahm/Hatton 4 & 3 EU
Homa/Harman Hovland/Aberg 4 & 3 EU
Fowler/Morikawa Lowry/Straka 2 & 1 EU
Schauffele/Cantlay McIlroy/Fleetwood 2 & 1 EU