x
Tournaments

2018 Ryder Cup Live Blog: Follow Sunday’s matches at Le Golf National

By GOLF Editors
September 30, 2018

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — The 2018 Ryder Cup will be decided on Sunday when 12 singles matches take the course, the first beginning just after noon local time.

Rory McIlroy versus Justin Thomas is the first match of the day, which begins at 6:05 a.m. ET. Alex Noren and Bryson DeChambeau, slated for an 8:17 a.m. ET start, is the final match off.

The Europeans, still with a big advantage after their 4-0 sweep on Friday afternoon, have a 10-6 lead after two days. The U.S. needs to win eight of 12 matches to retain the Cup they won two years ago at Hazeltine.

We’ll cover every shot, fist-pump and agonizing miss with our live blog, which begins with the first match on Sunday. Follow along and see who takes home the coveted Ryder Cup trophy.

RYDER CUP SUNDAY LIVE BLOG

(ALL TIMES ET / REFRESH THE PAGE FOR THE LATEST UPDATES)

FULL RYDER CUP SCORES | SUNDAY PAIRINGS, PREDICTIONS

10:58:  Noren finds the green, but he’s a long way off for birdie. So this is looking very much like a halved match, unless Noren drains a bomb. Which would give us a final result of 17-11, Europe. As expected, DeChambeau’s birdie is conceded, so this putt for Noren will be the last shot of the 2018 Ryder Cup. Oh, my! Noren drains it. A cross country bomb and a very fitting end to this Ryder Cup. Bryson becomes the third of four U.S. captain’s picks to get skunked. 17.5-10.5 Europe.

10:56: DeChambeau, playing his final approach shot of the Cup, hits a peach to tap in range. That will likely be a conceded birdie. He might get himself half a point after all.

10:49 Looking at the ledger, all 12 Europeans contributed at least a point. Phil and Tiger both got skunked. DeChambeau needs to win the 18th hole of his singles match to get half a point. In the post mortems, there will be lots of talk about factors. The home field advantage. The familiar course. The course setup. Etc. But there was plenty of listless play by the Americans, and lots of clutch shot making by the Europeans. Speaking of which, Noren is in the fairway on 18, so is DeChambeau.

10:47: Noren now has a put for birdie, and it runs just by. His par is conceded, and DeChambeau, though off the green, was closer to the cup, so he’s chipping now, trying to birdie for the win. Nope. On they go to the 18th, with Noren dormie.

10:45 A solid shot for Bryson but it spills just over the green. Now Noren, with a good shot, pin high. So this match trudges on, as Champagne corks fly in the stands and Henrik Stenson gets a soaking. Francesco Molinari is celebrating with the crowd as well, and getting soaked by various kinds of alcohol.

10:40: This is a long and narrow par-four, and Noren plays a fade up the fairway, and DeChambeau fans his out to the right. He’s in the rough, but it’s not the worst lie.

11:39: Noren misses. And this match, being played for pride but not for the Cup, goes to 17, with Noren 1-up.

11:34: Bryson now trying to make a bogey four, after rinsing his tee shot. He drains a long one, about 15 feet, and now Noren will have a par putt to win the hole and go dormie.

11:33: For those who believe in karma, DeChambeau might have gotten payback on 16 for failing to concede Noren’s putt on the last. Noren finds the rough behind green on the par-three here. And Bryson dunks his in the water.

11:27: Noren misses, and, somewhat strangely, Bryson is going to make him putt it out for par. Noren drains it but that was an odd descision by DeChambeau to make him putt it. Clearly, he wants to win but there is the spirit of the event to  consider.

11:25 The Cup is over but you know this has to matter for DeChambeau, who has yet to earn a point this week. He’s got a long putt up a ridge and he hits a beauty that just burns the edge. That will be a par. Noren will now have a long birdie bid to win the hole.

