European Thunder Strikes Bethpage Black: Visitors Take Command in Raucous Day 1 Foursomes

FARMINGDALE, N.Y.—The 45th Ryder Cup, already billed as an event of unprecedented drama, lived up to the hype immediately on Friday morning as a resurgent Team Europe delivered an emphatic opening statement, seizing early, commanding leads against Team USA in the critical Foursomes session at the pristine, menacing Bethpage Black course. The Americans, playing in front of a massive, boisterous New York crowd desperate for a home victory, found themselves reeling as Luke Donald’s European veterans executed a calculated, surgical strike, threatening to secure a decisive advantage before the crucial afternoon Four-ball matches even began.

The United States entered the biennial competition as a slim favorite, priced at roughly -150, largely due to the formidable depth of their roster led by World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and playing on home soil. Yet, Europe, seeking to become the first visiting team to lift the Cup since the famed ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012, looked utterly unfazed by the raucous reception. By mid-morning, the leaderboard was awash in European blue, confirming the age-old match-play axiom: major names might litter the rosters, but execution and partnership chemistry are king.

The European Blitz: Scheffler Stumbles, Fleetwood-Mac Rolls

The crucial four-match Foursomes session, a demanding alternate-shot format where precision and trust are paramount, quickly revealed a startling narrative of European dominance.

The biggest shockwave emanated from Match 2, where the seemingly untouchable Scottie Scheffler, paired with Ryder Cup rookie Russell Henley, was swiftly taken apart by European newcomer Ludvig Åberg and veteran Matt Fitzpatrick. The young Swede, Åberg, and the Englishman, Fitzpatrick—who entered with a career foursomes record of 0-3—proved to be a formidable, high-scoring combination. They carved up Bethpage Black’s front nine, going 3 Up through just six holes and leaving the American duo scrambling. Scheffler and Henley looked out of sync, with the debutant Henley reportedly appearing “out of sorts” early, missing makeable putts that allowed the Europeans to pile up the pressure. For a team relying heavily on its number one player to set a steady tone, this early deficit proved costly and demoralizing.

Simultaneously, the vaunted pairing of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood—dubbed ‘Fleetwood Mac’—immediately recaptured the magic that made them such a buzzsaw in Rome two years ago. Facing the U.S. pairing of Collin Morikawa and Harris English in Match 3, the European tandem demonstrated ruthless efficiency. McIlroy’s power off the tee and Fleetwood’s delicate touch around the greens saw them jump out to a devastating 4 Up lead after only six holes, converting crucial birdie opportunities and leaving the Americans unable to respond. This match, featuring two American major champions, quickly became a statement victory in the making for Europe, validating Captain Luke Donald’s decision to pair his two European leaders together immediately.

The early scoreboard reflected a startling European lead, one that perfectly illustrated the stark reality that whichever side takes the morning foursomes usually sets itself up nicely for the remainder of the competition.

The Barn-Burner Opener: DeChambeau and Rahm Go Toe-to-Toe

While Europe ran away with Matches 2 and 3, the opening contest—a heavyweight slugfest between two of golf’s most fiery pairings—provided the tension and theatrics the New York crowd craved.

The initial pairing saw the crowd-favorites, long-hitting Bryson DeChambeau and the passionate Justin Thomas, tee off first for the United States, countered by the established European duo of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. The match started with a bang, as Rahm hooked his opening drive into the thick fescue, immediately handing the Americans the early advantage. DeChambeau, demonstrating his immense power, hammered his opening drive over the trees on the dog-leg first hole, leaving Thomas an easy approach shot that resulted in an American birdie and an early 1 Up lead.

The Americans maintained that lead for several holes, fueled by DeChambeau’s drives and Thomas’s short-game prowess. However, the Spanish-English partnership of Rahm and Hatton refused to break. They responded with a series of miraculous, match-saving shots that electrified the European side and stunned the home fans. On the difficult 6th hole, after Hatton pulled his drive into deep trouble, Rahm pulled off an incredible shot from a horrific lie to keep the match alive. This was followed by Hatton’s own heroics on the 7th, blasting out from well-right rough and somehow finding the putting surface.

These clutch moments shifted the momentum. By the 8th hole, Rahm converted a critical birdie putt after a stunning approach from Hatton, securing their first hole-win and drawing the match All Square. This hard-fought battle became the emotional anchor of the morning, setting an intense tone that both players and the atmosphere were fully embracing. As Rahm noted before the competition, facing Thomas and DeChambeau, who “like to get the crowd going,” was exciting because, “I wouldn't say Tyrrell and I are short of energy ourselves. So I think it's going to be a lot of fun for both teams.”

American Resilience and Strategic Context

The lone bright spot for the Americans came in the final match, Match 4, where the reliable pairing of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay took on Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and the reigning FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland.

Cantlay and Schauffele, who have a strong history dating back to the 2019 Presidents Cup, quickly established control. Cantlay’s impressive sand save on the par-5 fourth, following a critical approach shot, ensured the Americans stayed 1 Up in the early going, preventing a complete European runaway and providing a vital half-point hope heading toward the later stages of the morning session. This was a necessary moment of stability for Captain Keegan Bradley, who fielded a team boasting four rookies, a stark contrast to Europe’s single newcomer.

Captain Luke Donald’s strategy, which saw him split the successful partnership of Hovland and Åberg, proved inspired. By placing Åberg with the veteran Fitzpatrick, he created a surprising powerhouse that dismantled the US anchors. Meanwhile, Donald leaned on proven pairings like McIlroy/Fleetwood and Rahm/Hatton to withstand the pressure of the road game.

The pressure on the U.S. is now immense. With Europe leading or tied in three of the four matches deep into the morning, the hosts risk falling behind early by multiple points, a deficit that can prove devastating in the context of the Ryder Cup. Bethpage Black, with its long, arduous par-fours and deep bunkers, is designed to punish slight errors, and the alternate-shot format exposed every wobble.

Looking Ahead to Four-Ball

The early dominance by Europe—a stunning start fueled by veteran execution and high drama—means the afternoon Four-ball session, scheduled to begin at 12:25 p.m. ET, has now become a desperation play for the Americans.

Four-ball, where each player plays his own ball and the better score counts, typically favors the power and depth of the US team. Captain Bradley will need to rearrange his pairings to inject energy and offense, likely bringing players like Cameron Young and Ben Griffin into the fray. The US must dominate the afternoon to neutralize Europe’s morning charge and prevent the visitors from building a cushion that could make history.

If the atmosphere at Bethpage Black was electric for the Foursomes, the energy for Four-ball will be incandescent, as the United States attempts to turn the tide against a European team that appears poised to end the 13-year road drought right on New York’s notoriously tough turf. The quest for the Ryder Cup has begun, and Day 1 has already delivered a barn-burner, with Europe firing the first shots.

Sources:

• 2025 Ryder Cup live updates: Results, scores, standings, scoring as United States, Europe battle on Day 1
• Ryder Cup 2025: USA v Europe day one updates