Ryder Cup Day 1 winners, losers as Europeans dominate Workforce USA

The European Ryder Cup workforce dominated Workforce USA on Friday, as the house workforce holds a commanding 6.5-to-1.5 lead after day one.

Workforce Europe overpowered the People so badly that, for the primary time in historical past, the U.S. didn’t win a single match in a day on the Ryder Cup.

“Unbelievable begin,” stated European captain Luke Donald. “However we wish it to be a historic week, so the job is definitely not accomplished. We are going to all have fun a tremendous day, however we’ll be again tomorrow morning with the aim of attempting to win tomorrow morning’s session.”

The Europeans received the day in historic style, whereas Workforce USA misplaced embarrassingly.

However allow us to take a look at the precise winners and losers from day one:

Picture by Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs

Winners:

Luke Donald

The European captain pressed all the proper buttons. He acquired some scrutiny for electing to play alternate shot first, however the transfer paid off. His squad received 4-to-0 within the opening session and haven’t seemed again.

Donald is aware of his workforce properly too. All the duos he made labored out for the most effective, as no person misplaced a match for Workforce Europe.

Jon Rahm

The Spaniard had three gap outs on Friday, none extra vital than his second shot on the par-4 sixteenth in afternoon four-ball. His eagle there tied the match towards Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.

After Scheffler birdied 17 to regain the lead, Rahm holed a stupendous eagle putt on 18 to halve the match.

Rahm completed the day with a 1-0-1 report, as he and Tyrell Hatton dominated Scheffler and Sam Burns in alternate shot, 4 & 2.

Viktor Hovland

The 25-year-old Norwegian kicked the Ryder Cup off with a chip-in birdie, sending your complete continent of Europe into jubilation.

Hovland dominated his morning match with Ludvig Åberg, defeating Max Homa and Brian Harman 4 & 2.

The 2023 FedEx Cup champion then holed an enormous 26-foot birdie putt on the 18th gap to halve the match towards Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in afternoon four-ball.

Hovland is a famous person.

Marco Simone Golf Membership

The host golf course for the 2023 Ryder Cup is nothing wanting unbelievable.

It’s the excellent match-play venue, that includes drivable par-4s and scorable par-5s. The par-3s are additionally difficult, and it appears to be like just like the spectators have glorious sightlines on most holes.

The course often is the largest winner of all.

Picture by David Cannon/Getty Photographs

Matthew Fitzpatrick

The 2022 U.S. Open Champion sat out the morning session however got here out within the afternoon on hearth.

Enjoying alongside Rory McIlroy—the one participant to go 2-0-0 on Friday—Fitzpatrick made 4 birdies and an eagle over the primary six holes.

He and McIlroy had been 6-up by way of seven holes, as their match towards Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa was all however over by the point this group made the flip.

Fitzpatrick seemed nice, particularly his putter.

Losers:

Zach Johnson

Arguably the largest loser was the American captain, no less than followers definitely thought so.

What the hell was Captain Zach Johnson pondering? Sending out 4 Ryder Cup rookies in morning foursomes, with two of them paired collectively, whereas leaving 4 main champions on the bench, was a questionable transfer.

It backfired.

The U.S. discovered themselves in a 4-to-0 gap after the primary session.

Then, within the afternoon, he put rookies Wyndham Clark and Max Homa collectively towards Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre. Homa and Clark choked down the stretch and halved the match.

Sending Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth out collectively was transfer, however these two ought to have performed within the morning, too.

It was a disastrous opening day for Johnson.

Picture by Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs

Ryder Cup Broadcast Commercials

What number of freaking commercials did we see throughout the telecast?

Too many.

I noticed extra of Hannah Davis and Derek Jeter than Max Homa and Robert MacIntyre. I additionally can’t get that Burger King music out of my head.

The Ryder Cup is clearly not an everyday PGA Tour occasion both—solely eight balls are in play. Present us each shot stay. The PGA of America and DP World Tour have profitable tv offers for this occasion, so plan the commercials higher, particularly within the early morning hours.

We missed too many pictures.

Wyndham Clark

Poor Wyndham Clark, who performed properly for 16 holes right this moment after which stumbled down the stretch.

He had a golden alternative to provide the People their first victory of the Ryder Cup, as he and Homa held a 2-up lead with two holes to play.

However after bogeying the par-3 seventeenth, he and Homa headed to the 18th with a 1-up lead. After discovering the green, Clark made a multitude of issues, thus main Justin Rose to sink a birdie putt to win the opening and halve the match.

Maybe he ought to have stored his mouth shut earlier within the week when Clark gave Europe bulletin board materials.

Picture by David Cannon/Getty Photographs

Jordan Spieth

Thank goodness the Ryder Cup is match play, or else Jordan Spieth wouldn’t have damaged 80 on Friday.

He couldn’t discover a fairway to save lots of his life within the afternoon four-balls, and if it weren’t for Justin Thomas’ heroics, they probably would have misplaced the match.

However, Spieth’s wayward tee pictures performed an enormous function in squandering a possibility. He and Thomas went from 2-up by way of 13 to halving their match towards Hovland and Hatton.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.