Europe make dream start to Ryder Cup to stun U.S

ROME :Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald had called for a fast start and got more than he could have dreamed of as his inspired side romped to a 4-0 'bluewash' against a crestfallen United States in the opening foursomes on Friday.

The massive crowds who had flocked to the Marco Simone course as the sun rose on the Roman countryside were in party mode as they roared Europe to its best-ever start to the biennial contest.

Donald opted to start with the foursomes rather than fourballs which had been the case at home since 1997 and it proved a masterstroke as Europe outplayed Zach Johnson's team.

Spain's Jon Rahm and English partner Tyrrell Hatton lit the blue touchpaper with a 4&3 victory over world number one Scottie Scheffler and rookie Sam Burns and Scandinavian duo Viktor Hovland and debutant Ludvig Aberg followed suit with a 4&3 defeat of British Open winner Brian Harman and Max Homa.

Ireland's Shane Lowry and Austrian Sepp Straka maintained the European momentum with a 2&1 defeat of the highly-fancied Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa.

Europe's talisman Rory McIlroy, playing with Tommy Fleetwood, then put the icing on the cake of a fabulous morning by subduing Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Europe also won the first-day foursomes 4-0 in Paris in 2018 on their way to victory, although that was after the Americans had won the fourballs in the morning.

While there is still a long way to go for Donald's side, who need 14.5 points to reclaim the trophy they surrendered at Whistling Straits in 2021, they are firmly in the driving seat.

"When you see the first three matches we are up quite a lot and you're in the last match, you don't want to let the side down," world number two McIlroy said.

McIlroy was back out for the