Europe opens Ryder Cup with early 3-1 lead at Bethpage

Europe built a 3-0 edge in Friday morning foursomes at Bethpage Black as the 45th Ryder Cup began with a stark swing in home-field advantage. Rahm and Tyrell Hatton defeated Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas 4&3; Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood routed Collin Morikawa and Harris English 5&3; and Ludvig Åberg teamed with Matt Fitzpatrick to outlast Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley 4&3. Cantlay and Xander Schauffele closed out the session with a 2-up win in the final foursomes match, leaving the United States trailing Europe 3-1 as the afternoon four-ball session loomed.

Bethpage’s usual raucous atmosphere was slow to rise at first, with the home crowd muted as Europe pounced early. There were a handful of moments that defined the morning for the Americans. On the 10th hole, Scottie Scheffler’s body language drew a hardy chorus from spectators as he and Russell Henley were swept by Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg, 4-up at that point. At 13, Tyrrell Hatton paused a 15-foot birdie try to win the hole to calm a bug that had swarmed his ball, then buried the putt to stretch the lead. The galleries on the 14th tee carried Euro chants, and even Michael Jordan’s presence on the 14th tee could not rally the U.S. pair.

The hush that settled over Bethpage was notable enough to draw comparison to the latitude of Parcells-era moments when a visiting squad silences a home crowd. Luke Donald, the European captain, appeared to savor the moment, as the early advantage built on putts and patient shots rather than dramatic blasts from the gallery. The energy shift was underscored when Rahm rolled in an 8-footer to stay 3-up with four to play, and the U.S. pair’s late push never fully materialized before the match concluded. The Americans did salvage some momentum at the end of the session when Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele won the fourth and final foursomes match 2-up, leaving the day at 3-1 Europe heading into the afternoon.

As the morning moved along, Bethpage’s calm tempo briefly gave way to a different sound. A roar cut through the quiet as DeChambeau drilled a 10-foot birdie on the 15th, but Rahm immediately answered, matching the birdie to maintain Europe’s control. Moments later, the scene briefly turned circus-like when a presidential visit drew overhead noise from Air Force One, which buzzed over the 18th hole while Barack Trump’s plane prepared to land. The moment underscored the Ryder Cup’s ability to blend sport with spectacle, even as the European players kept steady hands and purposeful strokes.

"If we were only going to win one point, it was good to get it out of the anchor match to get some momentum going for the afternoon,” Cantlay said of the final foursomes match. “We need to get some points back.” The comment reflected a practical, forward-looking mindset as the U.S. squad prepared to regroup for the four-ball format in the afternoon.

The Friday start at Bethpage was one of those moments that can define a Ryder Cup weekend: a host nation’s advantage tempered by a European side that capitalized on early opportunities, built on strong putting, and maintained composure under the glare of a crowd that began to rally only after Europe gained the outsize advantage. The afternoon four-ball session would test whether the United States could stem the tide or whether Europe could maintain the momentum that began with a 3-0 run in the morning.

Images from the scene captured the mood and the talent on display.

With the euro-minded start, Europe looked to carry its momentum into the four-ball afternoon session, where teams could leverage momentum and crowd energy (or lack thereof) to swing matches in real time. The U.S. will need to find its footing quickly to avoid falling further behind as play moves deeper into the weekend schedule.