11:20 Noren and DeChambeau are still playing for posterity, and Noren is 1 up on 15. DeChambeau plays a solid approach over water to about 25 feet. And now comes Noren, a Ryder Cup rookie. His shot is tracking the flag but it’s a shade short. He’ll have a long putt uphill as well.

11:17: In a match that no longer matters, Patrick Reed closes out Tyrell Hatton. It was an off week for Reed, but he shows a little levity by playfully shushing the crowd and then applauding the spectators.

11:05: The celebrations have begun, as Tommy Fleetwood is being carried off by a wave of European fans. Oles everywhere. With Sergio’s win, he is now the winningest Ryder Cupper in the history of the went. He passes Faldo on that ledger. Molinari, meanwhile, is giving a classy interview. He went 5-0 but is deferring credit to his teammates. You’ve got to suspect that this Cup will revive the old conversations about the Europeans wanting this thing more, cohering better as a team, etc. There’s no doubt they played great, but the vaunted American squad, hailed in advance as the greatest in history, played a lot of listless golf this week. Phil looked lost. Tiger looked tired. DeChambeau never settled in. DJ seemed distracted. And on.

11:04: And Fowler/Sergio is now over as well. Rickie needed a long birdie to prolong it, but it misses just wide. And Sergio, a captain’s pick, pushes the European point total to 16.5.

11:03: There are still matches on the course, including Bryson DeChambeau and Alex Noren. That’s all square. DeChambeau has yet to get a point this week either. Tony Finau is the only American captain’s pick to score points this week. He won two. On the 14th, Bubba has just conceded to Henrik Stenson, so another point for the Europeans. It’s now 15.5 to 9.5, with four matches still in play. And one of those is about to end as well, as Garcia and Fowler are playing 17 and Sergio has just hit a deft pitch for a tap-in par.

11:02: And if you’re looking for an emblematic moment of this Cup, the 16th hole is a good one. Molinari finds the green and Mickelson, needing to win the hole, goes ker-plunk with his tee ball. Phil concedes on the tee box. The Cup is officially over, and Mickelson ends his campaign as a captain’s pick 0-2. He and Tiger both failed to win a single point this week.

11:00: Molinari is on the 16th tee, dormie on Mickelson, with a chance to get the clinching point for Europe. That would be fitting. He’s been Europe’s best player this week. With a win here against Phil, he’ll be 5-0 for the week. He finds the center of the green. So unless Mickelson can birdie here, this singles match is done as well.

10:58: And Sergio is now dormie with a win on 16, and Molinari is dormie on Mickelson with 3 to play.

10:56: And it’s over in the DJ/Poulter match, as the world number one ranked player misses his long birdie try. He concedes to Poulter, who was looking at about 6 feet for birdie.

10:54: And the life has all been sucked out of this for the U.S., as Rickie, down 1 on the 16th, just hit a water ball, missing well right on the par-three. That’s his third water ball in three holes. And it wasn’t even close.

10:52: Has there ever been an American player who looks less comfortable in the Ryder Cup than Bubba Watson? He’s now 5 down with 5 to play against Stenson. Watson is 0-3 in Ryder Cup singles and about to go 0-4. Stenson, we might not, was a captain’s pick, one of several who have played well for the Europeans.

10:50: Poulter has gotten relief in the fairway, as his ball settled in a depression in the fairway that was determined to be a French drain. Literally, a French drain, in this case. He’s got 161. And he’s staring it down. In classic Poulter Ryder Cup fashion, he stiffs it. DJ will need to make a bomb and hope that Poulter misses. Unlikely

10:48: DJ will play first here, from 175. This approach is straight over water, so a pin set on a back tier. It’s a middling shot for DJ, on the green but short left. So Poulter needs to stay dry here and he’ll have at very  least a half point.

10:46: Up ahead, on 18, DJ and Poulter have both found fairway. DJ needs to win the hole to get a half point, but a half point does little for team USA at this point.

