Veterans help Europe seize Ryder Cup lead with foursomes whitewash

After an encouraging start to the 2018 Ryder Cup, Tiger Woods and the United States team came crashing down in the afternoon session.

The hosts trailed 3-1 after the opening fourballs, but the second session saw an unlikely comeback as the leaderboard lit up blue.

American captain Jim Furyk was asked about Woods after Team USA was swept in afternoon foursomes to fall behind Europe, 5-3.

“It looked like it hurt, she was bleeding pretty good”.

“It is right at the top”. Get the dedicated Sky Sports Golf channel to watch every minute of the Ryder Cup.

But after Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas edged out Tyrrell Hatton and Paul Casey in a thrilling match 1-up, British Open champion Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood produced a late surge to down a misfiring Woods and Reed 3 and 1.

“Don’t take anything away from the Europeans”.

“When you look at this group of guys that’s come into this team, you know, they are really hard competitors, and I believe in them so much”.

Europe has a 5-3 advantage going into the second day of the Ryder Cup, a lead that feels even bigger with the momentum from its first sweep of a session since 1989.

What else can you do with a notoriously wild player on a course like Le Golf National, where water and thick, pernicious rough loom on almost every shot?

The Ryder Cup is renowned for its considerably more energetic atmosphere and Thomas seemed to simply play towards that.

But while Furyk has made a decision to leave Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson on the bench, he has what he called an “explosive” partnership in Finau and three-time Major victor Kopeka at number one.

Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy led off and were dominating at three-up through 15 holes against Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau in the opening match.

A Ryder Cup fan has been left bloodied and bruised after a wayward tee shot by American Brooks Koepka struck her in the face.

“I never have any doubt in Rory McIlroy because if I start doubting him, then I probably shouldn’t be doing this job, ” Bjorn said. The duo bogeyed three of the first five holes, didn’t make a birdie on the front nine, and was a jaw-dropping 7 down at the turn to Garcia and Noren.

But Molinari wasn’t shaken, and the Italian reeled off two straight birdies to square the match once more. He didn’t make his first (and only) birdie of the day until 9, hit multiple shots way off line including out of bounds and had none of the cocky swagger he displayed at Hazeltine. He’s got a lot of experience, and I put that confidence in him. Five days after Woods won the Tour Championship for his first victory after four back surgeries, he and Patrick Reed went cold at the end.