Why fast start sets Europe up for Ryder Cup success

Team Europe has talked all week about the need for a fast start against the United States on day one of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.

A desire to quieten the notoriously boisterous New York fans was one reason. The other, history tells us, is because front runners on Friday are likely winners come Sunday.

The team that has led at the end of the second session has won each of the past five Ryder Cups.

The past six times Europe have led after the opening two sessions, they have gone on to win the trophy. And at the past five contests, the team that won the opening foursomes matches has emerged victorious.

So, winning the morning alternate shot session 3-1 and the afternoon fourballs 2½-1½ to take a 5½-2½ lead into Saturday should fill their supporters with great hope of celebrating a first away win since 2012.

Why an early lead matters so much

Europe captain Luke Donald knows the importance of his side's start to the defence of the title they won in Rome in 2023.

"To win the morning was huge," said Donald, who called it an "incredible day".

"History is nice to accomplish but it doesn't mean anything unless we get 14½ points on Sunday," he added. Winning 14 of the 28 available points will be enough to retain the trophy but after such a good beginning, Donald's dozen will be hoping for the fairytale ending in New York.

There are stats galore to emphasise the strong position the visitors find themselves in.

Going back to 1991, teams that earned at least three points in the first session have a Ryder Cup record of seven wins and one defeat.

This is the sixth time Europe have led after the first session of a Ryder Cup, following 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2023 – they went on to win four of those.

Seven of the past 10 teams to lead after the opening session of the Ryder Cup went on to win.

And they will know that the past five contests - and 11 of the past 14 - have been won by the side that has dominated the foursomes sessions.

In short, this appears to be Europe's to lose.

Although, we should caveat that with the fact Europe were 6-2 ahead at this stage at Brookline in 1999 and went on to lose by a point.

Bradley 'sticking to plan'

Saturday's pairings for session three - another set of foursomes matches - were announced at the close of play on Friday.

Donald has opted to stick with his tried and tested formula for the foursomes, picking the same pairings as he used on Friday, while Bradley has kept faith with three of his four.

The only change in the US line-up sees New York native Cameron Young replacing Justin Thomas, who he impressed alongside in winning their solitary full point in the Friday fourballs. Young will play with Bryson DeChambeau.

That means Bradley is sticking with Harris English and Collin Morikawa who were soundly beaten 5&4 by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood in the morning foursomes. They will meet again on Saturday.

"We're not going to panic," said a defiant Bradley when confronted with data from a respected analytical website that suggested of the 132 possible foursomes pairings for the Americans, they were ranked 132nd.

"We have a plan, we're really comfortable with our plan. We're really comfortable with those two players and we're sticking to our plan."

Bethpage bear pit quietened

Most of Friday did not go to plan for Bradley and his team though.

Much had been written about the frosty welcome Europe's players could expect from the local fans and after what Morikawa called a "tame" opening to the week, he hoped for "absolute chaos" on Friday.

There were glimpses of that as the final two matches of the day went down the 18th and the home support tried to will their players over the line.

But Europe claimed 1½ points from those two rubbers to end a scintillating day three points ahead.

"It's been a great day for Europe," was McIlroy's verdict, despite him missing a 12-footer to win the final match out on the course.

US captain Keegan Bradley was keen to put a positive spin on his side securing a half point in that match. "That was big," he said.

"We've only played 28% of the points. This is first quarter. We've still got three quarters to go. I've got a lot of faith in my boys."

The American fans' faith will be tested on Saturday though.

Thousands had excitedly scurried through the entrance gates before sunrise to claim a spot in the huge 5,000-capacity grandstand on the first tee. They were left trudging away from the 18th in dismay as the sun set over the Long Island course.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, who won The Open and US PGA among six titles in another stellar year, finished with two defeats, as did their talisman DeChambeau on a chastening day for the hosts.

Europe's Jon Rahm was the common denominator in those defeats. The Spaniard, forced to rely on a wildcard pick because playing on the LIV Golf circuit limits his automatic qualification prospects, repaid the faith shown in him by Donald. He led from the front in both sessions and delivered two huge points.

After the morning atmosphere had been stifled by European blue dominating the scoreboard - with their three points all being won by big margins in the space of 11 minutes - the afternoon matches were livelier both inside and outside the ropes.

And while the behaviour stayed largely on the right side, frustration boiled over for a few home fans, who turned on Scheffler during his afternoon defeat alongside US Open champion JJ Spaun. "Come on Scottie show up," said one, while another shouted: "You're the world number one, show us what you can do."

The European players were also targeted with Robert MacIntyre forced to back off a shot because of a heckle mid-swing, while McIlroy appeared to react and make a gesture towards the spectators as he walked off the 11th green.

Donald said he was unaware of the McIlroy incident, but added: "I was proud of the guys, how they handled the situation, a tough environment.

"There's a lot of hospitality. In the afternoon, maybe guys have had a couple more beverages. You know, it gets loud."

Europe thrive on first tee

That loudness was expected to dominate from the off but Bethpage's first tee is proving to be not as intimidatory a setting as Rome in 2023.

Towering stands horseshoed around the opener at Marco Simone Country Club in Italy, creating a cauldron that the American players seemed to struggle with given they did not win that hole in the opening 12 matches.

The sweeping grandstand that skirts the back of the first tee and adjacent 18th green at Bethpage is more London Stadium than Upton Park. Rather than a deafening noise careering down from the terrace on to the tee, it seemed to drift over the top of the players and down the fairway.

Disco tunes had earlier drowned out attempts by supporters of either side to create their own atmosphere as darkness gave way to light and the opening pairings emerged from the 100-yard long tunnel under the grandstand and on to the first tee.

Bradley had opted to put his chief cheerleaders DeChambeau and Thomas out in the opening group. They arrived, as all the US players did, draped in the American flag. And DeChambeau delivered straight away, dropping the winning birdie after a monstrous drive.

But despite the best efforts of the home supporters to generate an atmosphere that could distract Europe's players, they thrived, winning the opening hole in the next two matches.

Those early wins set Europe on their way to the fast start they had craved and ultimately to the strongest position they have held on American soil in a generation.

Not even the arrival of US President Donald Trump midway through the day could galvanise the home team in the way Bradley had hoped he would.