A look at Day 1 of the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits

Published Sep. 24, 2021 9:31 p.m. ET
Associated Press

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — A brief look at the Ryder Cup matches Friday at Whistling Straits (all times EDT):

SCORE: United States 6, Europe 2.

FOURSOMES: United States 3, Europe 1.

FOURBALLS: United States 3, Europe 1.

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MATCH OF THE DAY: Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler finished in a tie with Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton after a day in which neither team led by more than one hole. DeChambeau made an eagle after a 417-yard drive on the par-5 fifth. Down 1 with one hole left, Hatton hit his approach to 7 feet and made the putt to salvage the half point.

SHOT OF THE DAY: Jordan Spieth could barely get his footing on a ridge far below the 17th green. He hacked a wedge sky-high and it plopped onto the green, about 6 feet away. The momentum from Spieth’s swing sent him falling backward down the slope, and he stumbled down the hill and regained balance only a few steps from Lake Michigan.

PUTT OF THE DAY: Rahm sank one from 58 feet on the fourth hole to build momentum in Europe's only win of the day, a 3-and-1 victory over Spieth and Justin Thomas.

WAY AHEAD: The 6-2 lead is America's biggest first-day advantage over Europe in the 42 years since the rest of the continent joined Britain and Ireland to form the Ryder Cup team.

TIED FOR THE LEAD: By teaming with Rahm for the win, Sergio Garcia now has 23 career victories, tying him with Nick Faldo for the most in Ryder Cup history.

STAT OF THE DAY: Europe won only one of the 21 par-5s the teams combined to play on Friday.

NOTEWORTHY: Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele each went 2-0 for the United States. Spieth was the only player not to collect at least half a point.

QUOTEWORTHY: “I didn’t want to make par, because if I did, I would be walking home.” —DeChambeau on his reaction after his drive on No. 5.

SATURDAY FOURSOMES: Brooks Koepka-Daniel Berger vs. Sergio Garcia-Jon Rahm, 8:05 a.m. Dustin Johnson-Collin Morikawa vs. Paul Casey-Tyrell Hatton, 8:21 a.m. Jordan Spieth-Justin Thomas vs. Viktor Hovland-Bernd Wiesberger, 8:37 a.m. Patrick Cantlay-Xander Schauffele vs. Lee Westwood-Matt Fitzpatrick, 8:53 a.m.

TELEVISION: Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. (Golf Channel), 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (NBC).

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