If Ryder Cup history has taught us anything over the past decade, it’s that the Americans, after getting trounced in morning foursomes on Friday, might be in trouble.
The Europeans raced out to a 3-1 lead at the 2025 Ryder Cup on Friday at Bethpage Black on Long Island, winning all three of their matches convincingly (and nearly stealing the last).
In the past five Ryder Cups, the team that won Friday foursomes has won the Ryder Cup. Will that trend continue? We’ll find out in two days.
Bryson DeChambeau hinted at his plan to drive the green at the par-4 opening hole on the Black Course, and DeChambeau nearly did and later rolled in the putt for birdie, giving Justin Thomas and DeChambeau an early 1-up lead in the first match out.
It was a great start for the U.S., but things went downhill from there.
DeChambeau and Thomas didn’t win another hole all morning. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, in a foursome group that was made up of three LIV Golf members, won back-to-back holes at 7 and 8 and again at 12 and 13.
Even on the par-3 14th, when Thomas put it close and DeChambeau rolled in the birdie putt, Rahm matched him to keep the lead 3 up. They closed it out a hole later, winning 4 and 3, when Thomas missed a short par putt.
Behind them, it was a lot of blue on the leaderboard.
Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick won 5 and 3 over World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley, and Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood won 5 and 4 over Collin Morikawa and Harris English. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay picked up the only win for the U.S.
Both pairings of Aberg and Fitzpatrick and McIlroy and Fleetwood made three straight birdies on Nos. 4-6 to build big leads early. Aberg and Fitzpatrick specifically were seven under through 14 holes.
A few minutes after Europe’s first point, McIlroy and Fleetwood put a bow on their dominate victory. And about 15 minutes later, it was 3-0, as Fitzpatrick and Aberg won their match on the 15th green.
Behind them, in a match the Americans had once led 3 up, the U.S. was suddenly hanging on to try to secure one precious point.
Viktor Hovland made 10-footers for birdie to win both 10 and 11, and the U.S. lead was just 1 up. Suddenly the Americans were trying to avoid a historic session sweep, something the away team hadn’t done since 1987 (although Europe led 4-0 after the opening session two years ago en route to its dominant victory).
They tied on 14, and on 15 Hovland made another clutch putt, making a short par save to win the hole after Cantlay missed his, evening the match with three holes to play.
After a tie on 16, the Americans won 17 with a par after Robert MacIntyre hit his tee shot into the bunker and couldn’t convert the par putt. The U.S. secured its only point by winning the 18th, taking the match 2 up.
In the past 24 Ryder Cups, the team leading after the opening session has lost just five times.
It’s a quick turnaround for the U.S. now. The four-balls session begins at 12:25 p.m. ET, and the Americans have work to do.
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