10:43: On 15, meanwhile, we’ve got Fowler and Sergio, with Sergio 2 up but both players having found water. Rickie, playing his third after rinsing his tee shot, finds the green, but he’s well right and will have a long putt for par.

10:40 And Poulter’s birdie putt drifts just wide. That was uncharacteristic for Poulter. So he’ll go to 18, dormie in the match. If you’re doing realistic math, this Ryder Cup is pretty much done. Molinari just went 3 up on Phil with 4 to play, and Stenson is 5 up on Watson.

10:37 It’s a good chip but it’s not in. And now Poulter can close things out. He’s got about 6 feet for birdie, and if he makes, you’ve got to expect his eyes will bulge out of his head. He might collapse his ribcage with self-inflicted chest punches as well. Here we go.

10:35: In the final match of the day, which will likely be irrelevant, DeChambeau and Noren remain all square, Bryson having just missed a short birdie putt. Plenty of subpar performances by American players this week. DJ is 1-3 and on the verge of losing another point. He is on the back collar, and very much needing a chip-in to give himself a shot at the match. He’s grinding over this one.

10:33: Meantime, we have DJ and Poulter, on 17. DJ just drained a bomb on 16 to get to within 1, but he’s in the rough off the tee and Poulter has hit his approach stiff. Poulter can close this out with a birdie, which would all but put a stake in things.

10:30: Needing just two points to win the Cup, Europe has Stenson 4 up on Watson thru 11, and Molinari 2 up on Phil thru 12. The fat lady hasn’t sung yet, but he’s warming up her vocals.

10:28: And Rahm makes it. He drops his putter, exults with a double-fist pump, and puts a huge point on the board for Europe. The Europeans now have 12.5 team points. And Tiger Woods finishes his 2018 Ryder Cup campaign with an 0-4 record. If you’re measuring by captain’s pick performances, this Ryder Cup is a European rout.

10: 27: It’s a good chip but it runs by, leaving the stage for Rahm to win the match with a birdie.

10:25: Tiger will need to conjure his younger self and chip this in.

10:23: Tiger, playing from some gnarly spinach, gouges his approach just short of the green. He’ll have a straightforward pitch but Jon Rahm has just 128 to the cup and just stiffed his approach to within 4 feet. This one could be over momentarily.

10:20: Cries of ole go up around the course as Olesen closes out Jordan Spieth on the 14th. Europe is closing in on the Cup. In the Poulter/DJ match, DJ is 2 down on 16, so another point heading in Europe’s direction.

10:18: So they move to 17. A long, tight par four. Tiger on the tee. He gives a club twirl, but it’s not great. It’s left, in fact. In the rough. A bad lie. Rahm answers by pasting one down the fairway.

10:16: Wow. Rahm pushes his four footer. That’s a gift, supplied in part by Ryder Cup pressure. Tiger wins the hole, and he’s now just 1 down with two to play.

10:12: And there is no Tiger magic here. Woods misses. Rahm has about 4 feet to go dormie in the match.

10:11: Rahm’s long birdie putt comes up about 4 feet short, leaving Tiger with a birdie bid to win. Tiger needs this. Rahm unlikely to miss his par.

10:10: Woods plays a solid shot, about 18 feet from the cup. But elsewhere on the course, things aren’t swinging the U.S. way. Poulter just drained a birdie to go 1-up on DJ with four to play, and Henrik Stenson is 3 up on Bubba Watson and Olesen is 4 up on Spieth.

10: 08: So Woods and Rahm reach 16, a par three, and as Rahm goes to the tee, Tiger takes a peek in his bag, so he knows what stick Rahm has pulled.

10:06: Rahm misses his putt, so Tiger is alive still, but his pulse is weak. He’s down 2 with 3 to play and aside from an eagle earlier on the back nine, he has looked largely listless. Rahm tugs his tee shot, leaving it on the green but well short and left. Tiger needs to hit one close here, though. Par is not going to do it. He’s got 18-iron. 163

10:05: On the 15th, Tiger misses his birdie putt. Rahm can make his now to go dormie.

