Ryder Cup: Day 2 winners, losers as Europe continues to dominate

The Europeans continued to flex their muscular tissues on Saturday, as they’ve a commanding 10.5-to-5.5 lead after two days of play on the Ryder Cup.

No crew has ever come again from a five-point deficit going into Sunday singles.

The closest was the thrilling Workforce USA comeback in 1999 after they trailed 10-to-6 at The Nation Membership in Brookline, Mass. The Europeans additionally confronted a 10-to-6 deficit in 2012, after they got here again to win the Ryder Cup at Medinah in Illinois.

On the very least, the U.S. has given themselves an opportunity after profitable three of 4 matches on Saturday afternoon. The People are traditionally higher than Workforce Europe in singles matches, however the deficit is probably going an excessive amount of to beat.

So, with that in thoughts, let’s go over the winners and losers from Day Two:

Winners:

Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm gained in additional methods than one on Saturday.

Within the morning, he iced his match towards Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele with a close to ace on the seventeenth gap. He and Tyrell Hatton gained a foursomes match for the second consecutive day, profitable the final two holes to earn one other level for Europe.

Then, within the afternoon, Rahm responded to Brooks Koepka’s ‘little one’ feedback, and the Spaniard did so fantastically. He didn’t make any controversial statements; as an alternative, he was trustworthy, humorous, and candid.

European followers

The fervour that followers of Workforce Europe have is second to none.

They sing, they chant, they usually cheer from sun-up to sun-down. The 1000’s of European followers which have descended upon the Everlasting Metropolis have been so loud, as they’ve had lots to cheer about.

However they’ve been humorous too.

Early Saturday, a report from Jamie Weir of Sky Sports activities indicated that Cantlay went hatless to reveal that gamers ought to be paid to play within the Ryder Cup.

So when Cantlay arrived on the 14th gap, followers did this:

Sensible and hilarious on the similar time.

Max Homa & Brian Harman

The one two gamers on Workforce USA to win at the very least two factors so far, Homa and Harman teamed as much as win two matches on Saturday.

This all-rookie pairing defeated Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka in foursomes, 4 & 2 within the morning. Then, Harman and Homa held on to beat Tommy Fleetwood and Nicholai Højgaard in afternoon four-ball.

These two gamers appear to have taken a liking to one another, and they’re additionally very acquainted with one another’s video games.

Not solely did they play effectively, however they exhibited nice camaraderie all day on Saturday, too.

Patrick Cantlay

The U.S. wanted three factors within the afternoon, and Patrick Cantlay delivered.

Dealing with a one-hole deficit on the seventeenth tee, Cantlay knocked it shut on the par-3 and made a birdie to sq. the match.

Then, on 18, with all the things on the road, the previous UCLA Bruin drained a 43-footer to win the match in entrance of everybody.

Huge-time pictures and putts from Cantlay have given the U.S. a glimmer of hope.

Picture By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile by way of Getty Pictures

Losers:

Zach Johnson… Once more

U.S. Captain Zach Johnson made the most important blunder of the Ryder Cup late within the day on Saturday.

With Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas trailing Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre by three holes on the sixteenth tee, Spieth took out a driver to attempt to put it on the inexperienced.

Then, Johnson walked over to Spieth. He appeared to inform him to put his driver again within the bag and to hit 3-wood as an alternative.

Spieth listened to his captain and proceeded to hit his 3-wood into the pond, all however ending the match.

It was a questionable choice that was ridiculed by followers incessantly.

Picture by Paul Ellis/Getty Pictures

Brooks Koepka & Scottie Scheffler

9 & 7.

That was the ultimate rating of Koepka and Scheffler’s match towards Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg on Saturday morning. It ended on the eleventh gap because the worst loss in any 18-hole loss in Ryder Cup historical past.

The People received beat so badly that it left Scheffler in tears afterward. Each gamers sat out on Saturday afternoon after this historic loss.

Jordan Spieth

The three-time main champion struggled all day Saturday, as he and Justin Thomas misplaced each of the matches they performed in.

Spieth was all over off the tee, had a couple of mishits, and couldn’t capitalize on the greens.

He even hit one tee shot out of bounds on 14, when the People desperately wanted a degree.

Spieth heads into Sunday singles with a 0-2-1 file.

Xander Schauffele

Schauffele has performed effectively from tee to inexperienced this week, however his putter has upset him.

The flat stick fully deserted Schauffele on the again 9 in Saturday morning foursomes, as he missed makable putts on the 14th, fifteenth, and sixteenth holes.

Schauffele’s putter was an enormous purpose Rahm and Hatton escaped that match with a victory.

He then sat out the afternoon session. Schauffele goes into singles with a 0-3-0 file.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.