Europe quiets U.S., up 3 after Day 1 of Ryder Cup

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Europe's biggest stars showed up -- and the American team's didn't -- connected the opening time of the 45th Ryder Cup connected Friday, which is wherefore the U.S. volition person to ascent retired of different large spread implicit the last 2 days astatine Bethpage Black.

European stars Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm didn't suffer a lucifer successful the archetypal 2 sessions, portion Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau failed to gain a point, allowing the Europeans to instrumentality a 5½-2½ lead.

After going 3-1 successful the Friday greeting foursomes (alternate-shot) matches, the Europeans won 2 and tied 1 of the 4 fourball (best-ball) matches successful the afternoon.

"Incredible day," European squad skipper Luke Donald said. "To triumph this greeting was immense for us, and we each cognize however important it is to get disconnected to a bully start. We cognize however beardown the U.S. were successful foursomes. Guys grinded to triumph the league again this afternoon. That's different tick successful our box, and I'm precise blessed wherever we are."

The shortage would person been worse for the Americans if McIlroy hadn't hardly missed an 11½-foot birdie effort connected the 18th spread of the last fourball match. McIlroy and Ireland's Shane Lowry halved the lucifer with Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns, who besides missed an 11½-foot birdie effort connected 18.

"The boys played truly bully this afternoon," American skipper Keegan Bradley said. "Europe made a batch of putts. Happy with the mode we're playing. Hopefully it'll crook and our putts volition spell successful tomorrow."

The teams volition play the aforesaid docket Saturday, followed by 12 singles matches Sunday.

The Europeans request 14 points to clasp the Ryder Cup aft their 16½-11½ triumph successful Rome successful 2023. The Americans request 14½ points to instrumentality it back.

It won't beryllium casual for the U.S. team. The Europeans person won each of the past six Ryder Cups successful which they had a pb aft the opening day. The past clip they didn't get it done was successful 1999, erstwhile they squandered a 6-2 pb successful a 14½-13½ nonaccomplishment astatine The Country Club successful Brookline, Massachusetts.

For the Americans to person immoderate accidental to travel back, they'll person to get Scheffler going successful the close direction. On Friday, helium became the archetypal satellite No. 1 (since 1986) to suffer some his matches connected the opening time of the Ryder Cup without either lucifer reaching the 17th hole.

After Scheffler and Russell Henley fell successful a 5-and-3 foursomes lucifer to Sweden's Ludvig Åberg and England's Matt Fitzpatrick, Scheffler and U.S. Open victor J.J. Spaun dropped a 3-and-2 determination to Rahm and Austria's Sepp Straka successful fourball.

Scheffler struggled with his...