Rome, Italy - Led by a Ryder Cup record 9&7 victory for Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg and another point for “Fleetwood Mac”, Europe moved closer to a huge victory as they beat the U.S. 3-1 in the morning foursomes to lead 9-1/2-2-1/2 on Saturday.
Europe, seeking to extend their 30-year unbeaten home record, looked out of sight going into the fourballs, with timing running out for the stunned Americans.
None were more shellshocked than heavyweight duo Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, a combination of the world number one and a five-time major winner, who were blown away by the in-form Dane Hovland and 23-year-old Swede Aberg, who turned professional only in June.
Their victory surpassed the previous 7&6 record margin for a foursomes that had been achieved three times and the only bigger individual match wins came in the old 36-hole contests.
Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy - dubbed Fleetwood Mac – looked as if they were going to do something similar as they won the first three holes in the first match out.
However, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, one of the Americans’ most productive partnerships in recent years, fought back strongly only to be eventually dispatched 2&1 on the 17th.
Max Homa and Brian Harman finally claimed the States’ first win of the competition when they beat Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4&2, but Europe finished on top when Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton beat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele on the 17th having never trailed.
