Overview
- Team Europe captured three of four morning foursomes to lead 3-1 at Bethpage Black, quieting a partisan New York crowd on Day 1.
- Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton beat Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas 4&3; Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood defeated Collin Morikawa and Harris English 5&4; Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick topped Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley 5&3; Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay earned the lone U.S. point 2-up over Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland.
- Europe’s fast start marked the first time it won the first three matches on U.S. soil and its first opening-session away win in the United States since 2004.
- Afternoon four-balls were set: Scottie Scheffler/JJ Spaun vs Jon Rahm/Sepp Straka; Ben Griffin/Bryson DeChambeau vs Tommy Fleetwood/Justin Rose; Cameron Young/Justin Thomas vs Ludvig Åberg/Rasmus Højgaard; Sam Burns/Patrick Cantlay vs Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry.
- Security was heightened for Trump’s arrival, with the president introduced to the crowd before four-balls as Europe captain Luke Donald praised a “very strong” start and U.S. captain Keegan Bradley expressed confidence in a response.