Europe 10.5
USA 5.5
THE UNITED STATES gave themselves a glimmer of hope of retaining the Ryder Cup as Patrick Cantlay holed a 30-foot putt on the final green on Saturday to reduce Europe’s lead to 10.5-5.5 ahead of the closing singles.
Cantlay and Wyndham Clark won the last two holes to beat Rory McIlroy and Matthew Fitzpatrick 1-up in the gathering gloom as the Americans grabbed the afternoon fourballs session 3-1.
But the visitors will still need the biggest Sunday comeback in Ryder Cup history to lift the trophy on European soil for the first time since 1993.
“It felt big, just trying to get any momentum we can going into tomorrow,” said Cantlay who competed without a cap, reportedly in a protest over players not being paid.
McIlroy and Fitzpatrick led 1-up with three holes to play and appeared set to secure a record seven-point advantage after two days for Europe when the Northern Irishman drove the 16th green.
But Cantlay made a crucial birdie, before making it three in succession with his monster effort on the 18th.
The majority of the US team were greenside and celebrated wildly as Cantlay roared in delight, evoking memories of Ian Poulter’s famous Saturday heroics before Europe’s comeback from 10-6 behind at the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012.
That was the last time either side won away from home.
Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre had earlier fought back to see off Justin Thomas and a struggling Jordan Spieth 3 and 2.
The European pair twice trailed one-down on the front nine but rallied as Spieth misfired badly, Thomas failing to shoulder the burden alone.
MacIntyre had missed a succession of putts over the weekend but made three clutch ones on the back nine.
Rose finished off the job on 16, draining a 19-foot effort for birdie.
Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns gave the USA the shot in the arm they needed in the opening match by racing into a 6-up lead with six to play against Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg.
The Scandinavian duo had thrashed Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka by a foursomes record 9 and 7 in the morning.
But they could not hold off their American opponents who closed out a 4 and 3 success.
Max Homa and Brian Harman won the USA’s first full point earlier Saturday and backed it up with a 2 and 1 win over Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard in the second match.
Jon Rahm will face Scottie Scheffler in the opening Ryder Cup singles clash on Sunday as Europe captain Luke Donald opted to send out his strongest players first to defend their lead.
Donald has put all of his four rookies in the bottom half of the draw as Europe attempt to get the job done early, while USA skipper Zach Johnson has left the out-of-sorts Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka lower down.
“I like every square inch of our boat; that goes without saying,” Johnson said when asked if he had “loaded his boat” for the singles.
“But I do feel like we’ve got some guys that are in a position and are willing and wanting to be in those positions that is really attractive to me.
“This list really wasn’t that difficult, to be honest with you, and they look really good, too.”
Hovland faces Collin Morikawa in the second match, before in-form Justin Rose takes on the USA’s Saturday hero Patrick Cantlay.
McIlroy will go up against Burns in match four, with Shane Lowry facing Jordan Spieth.
Scottish rookie Robert MacIntyre is entrusted with the anchor match for Europe against US Open champion Wyndham Clark.
Rickie Fowler, who has not played for the Americans since Friday morning’s opening foursomes, faces Tommy Fleetwood in the penultimate clash.
Schedule for the closing singles session:
10.35am: Jon Rahm (EUR) v Scottie Scheffler (USA)
10.47am: Viktor Hovland (EUR) v Collin Morikawa (USA)
10.59am: Justin Rose (EUR) v Patrick Cantlay (USA)
11.11am: Rory McIlroy (EUR) v Sam Burns (USA)
11.23am: Matthew Fitzpatrick (EUR) v Max Homa (USA)
11.35am: Tyrrell Hatton (EUR) v Brian Harman (USA)
11.47am: Ludvig Aberg (EUR) v Brooks Koepka (USA)
11.59am: Sepp Straka (EUR) v Justin Thomas (USA)
12.11am: Nicolai Hojgaard (EUR) v Xander Schauffele (USA)
12.23am: Shane Lowry (EUR) v Jordan Spieth (USA)
12.35am: Tommy Fleetwood (EUR) v Rickie Fowler (USA)
12.47am: Robert MacIntyre (EUR) v Wyndham Clark (USA)
