Brief European wave crashes against red wall in Ryder Cup - 'We just didn't seize that opportunity'
Team Europe's Sergio Garcia and Team Europe's Jon Rahm celebrate after winning their foursomes match the Ryder Cup at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Despite a mid-morning wave when everything was leaning Europe’s way, the Americans won the morning again and stretched its lead in the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
The U.S. team won a third consecutive session 3-1 to take a perilously wide 9-3 lead into the Saturday afternoon fourballs. Pádraig Harrington’s European team would need a heroic effort from his four teams to win at least three of four points in the afternoon to have a fighting chance to come back in Sunday’s singles.
“They had a really good opportunity to kind of flip it a little on us, and man, I'm glad that all these guys on our team this week are on my team,” said Justin Thomas, who rallied with partner Jordan Spieth from a 3-down deficit to beat Viktor Hovland and Bernd Wiesberger 2 up.
“They are great players and competitors and fighters.”
Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia remained unbeaten for Europe, rallying from an early 3-down hole with a stretch of inspired play to beat Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger 3 and 1 in a spirited match. Rahm – who has earned 2 ½ of Europe’s 3 points – and Garcia would be asked to go out again second Saturday afternoon against Koepka and Spieth.
Yet despite their impressive performance, the Spaniards walked off the green sullen with the rest of the morning scoreboard showing a red wave.
“It was important, but we need more. What we did is not enough, not the situation we are,” said Garcia, who won his record 24th Ryder Cup match and upped his record point total to 27½.
“We are hoping that our troops rally hard in those last few holes because we need a little shift. If not, it's going to become a big uphill battle.”
Those hopes of a morning rally were soon dashed. Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa closed out their 2 and 1 win over Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton and the Americans were dormie in the final two matches on the course with two and three holes to play, respectively.
Both European teams won holes to extend the matches and keep hopes of stealing halves alive, but that possibility fell apart in a span of two pulled shots that ultimately led to concessions.
Harrington sent out his freshest forces for the afternoon, with Shane Lowry teaming with Hatton in the opening fourball match against Tony Finau and Harris English. Tommy Fleetwood stepped in to pair with Hovland in the third match against American bombers Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler.
After a rare morning off, Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter once again man the anchor match, but this time in a four-ball against the unbeaten U.S. duo of Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa.
“I just know we need to take care of our business and play well, and obviously we need some things to go our way and just re-evaluate,” Hovland said of the rally plan.
Bernd Wiesberger tugged his approach to the 18th green into the water hazard short and left of the green while moments later Lee Westwood’s tee shot on the par-3 17th turned over and sailed into the gnarly native grasses below the bank between the green and Lake Michigan.
While Matt Fitzpatrick made a good recovery to pitch onto the green, all Xander Schauffele needed to do was safely lag his 40-footer to clinch the 2 and 1 victory. On the last hole, Hovland failed to hole his 50-yard pitch to save par after a drop and the Europeans conceded a 2-up win to Spieth and Justin Thomas.
It was a crushing result for Hovland and Wiesberger, who raced to a 3-up lead through six holes but gave it all back by the 10th.
“They certainly gave us some room to run away, and we just didn't seize that opportunity,” Hovland said. “I certainly missed way too many putts. But tee-to-green, I felt like we out-played them. We just didn't take advantage of it.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
