Europe holds historic lead, on brink of Ryder Cup

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Europe painted Bethpage Black successful bluish scores Saturday with exquisite play that demolished and disheartened the Americans, and proved to beryllium the champion effect to a New York Ryder Cup assemblage that was truthful hostile other information was brought successful to support it from getting worse.

When a long, large and obnoxious time ended, Europe acceptable a grounds for the largest pb going into Sunday singles nether the format that dates to 1979: Europe 11.5, USA 4.5.

"I didn't ideate this," European skipper Luke Donald said. "Every clip the Americans came astatine us, we came back. The resiliency and assurance they person is really, genuinely incredible."

Rory McIlroy caught the brunt of verbal maltreatment and astatine 1 constituent turned to the spectators and said, "Shut the f--- up!" And past helium stuffed his changeable to 5 feet for birdie that closed retired the foursomes lucifer for different bluish point.

It was similar that each day. The louder the crowd, the amended Europe played. And barring the top comeback -- oregon illness -- successful Ryder Cup history, the Europeans volition beryllium heading backmost crossed the Atlantic Ocean with that precious golden trophy.

"I'm seeing what looks similar to beryllium humanities putting. They're making everything," U.S. skipper Keegan Bradley said. "They're a large team. They're large players. They're a pugnacious squad to beat."

The erstwhile grounds aft the 4 sessions of squad play was 11-5. No squad has rallied from much than a four-point shortage connected the past day. Europe needs to triumph lone 3 of the 12 singles matches for the outright win.

Scottie Scheffler besides made it into the Ryder Cup grounds book. The world's No. 1 subordinate is the archetypal to spell 0-4 nether the existent format.

Nothing summed up the week for the Americans rather similar the 10th spread successful fourballs. Tommy Fleetwood deed a wedge astir 2 feet nether the hole. Scheffler followed with a changeable that deed the spread and the basal of the pin, past caromed into the rough.

But it was acold much than 1 shot. Europe holed putts from large and small, often getting shouted astatine by the spectators arsenic they lined up the shots. Nothing stopped them.

The Americans had a pb successful lone 3 of the 70 holes played successful four-balls Saturday afternoon. U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun deed it choky connected the 17th and 18th for birdies arsenic helium and chap San Diego State alum Xander Schauffele squeezed retired 1 of lone 2 U.S. points connected the day.

The different belonged to DeChambeau and Cameron Young successful the opening foursomes match.

Whatever chances the Americans had mightiness person ended connected the last spread of the last match. Patrick Cantlay holed a fewer much large putts to support them successful the game, and a triumph connected the 18th spread would person chopped the shortage to 5 points.

Matt Fitzpatrick deed retired of a bunker to 2 feet. Tyrrell Hatton, a last-minute sub for Viktor Hovland and his sore neck, deed wedge that nicked his teammate's ball. It was different illustration of Europe's superior play.

Cantlay's changeable spun backmost against the heavy collar of the rough, and Sam Burns could lone negociate a changeable to astir 20 feet. Both missed. The throaty cheers of "Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole" returned, and the fewer American fans who stuck astir that agelong were connected their mode home.

Brad...