10:02: Tony Finau, the only captain’s pick on the American side to have won a point so far, wins another, with a win over Tommy Fleetwood.

10:00: And Woods, after mulling over the win, opts for 9 iron instead of a hard wedge and he flies it long. He’s on the green but atop a ridge behind the flag and will have a slippery putt for birdie. Advantage Rahm, who is already 2-up.

9:56: For the Americans to have a chance, you’ve got to figure Woods is going to have to turn his match. But Rahm is not going to make it easy. He plays one right over the flag stick on 15. He’ll have about 10 feet for birdie as Tiger prepares his approach from 146.

9:53: Back on the 16th hole, meanwhile, an upset for the Americans as Webb Simpson takes down Justin Rose. Both players birdied the hole, but that was not enough for Rose.

9:51: In the Koepka/Casey match, Koepka plays a handy bunker shot to about 4 feet, and Casey misses his birdie bid. So Koepka needs this for a half point. Yes. So that match is halved. That’s the first halved match of the Ryder Cup. You might call it a victory for the Europeans, though, as they need just 4.5 points to win the Cup.

9:50: And Tiger tugs his putt. That didn’t scare the hole. And that’s a painful bogey for Woods, who goes 2 down with just four to play.

9:49: On the 14th, Jon Rahm just missed about a 5 footer that would have putt him two up on Tiger. But no. Tiger has about 5 feet now to halve.

9:46: Casey is playing first on 18. He’s got 176. And it’s right on the flag but the wind hurts it just slightly, leaving him about 12 feet. And Koepka, from just 152, hits a very poor shot. He tugs it left into the green side bunker. He’ll need to get up and down to halve his match. Not what the Americans needed.

9:43: If the current scores hold, and both Phil and Tiger lose their singles matches, the two veteran captain’s picks will be a combined 0-6 in this Ryder Cup. Bubba Watson, meanwhile, who has never won a Ryder Cup singles match, is 3 down to Stenson.

9:41: And Casey hits a clutch drive, finds fairway. Koepka will now try to answer. He’s got driver. And he pummels it up the fairway as well. Casey will play first on their approaches into 18. Good stuff from both players.

9:38: In the second match, Casey just birdied 17 to draw even with Koepka. So that will go to 18. Another big moment for both teams.

9:37: Thomas, bloodless, doesn’t play it safe. He hits a dagger to about 5 feet. This match is his, though Rory is going to play his fifth anyway and try to hole it from 120 or so. And that’s it. Rory concedes. First point to the Americans.

9:36: And in the lead match, a hard fought contest is coming to an anticlimactic finish, as Rory, playing his third from a deep fairway bunker, catches the lip. His ball trundles into the water, so Thomas just needs to stay dry and upright and he should win the hole.

9:35 Correction in the Woods match. Tiger actually bogeyed the hole, so Rahm goes 1 -up. Woods’ drive found the rough so he had to hack out.

9:33: And Rory’s ball is in the bunker, but it is buried in the face. That was brutal. Trying to gouge it back to the fairway, he fails. The ball spills back into the sand. So he’ll have to play a long third from the bunker, over water.

9:32:  On the 13th, Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm are all square. Woods’ birdie bid here drifts just wide, leaving Rahm with about 15 feet for the win.

9:31: Justin Thomas, on 18, pastes it down the middle. This is a water-laden par-four, 486. Rory has three wood, and he is leaning. He misses right. Hard to tell if he found the bunker or some hairy grass around it. If he’s in the rough, that will be almost certainly a layup. We’ll see.

9:30: On the 16th hole, Brooks Koepka needs to make a six-footer to stay 1 up on Paul Casey. And he pours it right in the heart.

9:27: And he makes it. So, the lead match goes to 18, all square. It has lived up to billing.

