Ryder Cup: Team Europe go 4-0 up over Team USA after historic Friday foursomes sweep in Rome

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton won the opening match; Viktor Hovland impressed alongside rookie Ludvig Åberg; victories for Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood; watch the Ryder Cup all week live on Sky Sports Golf

Team Europe made the dream start in their bid to regain the Ryder Cup after winning all four foursomes matches to sweep the opening session for the first time in the event’s history.

Captain Luke Donald’s decision to start a home Ryder Cup with foursomes rather than the traditional fourballs immediately paid off during a dominant display at Marco Simone GC, where Europe never trailed at any point in any match as they stormed to a 4-0 advantage.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton brushed aside world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and an out-of-sorts Sam Burns 4&3 in the top match, while rookie Ludvig Åberg made a winning start to his Ryder Cup career by partnering Viktor Hovland to victory by the same margin over Max Homa and Brian Harman.

Sepp Straka enjoyed a winning debut as he joined Shane Lowry in despatching Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa 2&1, putting Europe 3-0 ahead, while Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood completed a remarkable morning for the hosts by beating Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay by the same margin.

It’s the first time Europe have ever led 4-0 after the opening session and the first time since 2006 where Team USA will trail heading into Friday afternoon, giving the hosts a commanding lead as they chase a seventh consecutive home victory in the biennial contest.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton beat Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 4&3

Rahm holed from off the green to birdie the third and Europe doubled their lead by taking advantage of the fifth, with the hosts responding to losing the sixth to a six-foot Burns birdie by winning the par-three next after Rahm almost made a hole-in-one.

Burns holed putts over the next two holes to avoid falling further behind and Rahm chipped in from off the 10th green to salvage an unlikely par, with Europe then moving ahead with a birdie at the par-four next.

USA fell four behind when they conceded Europe’s eagle putt at the 12th, with Rahm securing the point when he lagged his birdie attempt at the 15th to within tap-in range.

“I’ve had a good feeling about Tyrrell [Hatton] all along,” Rahm said. “Last time we played together it really felt good, and it was good to come out here and perform the way we did. It’s an incredible foursomes match and we played as confident as two people can play, and it was a beautiful one.”

Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg beat Max Homa and Brian Harman 4&3

Hovland made the perfect start when he pitched in for birdie at the first and converted a 15-foot par to also win the second, before bouncing back from losing the next two holes by claiming the fifth and sixth with pars.

Åberg slotted in a 15-foot birdie at the ninth to reach the turn three ahead and Hovland matched Homa’s birdie at the 11th, with securing another birdie at the 14th before the Scandinavian pair seasoned their victory on the next hole.

Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka beat Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa 2&1

A stunning approach into the third from Lowry set up the first of back-to-back birdies, with Europe responding to Straka putting his tee shot into the water at the fifth by winning three consecutive holes from the seventh.

Lowry sent his tee shot into the water to lose the 10th and Fowler holed a long-range birdie at the 13th to cut Europe’s advantage to two, only for USA to bogey the next and the hosts to seal the win when Straka holed from close-range at the 17th.

“Obviously it’s early days but I wanted to give Sepp [Straka] his moment in the Ryder Cup to hole the winning putt,” Lowry said. “It’s huge. We are off to a great start this morning. We need to keep the foot down. Very happy out there with him and enjoyed myself.”

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay 2&1

McIlroy slotted in a seven-foot birdie at the fourth and edged further ahead with a par at the eighth after Cantlay found water with his approach, only for Team USA to win the ninth and reach the turn one behind.

Europe took the 11th with a conceded birdie, then cancelled out Schauffele’s birdie at the 14th by taking a momentum-changing win at the 15th.

Fleetwood holed his 20-foot putt for par, which took the hole when Schauffele missed from four feet, with McIlroy responding to losing the 16th by firing his tee shot at the next to inside three feet and setting up the birdie.

“It has been an unbelievable session,” McIlroy said. “We switched the format this year to go foursomes first because statistically that’s our better session. And all week, all we’ve been talking about is getting off to fast starts. We were ready to go from the first tee shot as obviously as you can see in how everyone played.”

What’s next?

Hovland and Hatton lead out Europe in the afternoon foursomes against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, with Rahm partnering Nicolai Hojgaard against Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka.

Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose start their week against Homa and Clark, with McIlroy joining Matt Fitzpatrick in the last match to play Morikawa and Schauffele.

Day two coverage has the same timings as Friday, with the opening foursomes tee shot at 6.35am and the afternoon fourballs sessions getting under way at 11.25am. Coverage of the final day singles begins on Sunday at 9am ahead of the first match going out at the 10.35am.

Watch the Ryder Cup exclusively live this week on Sky Sports! Live coverage from day two begins on Saturday from 6am, ahead of the first tee time at 6.35am. Stream the Ryder Cup and more for £21 a month for six months with NOW.