Everyone wanted to see the first shot. The last one told the story better.
Justin Thomas needed to make a 5-foot putt on the 15th green to keep the biggest match of Friday morning going at the Ryder Cup. But that putt — like so many others — skimmed the edge.
Thomas slumped his shoulders and headed over to shake hands with Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton after the European team’s 4-and-3 win over the U.S. power pairing of Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau.
A match that was supposed to build momentum did just that — but for Europe, not the United States.
“Not exactly what we wanted,” U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said, summing up a morning that left the U.S. staring at a 3-1 deficit on home turf heading into the afternoon.
It started with so much promise. With the sun still coming up over Long Island, DeChambeau and Thomas walked to the first tee draping an American flag over their shoulders.
DeChambeau took out driver and, just as he’d been practicing all week, hit it over the trees on the right and tried to drive the green. It was the shot American fans woke up early to see — the shot captain Keegan Bradley hoped would spark the Americans to a victory on home turf. The ball landed in the fairway, about 40 yards short of the putting surface. A few minutes later, DeChambeau made a 10-foot birdie to go 1-up.
Bradley couldn’t have drawn it up better. He also probably couldn’t have imagined it would be the only hole his lead team would win all round.
It was a loss punctuated not by great drives, but by putters that did not cooperate. The U.S. missed seven putts from 15 feet and closer, any of which would have won or tied holes.
Europe, meanwhile, got breaks and took advantage of them.
The best picture of the day was Hatton in a plank position in the seventh rough, checking out Rahm’s errant drive that was perched awkwardly behind a stick. Hatton sized it up and hit onto the green from that tricky lie and Europe made par. Thomas missed a 7-footer to tie and America’s 1-up lead was gone.
“A bit of a hit-and-hope,” Hatton called the approach on No. 7. “Thankfully it went straight. I was happy to have a clean line and to see that the stick wouldn’t affect it.”
A fan blurted out “Let’s Go Europe” after that hole — a cheer briefly drowned out by boos from an American crowd still holding out hope.
A hole later, Rahm made a 12-footer to give the Europeans the lead for good. Most of the rest of this match was played in near silence on what’s supposed to be one of America’s most raucous golf courses, Bethpage Black.
One exception came on No. 12, when Hatton lined up a putt, then stepped away to flick away a gnat. Fans showered him with boos. Then, Hatton lined it up again and made the 20-footer to make it 3-up, Europe.
Rahm improved to 5-0 lifetime in Ryder Cup foursomes. The Rahm-Hatton duo is now 3-0-1.
Rahm conceded the start was a bit intimidating — all that shouting and DeChambeau hitting a perfect shot under pressure.
“We stayed in it and started hitting good shots and getting positive vibes,” he said. “Tyrell is very, very dependable when things get difficult. I’ve got full confidence in him every single time.”
