Europe Turn Back Tsunami Of Red-White-&-Blue Winning Three Of Four Fouballs.

Chaska, Minnesota …

Darren Clarke’s underdog side turned back an opening tsunami of red-white-and blue to restore plenty of blue-and yellow pride and trail by two points heading to day two of the 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.

Europe went into the afternoon Fourballs humbled by a 4 nil white-wash in the opening Foursomes, and what was the first occasion in 41-years since Europe had been handed such a drubbing.

But Clarke’s team of ‘underdogs’ bit back winning three of the afternoon Fourballs to be 5 – 3 down as Europe look to capture an historic fourth straight victory.

“It just shows how strong our team is that they can fight back from what happening this morning,” he said.

“I do need to have a strong and decent discussion now who are pairings will be for the morning.

“We now find ourselves two points behind, but a very good two points behind. So we’ll have this discussion and see what we come up with.”

Rival captain, Davis Love 111 was just thankful to get on point after their morning domination.

“A couple of bad drives from Jordan and Patrick cost us in that match but right now we need to get back to starting over again tomorrow.

“We came out trying to win every session.  We didn’t do this afternoon so we’ll just have to start again in the morning.”

Spear-heading the fightback was Rory McIlroy and rookie partner, Thomas Pieters winning 3 & 2.

And watching McIlroy help lead the fightback was Tiger Woods, who clearly was a lot more sedate as one of five USA vice-captains than his morning demeanour.

Woods was overheard expressing surprise at the skill of Belgium-born Pieters who superbly dove-tailed with McIlroy and posting seven birdies between them in the ‘better ball’ format.

It was Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose who grabbed the first European point of the 2016 Ryder Cup winning 5 & 4 and turning the tables on their formidable opponents Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

The duo of Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose exact revenge handing Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed their first loss.

The duo of Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose exact revenge handing Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed their first loss.

It handed the American pair’s their first defeat in four matches and also just hours after they had silenced Stenson and Rose 3 & 2.

The all-Spanish duo of Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera-Bello kept the afternoon momentum alive sending J B Holmes and Ryan Moore packing 5 & 4 for the only USA point in the afternoon.

The only downturn heading to sunset on day one was Martin Kaymer and Masters champ, Danny Willett being on the receiving end of a 5 & 4 beating at the hands of Brooks Koepka and Brandt Snedeker.

Europe had gone to lunch having been handed a first whitewash of the very first session of a Ryder Cup since 1975.

That was when an Arnold Palmer led USA team won all four of the opening day matches and bizarrely, Palmer’s captains golf back from that Ryder Cup stands proudly on the Hazeltine tee this week as a tribute to ‘The King’.

McIlroy had teamed with England’s Andy Sullivan in the morning to be 2up after six holes before the four-time Major champ produced the wobbles to lose the sixth and seventh holes and then to be all square in losing the eighth.

However, McIlroy got his putter again working winning 13 and 14 but virtually gifting the match to Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler in bogeying 15 and 16 for the States to win 1up.

Europe came out from the break a transformed side and clearly intent of creating history of their own and that’s a record fourth straight Ryder Cup success.

Out on course helping cheer-on the Euro fightback was double European Ryder Cup star, Des Smyth who was out covering the Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson match for BBC Five Live.

“The golf this afternoon is just brilliant and especially after the white-wash this morning, and they didn’t deserve to be white-washed,” said Smyth.

“I don’t know what Darren said to them but they’ve come out firing this afternoon and well done to the boys.“And I’m finding myself going hoarse from all my screaming but then I’ve played on two European Ryder Cup sides and was twice a European Ryder Cup vice-captain and everyone clearly knows who I am following.”



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