Ryder Cup golf, second day: Europe ahead of the USA 10½ to 5½

The second day of the Ryder Cup ends 10½ to 5½ in favor of Europe (3-1 blue in the morning, 3-1 red in the afternoon) on the holes of the Marco Simone Golf, under the scorching sun of Rome. Once the four doubles sessions have been archived, the teams are preparing for the final clash where the players go head to head, twelve matches tomorrow, twelve points up for grabs. Captain Luke Donald needs four points to win and bring home the cup.

THE MORNING

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The apotheosis of this heart-pounding Saturday on the 11th hole in the morning. On the tee Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg are 8 up with 8 holes to play, they can’t lose anymore. The drive is perfect in the center of the green for the European couple, while their opponents Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka are in the bunker, from here they play long into the crowd and even beyond the green on the return. They lift the ball, give up, concede a putt and hole for a memorable defeat, 9&7. He had never been seen in a match since the beginning of the Ryder Cup (1927). In fact, the sign that follows the players with the score of the match is not updated and remains 8 up. Why? Because the number 9 isn’t there, it never was. An inverted 6 will be used. The feat will remain in history, like this couple who came from the north to bring (along with talent and great shots) smiles, lightness, joy. The world number one comes out of the green crying, humiliated along with another golf giant, Brooks Koepka (five major titles). The winning formula of this match? “We’re a good team,” Hovland says. «We speak the same language, we understand each other by culture and type of humor; Ludvig is a hammer and he doesn’t miss a shot, so if we both play well it’s really fun, as it was today.” Three points won and one lost for Europe in the morning session, with the first victory for the United States scored by the duo Max Homa and Bryan Harman. Too little, an even larger advantage for the blues who start the afternoon from the top of 9½ to 2½, an abysmal gap that some now consider unbridgeable. But to bring home the cup you need 14 and a half points of the 28 on the table and the Italian champion Costantino Rocca warns: «Luke Donald’s boys are playing better but be careful, if the Americans find an opening they become deadly». And Rocca knows something about the Ryder Cup he played.

THE AFTERNOON

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Indeed. Just as during the morning the mood in America is terrible (with Jordan Speith walking with his head down, captain and deputy shaking their heads, Scheffler even in tears), the response comes sharply as soon as those who witnessed the nightmare take the field from outside. Thus red becomes the dominant color in the afternoon. Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns immediately thought about avenging their teammates, taking the lead and grinding out holes won at the expense of the two Nordic heroes of the morning, six ahead with six to play; then five (Ludvig’s birdie wins), then four (same thing), but in the end it is a 4&3, with the young Swedish talent who, among the many innovations of his short professional career, experiences his first defeat. Max Homa and Bryan Harman continue their morning work with determination, 4 up at nine against Fleetwood and Hojgaard. The comeback will be heroic (if Homa hits from the bunker at the 15th, Fleetwood responds at the 16th from the rough), the advantage is halved with two holes to play, but ends up in the red with 2&1. The 16th will decide the match where Thomas and Spieth, back on the field to make up for a hellish morning, find the Rose – McIntyre pair capable of turning the match around at nine and then sinking the shot by alternating in great plays. Ends 3&2. Fitzpatrick and McIlroy remain on the field, who take the lead almost immediately but struggle to maintain it against Cantlay and Clark and their great plays. Then in the final it is Rory who shines with his best golf, doing everything alone when his partner is not there (like on the 15th), putting on a show on a critical hole like the 16th and then again on the 17th with such a beautiful approach enough to make his teammate smile and the whole team gathered on the green to applaud. The eighteen is played in a draw and decides the result. Everything happens to all four of them, one mistake after another. In the end, as the sun sets, it will be Cantlay’s putt from afar that will give the fourth point of the day to the many and colorful American spectators, who go home tonight with the first satisfactions since the challenge began. Tomorrow the appointment is at 11.30.