SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France, Sept 29, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Europe battled
back to lead the Ryder Cup entering Saturday’s second day of competition
thanks to an unprecedented foursomes sweep of defending champions the United
States, yet European captain Thomas Bjorn warns the trophy fight is far from
over.
Europe seized a 5-3 lead after Friday’s opening fourball and foursomes
sessions at Le Golf National thanks to four romps in the afternoon foursomes,
the Americans unable to last past the 16th hole.
“It was great but we need to put our heads back on quickly,” Bjorn said.
“There’s no time to celebrate. There’s still a job to be done.”
Reigning British Open champion Francesco Molinari of Italy, winless in five
prior Ryder Cup matches, paired with English rookie Tommy Fleetwood to beat
Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed 3 and 1 in fourballs and the duo then ripped
Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth 5 and 4 to complete the historic foursomes
sweep.
“We didn’t come here to win the foursomes,” Molinari said. “We came here to
win something else.”
Molinari will join Fleetwood for a Saturday fourballs rematch against Woods
and Reed, who sat out Saturday afternoon.
US captain Jim Furyk dismissed fears of back problems for Woods, saying:
“I’d have to say that’s not true. He was actually out practising after the
matches. I’m not aware of anything like that.”
Woods, the star attraction after ending a five-year win drought last
weekend, liked his shotmaking.
“My game is fine,” he said. “My putting feels solid. I’ll be ready come
tomorrow.”
Other Saturday morning matchups, all featuring US duos trying to repeat
Friday wins, send four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia
against three-time major winner Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau, Ian Poulter and
Jon Rahm against Spieth and Thomas and Englishmen Paul Casey and Tyrrell
Hatton against world number one Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.
– ‘Event still pretty young’ –
“We refocus and look forward to tomorrow,” Bjorn said. “I’ve also been
around long enough to know it could swing around again.”
Europe need 14 1/2 points from Saturday and Sunday’s 12 concluding singles
matches to win for the ninth time in 12 attempts and reclaim the Cup while
the Americans need 14 to retain the trophy.
Europe’s charge came after the US squad seized a 3-1 lead after morning
fourballs, the best American result in an opening session in Europe since
1989.
“They wanted to go out and prove something,” Bjorn said. “That says
something about the group.”
The Americans are trying to end a 25-year European win drought and see
plenty of time to reverse their situation.
“The event is still pretty young,” Furyk said. Eight out of 28 points, a
pretty small percentage of this thing being played.
“Our guys, I think they will respond. I really do. We’ll come back tomorrow
and I think we’ll be firing.”
The sweep added fire to Europe’s hopes with one of their greatest Ryder Cup
sessions ever.
“It’s hard to say it’s not right at the top,” Bjorn said. “It is right at
the top when you clean sweep. It’s something pretty special to all the guys
on that golf course.”
It was important to Furyk as well.
“The afternoon going 4-0 is significant,” he said. “We will figure out the
afternoon for tomorrow and try and do better.
“We’re two down with 20 points left. There’s time. We’ll see how it goes
and try to put ourselves in position.”