Overview

• Luke Donald’s side won three of four morning foursomes — the first time Europe has taken the opening three matches on U.S. soil — with McIlroy/Fleetwood (5&4), Åberg/Fitzpatrick (5&3) and Rahm/Hatton (4&3) delivering emphatic points.
• In fourballs, Europe added two wins and a half to reach 5½–2½, as Rahm/Straka beat Scheffler/Spaun 3&2, Fleetwood/Rose edged DeChambeau/Griffin 1 up, and McIlroy/Lowry halved with Burns/Cantlay; the U.S. highlight was Young/Thomas winning 6&5 over Åberg/Rasmus Højgaard.
• Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau finished 0–2 on Day 1, with Scheffler becoming the first world No. 1 since Tiger Woods in 2002 to lose both opening-day matches.
• Recent history favors the team leading after Friday, and under this format only the 1999 U.S. team has erased a deficit as large as 5½–2½ or worse.
• A raucous Bethpage crowd and heavy security framed the day, with President Donald Trump attending between sessions as Air Force One flew low over the course before he departed early.