Europe produced their first ever foursomes whitewash over the USA as a storming comeback saw them take a 5-3 lead at the end of the first day of the Ryder Cup.
Day One results
FOURBALLS
- Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen lost 4&2 to Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler
- Justin Rose and Jon Rahm lost by 1 hole to Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau
- Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton lost by 1 hole to Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas
- Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood won 3&1 against Patrick Reed and Tiger Woods
FOURSOMES
- Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose beat Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler 3&2
- Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter beat Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 4&2
- Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren beat Ohil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau 5&4
- Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood beat Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth 5&4
Jim Furyk's USA side grabbed a 3-1 advantage from the first session at Le Golf National as they came out on top in a thrilling fourballs battle.
Thomas Bjorn's men responded in some style though with an emphatic afternoon foursomes session that saw Europe take it 4-0 with four commanding victories.
Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose beat Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler 3&2
A pairing which won all three of their matches together at Gleneagles were reunited as Europe attempted to comeback from a morning deficit and they duly delivered another point against sub-par opponents.
The American pair were five over par for the first 11 holes and although a first birdie of the round on the 13th helped reduce the deficit, Stenson and Rose closed out a comfortable win.
Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter beat Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 4&2
McIlroy made up for his morning disappointment, while Poulter bounced back from hitting his opening drive into the water to win Europe's second point of the afternoon.
After losing another hole to a birdie at the par-five third, Northern Irishman McIlroy's first birdie of the day from eight feet finally arrived at the sixth to get back to one down.
They were level when Simpson could not hole a 15-foot par putt at the seventh and when Simpson's par putt lipped out at the short eighth and McIlroy holed from four feet, Europe were ahead.
Watson missed a six-foot par putt having made a mess of the long ninth and Poulter and McIlroy turned two up having won four in a row. They never relinquished that position and eventually sealed a 4&2 win.
Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren beat Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau 5&4
After sitting out the opening session, veteran Garcia was given the task of partnering rookie Alex Noren, albeit a rookie who won the French Open at Le Golf National earlier this season.
Par was enough to win the second hole and the European duo were gifted the next as well when Mickelson hooked his tee shot into the water, but the Swede and the Spaniard combined to birdie four of the next six holes to move seven up.
They lost the 10th after Noren drove into the water and also the 13th when Garcia did the same, but that was merely delaying the inevitable and victory was secured on the 14th.
Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood beat Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth 5&4
There was double success for the Molinari-Fleetwood partnership as they returned to the course to see off the USA's top afternoon pair.
Fleetwood got things going with a birdie putt at the third and a 15-footer for par at the fifth was enough to extend their lead.
The Southport golfer found his touch on the green with a curling 12-footer at the sixth taking them three up, although he did miss a par putt at the eighth to hand a hole back.
They were four up through 10 only for Molinari to fire his tee shot into the crowd at the 11th leading to the loss of the hole. But Spieth found water at the 13th to put Europe four up and victory was secured with a Molinari birdie at the 14th.
Ryder Cup 2018: Tournament schedule, format & timings
- Venue: Le Golf National
- To win: 14½ points from the 28 available are needed to win the Ryder Cup. As holders, USA will retain the trophy if it finishes 14-14.
- TV: Sky Sports
Friday Afternoon, 1250 BST start
- 4x Foursomes matches (alternate shot)
* Both players in each pairing take it in turns to play one ball. A hole is won by the team who completes it in the fewest shots
Saturday Morning, 0710 BST start
- 4x Fourballs matches
Saturday Afternoon, 1250 BST start
- 4x Foursomes matches
Sunday, 1105 BST start
- 12 x Singles matches
Ryder Cup: Team line-ups
EUROPE
Captain: Thomas Bjørn
Players:
- Paul Casey
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Sergio Garcia
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Rory McIlroy
- Francesco Molinari
- Alex Noren
- Thorbjørn Olesen
- Ian Poulter
- Jon Rahm
- Justin Rose
- Henrik Stenson
Vice-captains
- Luke Donald
- Padraig Harrington
- Robert Karlsson
- Graeme McDowell
- Lee Westwood
UNITED STATES
Captain: Jim Furyk
Players:
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Tony Finau
- Rickie Fowler
- Dustin Johnson
- Brooks Koepka
- Phil Mickelson
- Patrick Reed
- Webb Simpson
- Jordan Spieth
- Justin Thomas
- Bubba Watson
- Tiger Woods
Vice-captains:
- David Duval
- Zach Johnson
- Matt Kuchar
- Davis Love III
- Steve Stricker
