Europe seizes 3-1 Ryder Cup lead on U.S. after foursomes - ESPN

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Another rout looked to be on at the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black — and again the Americans were on the wrong side of it.

The U.S. team was on the verge of falling behind the Europeans 4-0 after the opening session of foursomes (alternate-shot) matches for the second straight time.

However, after squandering a three-hole lead, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay held on for a 2-up victory by winning the last two holes in the final match against Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and Norway's Viktor Hovland to salvage a point for the home team.

«If we're only going to win one point, it might as well be the anchor match to get some momentum going,» Schauffele said after Europe went ahead 3-1 in the opening session. «We need to get some points on the board in the afternoon.»

12:25 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler/J.J. Spaun vs. Jon Rahm/Sepp Straka
12:41 p,m.: Ben Griffin/Bryson DeChambeau vs. Tommy Fleetwood/Justin Rose
12:57 p.m.: Cameron Young/Justin Thomas vs. Ludvig Åberg/Rasmus Hojgaard
1:13 p.m.: Sam Burns/Patrick Cantlay vs. Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry

The Americans looked to be in serious trouble after they dropped the first three matches of the session — and none was close. According to ESPN Research, it marked the first time in Europe's Ryder Cup history that it won three foursomes matches with three or more holes to play in a single session, and it was the first time Europe took each of the first three matches played in a Ryder Cup contested on American soil.

It was all too familiar for the American golfers who competed in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club outside Rome. The Europeans blitzed the U.S. team 4-0 in the Friday morning foursomes en route to a 16½ -11½ victory, their 10th