9:25: But I’m wrong. Not a great bid by Thomas, who leaves it short. Rory now has a huge five footer to halve

9:23: A couple of matches are lopsided, with Spieth down 5 and Finau up 5, but most are too close to call. Rory, after taking relief from an obstruction, just played a tasty pitch from behind the green. He’ll have about 5 feet for par, but Thomas has a chance to win this hole outright. This guy is nails. I say he makes it.

9:21: And now Tiger, on 12, makes a birdie, gives a fist pump and draws square with Jon Rahm. With the Rory/Thomas match tilting toward the U.S, there could be a bunch of red up early on the scoreboard.

9:20: Justin Thomas hits a fine approach, pin high, about 10 feet. Rory will play now from the rough, from 155 but a tangled lie. And that jumps hard on him and races over the green. That will be a testy up and down for Rory.

9:17: One of Jim Furyk’s picks is doing nicely. Finau birdies 11 to go to 5 up over Fleetwood.

9:15: On 17, Justin Thomas, who looking like this year’s Captain America, just rifled his tee shot, finding a thin ribbon of fairway on the long par-four. Rory flew his even farther but just so slight left. And that slight miss is a big one as his ball buries in the rough. Advantage Thomas.

9:12: But no. Rory misses. So all square to 17. Meantime, captain’s pick Phil Mickelson continues his woeful showing. He’s bogeyed 4 of the first 7, and is now three down to Molinari. And in another beatdown for the Americans, Thorbjorn Olesen just birdied to go 4 up on Spieth.

9:10 For a U.S. comeback to happen, you’d think this lead match has to go red. Or a halve at very least. Thomas is putting for birdie, and he hits the edge and just stays out. That was a good stroke. Rory now. If he makes, there’s will be a crowd eruption

9:08: In the taut lead match, both Thomas and Rory hit strong tee shots on the par-three 16th. Thomas with a bold line at the flag, cut hard by the water, and Rory playing off a slope to the left of the pin.Two good looks at birdie

9:05: One of the surprises of the morning is the Finau/Fleetwood match. Finau was 5-up through 9. Fleetwood just won the 10th to get one back but he’s got a long way to go.

9:04: A huge moment here in the lead match, as Thomas just missed a birdie putt. Rory, who was inside him, had a golden chance but burned the edge. They’re all square still. Europe leads in 6 matches, the U.S. leads in 5.

9:02: Tiger and Jon Rahm are on 11, with Rahm 1-up. The Spaniard has a good look at birdie to go 2 up, but he leaves it just left. Woods dodges a bullet.

9:00 a.m.: Morning everyone (assuming you’re in U.S. time zones). The lead match of Thomas and McIlroy has reached the 15th, and they are all square. Both players have very makable birdie putts. The scoreboard is too blue at this moment for U.S. liking, but a lot of matches are close enough to swing

8:57 a.m.: It feels like the tide may be turning for the American team. Too little too late or just in time? Reed knocks in a solid birdie on the 5th to take a 1 up lead over Hatton.

8:55 a.m.: We have a DeChambeau sighting! The American knocks-in a short one on the third to take an early 1 Up lead.

8:54 a.m.: Tony Finau is on fire! Makes another birdie to win his fifth-straight hole and take a 5 up lead over Tommy Fleetwood.

8:52 a.m.: Justin Thomas two-putts for birdie after reaching the Par-5 14th on two, Rory hits a good chip but fails to covert. Match back to all square.

8:48 a.m.: Rickie Fowler makes a long par putt on the 6th hole as Sergio’s shorter birdie putt burns the edge. Salvages a good halve on the hole, but remains 1 down.

8:43 a.m.: We’ve got a Tiger fist pump! Drops an eagle on the 9th to claw one back against Jon Rahm, Could provide the jolt of energy the U.S. team needs.

8:39 a.m.: Tony Finau is absolutely blowing Tommy Fleetwood away on Sunday. Goes 4 up with another long birdie putt on the 8th. Giving Tommy a taste of his own medicine.

