With standout performances from Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm, Team Europe surged to a commanding 5.5-2.5 advantage against Team USA on day one of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. The European team’s early lead has placed significant pressure on the American players as they prepare to respond in the following days.
For the first time in Ryder Cup history, Team Europe won each of the first three matches on American soil to take an early 3-0 lead (Europe needs 14 points to retain the Cup). This unprecedented achievement highlights the growing strength and competitiveness of the European golf teams on the American stage. The final five matches of the day were knotted at 2.5-2.5, but Europe is right where they want to be.
After the first three matches of the day didn’t even reach the 16th hole, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele were able to birdie 18 to salvage the morning and grab a point. This strategic move by the American team provided a crucial boost, although the overall performance of the US side was overshadowed by Europe’s dominance in the early matches.
The afternoon session looked like it was going USA’s way, but Tommy Fleetwood is cementing himself as a Ryder Cup legend. Down a hole, Fleetwood birdied 14 and then gave himself and Justin Rose a 1-up lead with another birdie on 16. Rose’s birdie on 18 clinched Europe’s fifth point, shortly after yet another dominant victory over Jon Rahm.
Hometown kid Cameron Young and Justin Thomas, who lost alongside Bryson DeChambeau in the morning, took a dominant 6 & 5 win over Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard. Cantlay and Sam Burns came back from down two to halve the final match of the day. These results reflect the resilience and teamwork of the European players, who have clearly set the tone for the tournament.
Rahm and Fleetwood combined to go 4-0-0 on Friday. Yes, that’s the same Fleetwood who never even won a PGA Tour event until a month ago yet is now 9-3-2 in his Ryder Cup career. But Team Europe captain Luke Donald praised the Brit for being a ‘world-class’ golfer. This recognition underscores the significant impact Fleetwood has had on the team’s performance, despite his relative inexperience in major tournaments.
Simultaneously, Scottie Scheffler and DeChambeau combined to go 0-4-0, with Scheffler, the world No. 1, never even making it to the 17th hole. This underperformance by the top American players raises concerns about the team’s ability to mount a strong comeback. USA now needs to mount a comeback if it wants to avoid being the first team to lose on home soil since it did so in 2012. No one has won back to back Ryder Cups since Europe won three straight from 2010 to 2014.
Day 2 will tee off at 7:10 a.m. ET to begin another 11-plus hours of golf. The upcoming days will be crucial for the American team as they aim to recover from their early setbacks. The outcome of the Ryder Cup could have lasting implications on the golfing world, influencing future strategies and team compositions for both European and American players.