European captain Luke Donald insists making history on day one will count for little if his team do not go on to win the Ryder Cup. Europe opened up a commanding 5.5-2.5 lead over the United States at Bethpage Black after a stunning first day performance.
Donald's side made the perfect start, taking the first three points of the day in the foursomes - the first time they have achieved such a feat in an away encounter. "Obviously, to create a little bit of history with the three matches and how they were won was great," Donald said.
"History is nice to accomplish but it doesn't mean anything unless we get 14-and-a-half points on Sunday."
Historic morning dominance
Europe raced out of the blocks to quieten an initially raucous home crowd, taking the foursomes 3-1. They then subdued their hosts again in the afternoon, carving out another two-and-a-half points despite a visit from US President Donald Trump between sessions that lifted the atmosphere.
Jon Rahm emerged as a standout performer, winning twice in partnerships with Tyrrell Hatton and Sepp Straka. Tommy Fleetwood claimed points alongside Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, while McIlroy earned an additional half-point with Shane Lowry.
The unexpected pairing of Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick delivered a notable foursomes victory. According to Metro, Trump praised Donald as becoming "a real great leader" during their interaction between sessions.
Saturday's crucial battles
Donald will be hoping for more of the same from his pairings on Saturday. Aberg and Fitzpatrick will link up again to face Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young in the opening foursomes match.
McIlroy and Fleetwood face a rematch against Harris English and Collin Morikawa, who they thrashed 5&4 on Friday. The McIlroy-Cantlay dynamic adds extra tension, with their rivalry traced back to the 2023 Rome incident involving caddie Joe LaCava, as reported by Mirror.
Rahm and Hatton will take on Xander Schaufelle and Patrick Cantlay, while Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland will play world number one Scottie Scheffler - who lost twice on Friday - and Russell Henley.
American captain stays the course
US captain Keegan Bradley received criticism after the first day, notably for his decision to pair English and Morikawa, but he had no doubt about sending them out again. Bradley said: "We have a plan of what we're going to do and we're sticking to our plan."
"We're not going to panic and make mistakes. We're going to stick to what we know."
Sources used: "Independent", "Mirror", "Metro"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
