Ryder Cup: USA fight back but need a miracle with Europe on the brink

Europe held off a mini revival from their American rivals as Luke Donald’s men put one hand on the Ryder Cup trophy.

Starting the day with a 6.5-1.5 lead, the hosts didn’t need long to extend their advantage, with Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg needing just two and a quarter hours to see off Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in a history-making 9&7 victory.

It got even better soon after when Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood continued their 100% record as a foursomes partnership, seeing off the out-of-sorts Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth 2&1, before Max Homa and Brian Harman earned the visitors’ first full point thanks to a comfortable 4&2 victory over Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka.

But Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton restored order with a 2&1 victory over Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay – who has found himself embroiled in a drama about a “split” in the USA team room.

It meant Europe went into the afternoon with a 9.5-2.5 lead.

But the red corner made it clear from the off that they were not tapping out just yet, with Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa racing away from Hovland and Aberg before adding the knockout blow at 15 to win 4&3. Then it was time for Homa and Harman to show their grit once again, seeing off Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard 2&1.

The momentum swung back in Europe’s favour when, after Friday’s gutsy half, Justin Rose and Bob MacIntyre again recovered from a slow start to beat Spieth and Thomas 3&2.

But there was one last twist the tale as Cantlay, to a chorus of boos, finished with three straight birdies as he and Wyndham Clark saw off Matt Fitzpatrick and McIlroy – the latter of whom can no longer become just the fourth player in the modern era to go 5-0-0 – to claw a tiny bit of hope.

So a late revival to make it 10.5-5.5, but the Americans must overcome a record deficit if they are to win – or, indeed, retain – the Samuel Ryder trophy. The largest final-day comeback in Ryder Cup history is four points – a number the USA overcame in 1999 to win the Battle of Brookline, before Europe returned the favour in 2012 in that famous Miracle at Medinah.

• Patrick Cantlay at centre of “split” in US Ryder Cup team

• PGA pro appears to call out ‘greedy’ Patrick Cantlay

• Scottie Scheffler in tears after record-breaking defeat

• Jon Rahm responds to Brooks Koepka’s ‘pouting’ jibe

2023 Ryder Cup day 2 results

Morning Fourballs

Match 1: McIlroy/Fleetwood vs Spieth/Thomas – Europe won 2&1
Match 2: Hovland/Aberg vs Scheffler/Koepka – Europe won 9&7
Match 3: Lowry/Straka vs Homa/Harman – USA won 4&2
Match 4: Rahm/Hatton vs Cantlay/Schauffele – Europe won 2&1

Session: Europe 3-1 USA
Match: Europe 9.5-2.5 USA

Afternoon Foursomes

Match 1: Hovland/Aberg vs Burns/Morikawa – USA won 4&3
Match 2: Fleetwood/Hojgaard vs Homa/Harman – USA won 2&1
Match 3: Rose/MacIntyre vs Thomas/Spieth – Europe won 3&2
Match 4: Fitzpatrick/McIlroy vs Cantlay/Clark – USA won 1-up

Session: Europe 1-3 USA
Match: Europe 10.5-5.5 USA

Patrick Cantlay & Wyndham Clark snatch a point at the last hole against Rory McIlroy & Matt Fitzpatrick and it's 10.5-5.5 for Europe heading into tomorrow's singles.

Luke Donald's men need only four points to win back the trophy. pic.twitter.com/wEk9gmHce3

— bunkered (@BunkeredOnline) September 30, 2023

• Day 3 pairings, tee times, and TV schedule

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