SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — The U.S. Ryder Cup team won the opening session, 3-1, over Europe in foursomes Friday at Whistling Straits.
Before …
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — The U.S. Ryder Cup team won the opening session,3-1, over Europe in foursomes Friday at Whistling Straits. Before any American golf fans get too overconfident, however, they may remember that the U.S. also won the opening session in the last Ryder Cup, in 2018 outside of Paris, before being swept 4-0 in the Friday afternoon session and being routed by seven points by the end. Europe, in fact, has not won an opening session since 2006, yet the Europeans have won four of the past five Ryder Cups and nine of the past 12. Still, though, Friday morning was encouraging for the U.S., particularly since it came in the alternate shot format, which is traditionally dominated by the Europeans, who entered this week having outscored the U.S.37 ½ to 26 ½ in foursomes dating back to 2004. Jon Rahm, the No.1 ranked player in the world, paired with Sergio Garcia, who entered the week with as many Ryder Cup points (25 ½) as the entire U.S. team had, batted leadoff and defeated Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas on the opening match,3-up. For Garcia, the win was his 23rd in the Ryder Cup, tying Nick Faldo for the most in history. Arnold Palmer is second with 22. The Americans swept the next three matches, though, with the most emphatic result a 5-up win by Americans rookies Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele over Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, two of Europe’s veterans.
