RYDER CUP ’16: Facts and figures for the 41st edition

The boys were missing it a cup out, missing low, and this guy just got up and ball-out, just ripped it in the middle.

Welcome to the USA, European players and supporters. “I couldn’t be more proud of them”. That fueled another run as Stenson and Rose took the next three holes and closed out the match 5 and 4.

The U.S. team touched some rare air this morning, going 4-0 in a session for the first time since 1981.

Johnson, wearing jeans, a red Ryder Cup pullover and loafers, stepped onto the green and was given Sullivan’s putter while Rose peeled a $100 bill out of his wallet and placed it on the green next to the ball.

He’s the guy, after all, who wagged a finger at the media and said he had a feeling it wasn’t over the night before the US stormed back from four points down to win the cup in 1999.

Love could not have scripted a better start – a symbolic one, too.

Clarke had spoken many times in the build-up of plans to react to various scenarios, such as whether Europe were ahead, behind, or keeping pace with the opposition.

Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello gave Europe the ideal Ryder Cup boost going into Saturday’s afternoon fourballs as they fought back to square their foursomes match with American stars Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

Love, meanwhile, was trying to say something positive about it all.

“Jordan just told me he would see me this afternoon”, Stenson added, and Spieth turned out to be right.

“It made you want to be accountable and give 100 percent”.

“The preparation – we were all put in a position to prepare the same way we would have for a major championship”, Mickelson said.

DEBUT TIME: Love played all 12 members of his team on Friday.

After four days ramping up to the matches the players looked raring to go, most noticeably world number three Rory McIlroy who pumped his fist with gusto when introduced. Clarke chose to use only two of them in the opening session. The American pair had failed to find a single birdie on the front nine and when they finally did on the 10th and 11th, Garcia simply followed them in.

He showed how much it meant when he roared and punched the air following his birdie two from 12 feet on the 13th. McIlroy missed a tough 20-foot putt on the 18th that would have halved the match. “He got some of my best golf out there in the end”. “But it’s a long way to go”, warned Love.

“I’m pumped that Jordan and I are playing together, it’s awesome”, he said. Europe led for 10 straight holes until a bogey on the 12th squared the match, and the Americans poured it on. “I played a little bit tight and my man here got me to hit some shots in the end and hit some iron shots and got me to, he got the best out of me”. “I need to go and work on my game”. I am expecting it to be the Ryder Cup which is why it is so special.

Europe roared back in the afternoon session on the opening day of the Ryder Cup, yet America still hold the advantage at Hazeltine. “But this is really a special moment”. And I watched them put the tee in the ground and try and get their ball on the tee, and they were shaking like a leaf. They birdied 16 and 17 en route to a 1-up win.

Dustin Johnson-Matt Kuchar beat Lee Westwood-Thomas Pieters, 5 and 4. That was a reference to McIlroy and Rose losing a playful $100 bet to an American fan who made a putt in Thursday’s practice session.

Brandt Snedeker and big-hitting Brooks Koepka stopped the home rot with a convincing 5&4 win over lacklustre pair Martin Kaymer and Willett.

“The day just kind of kept building”.

Clarke called up Danny Willett as planned.

Olympic gold medalist Rose and Wood, making his first appearance in the competition, also never trailed against PGA Championship victor Walker and 2015 British Open champion Johnson. Mickelson and Fowler already were 1 down to Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan when Mickelson hooked his tee shot out-of-bounds on the par-5 sixth hole.