Europe on brink of astonishing Ryder Cup victory after hostile day in New York

Leading 5.5-2.5 overnight, the visitors extended their advantage by winning the Saturday morning foursomes 3-1 on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on Long Island.

They created history in the process as it was the first time that a European team had claimed victory in the opening three sessions in the transatlantic tussle in the Europe v USA era since 1979.

It meant the visitors, who regained the coveted trophy with a 16.5-11.5 victory at Marco Simone Golf Club on the outskirts of Rome two years ago led 8.5-3.5 and they continued to pile on the agony for Bradley’s team in the penultimate session.

As the atmosphere began to turn a bit nasty, security was stepped up but, even then, Rory McIlroy told a fan who was giving him abuse to “shut the f*** up” while his team-mate Shane Lowry roared “f*** you” at another home heckler.

It was only because European blue was again on the scoreboards, though, that Americans who had paid $750 for tickets this week were becoming more and more restless about what they were seeing.

For the second afternoon running, English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose produced a stunning effort in the fourballs, winning 3&2 against Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler.

Tempers became frayed in that match as the players and their caddies as they made their way up to the 16th tee after the Europeans seemed to take offence about Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie, Greg Bodine, standing where he shouldn’t have been on the 15th green.

“Yeah, it was a shame because it was actually a really great match,” said Rose of the incident afterwards. “I was waiting to putt, the boys were obviously working on their read, obviously going through a lot of their sort of whatever, calculations and bits and pieces, so I sort of waited a few seconds and then I felt like they came up again.

“I was like, ‘it's my putt, right’ or however I said it. Maybe I didn't say it as politely as I could have said it in the moment, but by no means was there any disrespect or anything like that, but obviously it was taken the wrong way.”

History-making performance from Tommy Fleetwood

Rose, the self-described “elder statesman” of the team, holed putt after putt to make nine birdies, including three 2s, as world No 1 Scheffler, who has lacked any sort of spark this week, lost his fourth match in two days and, incredibly, is now winless in eight outings in the event.

In contrast, FedEx Cup champion Fleetwood has won four out of four this week, as was the case on the opening two days in Europe’s victory at Le Golf National in France in 2018. On this occasion, he secured a place in the record books after becoming the first European to win four all four games on the first two days on US soil.

The Englishman’s latest victory here took Europe, who need to reach 14 points to retain the trophy and 14-and-a-half to win on US soil for the first time since 2012, to nine-and-a-half points.

Shortly afterwards, their tally was ten-and-a-half as Lowry and McIlroy beat New Yorker Cameron Young and Justin Thomas, who almost had a hole-in-one at the 17th, on the last green, where the Europeans celebrated with a huge hug.

"When you play an away Ryder Cup, it’s really really challenging,” said McIlroy, who has been the main target for US fans this week, including chants of “f*** off, Rory” in the giant grandstand behind the first tee.

“It's not for me to say [if the fans crossed the line]. People can be their own judge of that. I’m just proud of us being able to win today with what we had to go through.”

As the Masters champion was speaking, it was being reported that a fight had broken out among fans in the grandstand behind the 18th green.

At one point in the afternoon, Europe led in all four games and, though the Americans fought back to claim a win one of the bottom two clashes, it still seems as though Bradley’s men are facing ‘Mission Impossible’ in the concluding 12 head-to-head matches.

After winning 6-3 on the day, Europe lead 11.5-4.5 and only need three points in the singles to not only retain the trophy but also land a first win on US soil since the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012.

“Yeah, I didn't really imagine this,” admitted Donald, who is bidding to join Tony Jacklin as the only captain to win both home and away in the contest. “Obviously their job is not done yet, but to have this stand in New York with most of the cheers coming from our side is incredible. Just the resiliency and the confidence these guys have in themselves, in their partners, is really, truly incredible.”

As for Bradley, he said: “It was a really tough day. Europe has played really, really phenomenal golf, but the boys fought all the way to the end.”

The end could be early on Sunday for Team USA.

Singles draw (US names first; UK time)

5.02pm Cameron Young v Justin Rose

5.13pm Justin Thomas v Tommy Fleetwood

5.24pm Bryson DeChambeau v Matt Fitzpatrick

5.35pm Scottie Scheffler v Rory McIlroy

5.46pm Patrick Cantlay v Ludvig Aberg

5.57pm Xander Schauffele v Jon Rahm

6.08pm J.J. Spaun v Sepp Straka

6.19pm Russell Henley v Shane Lowry

6.30pm Ben Griffin v Rasmus Hojgaard

6.41pm Collin Morikawa v Tyrrell Hatton

6.52pm Sam Burns v Bob MacIntyre

7.03pm Harris English v Viktor Hovland