8:30 a.m.: JT! The man is on fire! He chips-in on the 12th hole for par to halve the 12th against Rory.

8:28 a.m.: Ian Poulter will be sweating it out today if he wants to maintain his unbeaten singles record. Misses a a makable putt to halve the hole on the sixth; two up lead back to all square in the space of two holes.

8:20 a.m.: Paul Casey vindicates Bjorn’s faith yet again. Gets to 1 up over 2018’s double major winner with this draino on the 10th.

8:16 a.m.: Webb Simpson continues to impress in his singles match against Justin Rose. Drains another long birdie putt on the 8th to race to 3 up.

8:15 a.m.: DJ knocks in a long birdie putt on the 5th hole. Poulter lips out his to drop back to 1 up.

8:12 a.m.: Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy both stick their approaches to the par-3 11th, but both miss their tricky downhill birdie putts to keep the match all square.

8:06 a.m.: Justin Thomas claws his way back to all square in his lead match with Rory McIlroy. He’s been America’s star player all week, and showed why with about stout birdie putt on the 10th

8:04 a.m.: Webb Simpson, who’s been one of America’s best players this week, has a birdie putt conceded on the 7th hole to regain his 2 up lead over Justin Rose.

8:02 a.m.: Tyrell Hatton vs. Patrick Reed officially gets on the course, while Francesco Molinari makes a clutch putt on the third hole to halve the hole.

7:56 a.m.: European rookie Thorbjorn Oleson races to an early 1 up lead over Jordan Spieth, who squares the match with a short birdie putt of his own on the third.

7:50 a.m.: Phil Mickelson leaves himself a tough downhill par putt on the first hole which lips out, one down through one against Francisco Molinari.

7:42 a.m.: JT holes solid putt on the 8th to cut into McIlroy’s 2 up lead. Lets out a big roar; exactly the kind of passion American fans want — and need — from their players to turn this around.

7:38 p.m.: Tiger Woods lets a great opportunity to square his match against Jon Rahm slip on the 5th. Five footer for par to win the hole slips by — hole halved with bogeys. Oops.

7:30 a.m. – Rory with a great up and down on 7. Thomas concedes the par putt. He putts it close and it’s conceded and Rory remains 2 up after 7.

7:24 a.m. – On the par-4 7th Rory misses the green and will have to chip on, and Thomas finds the green and has about 20 feet coming for birdie.

7:20 a.m. – Tiger rolls in a nice 10-footer for birdie on 3. Rahm also makes and keeps his 1-up lead.

7:16 a.m. – Koepka wins the 5th with a birdie 3 and he’s now 1 up over Casey in Match 2. Up ahead on the 6th green, Thomas and Rory both miss makable birdie putts.

7:14 a.m. – Fleetwood misses the green on 2 and then misses from 11 feet for par. Tony Finau is now 2 up after 2 with a pair of pars.

7:11 a.m. Webb with a birdie on the 3rd, and he’s now 2 up after 3.

7:10 a.m. – Rory celebrates his putt on 5.

7:07 a.m. – And just when Rory looks like he’s in trouble, he flops it on from about 30 yards away and then makes a big breaker from about 12 feet to save par and halve the hole. Still 2 up after 5.

7:06 a.m. – Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter just teed off in Match 6. Both find the fairway. No one has missed it yet today.

7:05 a.m. – Rory’s sketchy driving day might be catching up to him on the 5th. He misses the fairway again but this one he can’t advance to the green, and it’s sitting down in the rough again and he’s short-sided. Justin Thomas has about 20 feet for birdie.

7:03 a.m. – Tiger and Rahm both make par on 2. Back at 1, Fleetwood does EXACTLY what Casey did. His ball trickles into the water. Wow.

7:01 a.m. – Rahm and Tiger both miss the par-3 2nd green but pitch it close from there. Couple of testers inside five feet for par coming.

