Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm both hole monster putts on the final hole to help put Europe into a 6.5-1.5 lead over USA after day one of the 2023 Ryder Cup.
The Norwegian and Spaniard - paired with Tyrrell Hatton and Nicolai Hojgaard respectively - were facing the likelihood of losing their respective fourball matches if they missed their putts, both from range and over a slope.
However, the pair converted each of them to turn losses into half a point apiece, helping hand Europe a five-point lead after initially pulling off a whitewash in the morning foursomes.
Hovland and Hatton's duel with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas swung back and forth, Europe leading early before finding themselves two shots adrift with five to play.
INCREDIBLE 😲
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 29, 2023
Viktor Hovland's done it! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HSsWWJasxR
A missed short putt from Thomas opened the door for Europe, and although he redeemed himself on the 17th, Thomas had to make a match-saving putt from four feet on 18 after a magical effort from Hovland.
Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick's game with Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa was the last of the fourballs out, yet it finished second after the European duo dominated throughout.
Incredibly, McIlroy and Fitzpatrick were 6UP through seven holes, and it gave them the cushion to defend that position and claim a 5&3 victory.
Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka overturned an early deficit to lead Rahm and Hojgaard by one shot with three holes to play, only for Rahm to make a masterful chip for eagle of 16 to make it all-square.
Rahm and Scheffler then both almost made their tee shots on 17, leaving themselves similar putts, but Rahm left his shot before Scheffler holed out to guarantee USA at least half a point.
WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?!
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 29, 2023
Take a bow, Jon Rahm 👏 pic.twitter.com/SQ6YWBwPcw
On the last, Scheffler and Koepka were both handily placed to make birdie, only for Rahm to dramatically hole a putt from the edge of the green for eagle, with the Spaniard in as much disbelief as the Americans as he and Hojgaard salvaged half a point.
The drama was not over, though, as Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre came back from two holes down with two to play to claim yet another potentially-pivotal half point.
While MacIntyre contributed early on, Rose's experience proved invaluable at the end, the Englishman doing what was required on 17th before holing an eight-foot putt on the last having witnessed Max Homa miss a putt for he and Wyndham Clark to put USA's solitary win for Friday on the board.
Darren Plant
