Rory McIlroy made it three wins from three as he partnered Tommy Fleetwood to victory over Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth; Max Homa and Brian Harman earn first full point for Team USA; Watch the Ryder Cup this weekend live on Sky Sports, with singles starting on Sunday at 10.35am
Saturday 30 September 2023 15:05, UK
Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg inflicted an embarrassing defeat on Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka as Team Europe built a record-breaking lead over Team USA in the Saturday foursomes at the Ryder Cup.
Luke Donald's side held a five-point lead after an unbeaten opening day at Marco Simone GC, where Europe produced a clean sweep in the foursomes and came out on top in the foursomes, with the hosts staying in control of the biennial contest after winning another session on Saturday morning to open up a 9.5-2.5 advantage.
Hovland and Åberg thrashed the American duo 9&7, the largest margin of victory in any 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history and a result that reduced Scheffler to tears, with the prospect of a second sweep in as many days briefly looking a possibility as Team USA's struggles continued.
Max Homa and Brian Harman claimed the first full point of the contest for Zach Johnson's team after despatching Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4&2, before Rory McIlroy made it three wins from three as he partnered Tommy Fleetwood to defeat Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth 2&1.
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton saw a three-hole lead slip in the final match against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele before a stunning tee shot at the par-three 17th from the Masters champions helped the European pair to a 2up victory, with the win ensuring that Donald's side took a seven-point lead into the afternoon fourballs.
The lead equals the largest after three sessions in Ryder Cup history and leaves Europe requiring five more points to regain the Ryder Cup, while Team USA are on the brink of extending their losing streak on away soil.
Europe made the dream start by birdieing each of the next three holes, then responded to Thomas birdieing the fifth by winning the sixth after USA took two attempts to advance out of thick rough.
Thomas won a hole back at the eighth when McIlroy missed a short putt but Team USA conceded the next when they failed to reach the par-five green in three, before Europe cancelled out losing the 10th by McIlroy driving the 11th green and Fleetwood making eagle.
USA won back-to-back holes from the 13th and then McIlroy holed a 25-footer at the 15th to restore a two-shot cushion, with a par at the 17th securing McIlroy his third point in as many sessions.
"It's been an absolute pleasure to share the golf course with this man beside me," McIlroy said. "Last night we talked about enjoying what we did yesterday, but coming out and showing no mercy today.
Pars were enough to win the first two holes for Europe and a bogey won them the third, as the American duo played the opening three holes in a combined five over, while Åberg almost holed his tee shot at the fourth to set up another birdie.
The young Swede added another birdie at the sixth and won the eighth with a birdie, before Koepka found the water with his approach into the par-five ninth to leave Europe 7up at the turn.
The Americans conceded the 10th hole with Åberg standing over a 15-foot birdie, while an erratic 11th hole saw Scheffler spray a drive and Koepka fly the green on their way to losing a fourth consecutive hole.
"We were playing two strong guys - the No 1 in the world and a five-time major champion - and we did not give them anything," Hovland said. "We played really, really solid. I don't think we could have done a lot better."
Homa holed from 10 feet at the second but saw Straka pull back level with a birdie at the next, with Europe twice winning a hole immediately after the USA edged ahead on the front nine.
Lowry lost the 10th after water off the tee and USA won the next with a birdie, before Homa fired his approach into tap-in range and set up an eagle to go into a three-hole lead. The teams exchanged the 13th with birdies before Harman chipped in for eagle at the 16th to seal victory.
"We needed something to go our way," Homa said. "We felt we were ready this morning. Someone had to start a spark so I'm glad it was us. We know how good we are, we are obviously in a big hole but we have the right guys to dig ourselves out of it."
Europe won the second with a birdie and Hatton followed a 25-foot birdie at the sixth by birdieing the eighth, only for the Englishman to hand back a hole when he missed from five feet and could only par the par-five ninth.
Rahm rolled in a six-foot birdie at the 11th but saw the USA pull level when they followed a brilliant eagle at the 12th by winning each of the next two holes, with both teams then sharing the 15th with a bogey.
Hatton holed a 15-foot birdie at the driveable 16th - where Schauffele lipped out from six feet - to leave Europe one up with two to play, with Rahm going inches away from a hole-in-one at the par-three next and earning the win when Schauffele missed his birdie effort.
Rahm and Hatton were both rested for the afternoon session, where Hovland and Åberg were elected to lead out Europe against Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa, while Scheffler was among those left out by Team USA.
Fleetwood partnered Nicolai Hojgaard against Max Homa and Brian Harman, while Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre reunite to take on Thomas and Spieth, with McIlroy paired with Matt Fitzpatrick as they faced Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.
Watch the Ryder Cup exclusively live this week on Sky Sports! Live coverage of the singles begins on Sunday from 9am, ahead of the first tee time at 10.35am. Stream the Ryder Cup and more for £21 a month for six months with NOW.
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