7 a.m. – Fleetwood finds the bunker right of the green on 1. Same spot Casey hit into the water from. Finau responds with a dart to about 15 feet. Good shot. What an upset Tony Finau is trying to putt this week.

6:58 a.m. – Casey and Koepka split the 3rd hole with birdies. Casey has birdied two in a row after conceding the first hole when his bunker shot went into the water.

6:56 a.m. – Thomas can’t take advantage of Rory’s wayward drive. He misses his 7 footer for par, and Rory makes his from about the same distance to go 2 up after 4.

6:55 a.m. – Match 5 is off and running. Finau and Fleetwood (4-0 this week) both find the short grass. Onward.

6:53 a.m. – Wow. Rose misses a 3-footer for par on 2, and he’s 1 down to Webb.

6:51 a.m. – Good two-putt from Tiger for par, but not good enough. Rahm rolls in his six-footer for birdie and leads 1 up.

6:49 a.m – Rory goes into the thick rough on 3, then comes up about 10 yards short of the green. Thomas misses left but is in better shape than Rory.

6:47 a.m. – Tiger finds the green on the 1st. Back of the green and about 20 feet at least for birdie. Rahm, however, sticks it to about 7 feet to take a huge advantage here.

6:43 a.m. – Rose pars the 1st hole too. Rory 1 up, and two other matches all square.

6:43 a.m. – And now teeing off, Match 4, Tiger Woods vs. Jon Rahm (both pointless on the week?!). Both players find the fairway and one-third of our matches are now on the course.

6:42 a.m. – Thomas misses his birdie putt and Rory takes a 1-up lead after three holes. JT caught the right edge but it didn’t fall.

6:42 a.m. – Rory chips on and has about 8 feet for birdie, and then nails it. Thomas’s try is a little closer. He’s reading it now.

6:41 a.m. – Webb lags his up for par.

6:40 a.m. – Rose and Simpson both have 30-footers for birdie on the 1st.

6:36 a.m. – Paul Casey rebounds! After making a mess of the first he drains a bomb on the 2nd for birdie and squares the match.

6:35 a.m. – Rory blasts out and misses the green left on the par-5 3rd. Meanwhile Rose finds the green on the 1st.

6:32 a.m. – Rory on the 3rd (below). Misses the fairway right.

6:30 a.m. – Justin Rose and Webb Simpson underway now in Match 3. Simpson finds the fairway to open the match. Rose follows and does the same.

6:28 a.m. – Paul Casey just gave this hole away. Skips his bunker shot over the green and into the water. He concedes to Koepka, who goes 1 up early.

6:25 a.m. – Justin Thomas leaves his putt out to the right and Rory wins that with a par. Match 1 all square.

6:24 a.m. – Not a good shot from Paul Casey. Misses the green right and into the bunker with a wedge.

6:22 a.m. – Good shot from Koepka on 1. He has about 15 feet for birdie. As the same time Justin Thomas blasts out of the bunker and now has about 8 feet for par. Rory misses his birdie and taps in for par.

6:21 a.m. – Thomas missed the green right on the par-3 2nd. Rory finds the putting surface. He’ll have about 20 feet or so for birdie.

6:19 a.m. – And the second match is now off and running. Paul Casey and Brooks Koepka both find the fairway at 1.

6:15 a.m. – Boom! What a start for the Americans. Thomas drains his putt from about twice the distance of Rory’s Big fist-pump follows. Here comes Rory… and he misses! Wow what a point for Thomas. He’s 1 up.

6:09 a.m. – Thomas pulls a nine-iron and safely finds the green. He’ll have about 15 feet or so for birdie. Rory grabs wedge and sticks it to about seven feet. Advantage, McIlroy.

6:05 a.m. – Annnnnnd, we are off! McIlroy and Thomas lead off and both find the fairway on 1. So much pressure with that tee shot. Massive pressure. Good start for both.

x