This one is so delicately poised, with very little between the two pairs.

Schauffele puts the third American shot on the green with a chance, leaving Fleetwood needing to respond.

That he does with a beautifully-judged chip.

A shootout with the short stick awaits...

Clever foursomes tactics from the Europeans.

After Tyrrell Hatton finds heavy rough, Jon Rahm plays the percentages to stick Hatton in the middle of the fairway. He lasers it, four feet from the pin. Terrific shot.

Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler is way out left but needs to get it close to stand a chance of clawing back a hole.

It’s a good effort but falls short. Sam Burns will have a nine-yard chip to win the hole.

Well, that was hardly champagne stuff as the hole is halved in bogeys! They're having issues out of the sand these players and again there's some ropey bunker play contributing to this hole.

I've never seen an angrier golfer that's 3UP than Shane Lowry after missing his effort for par, but Rickie Fowler can't take advantage so Europe keep their healthy lead after a hole to forget.

That one won't make the highlights (Which are on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app 20:30-22:00 tonight).

Image source, Reuters

Big chance for the Americans to claw a hole back on the 12th and then, suddenly, the picture looks much rosier.

Homa with a shortish putt for the hole... he's missed it!!

Oh, he's got to make them.

Andrew Magee
PGA Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 live

It has looked dreadful for the Americans.

These putts are needed desperately. The board is blue right in front of you - you can't miss it.

Schauffele gets away with one on the 10th when his tee-shot flies off to the right but, fortunately, snags up in the rough and short of the water hazard.

After Cantlay hacks out, McIlroy further lets them off the hook with an approach which misses the top deck and slides back down the slope.

Wonder how Zach Johnson is feeling about picking Sam Burns first up.

He may be Scottie Scheffler's best mate, but he's not doing his partner any favours at the moment, flaying his drive well left on 14 and out into the wilderness.

Not the way to claw back points.

If Viktor Hovland was being introduced by Zane Lowe, he'd be announced as the Hottest Player in The World right now.

And the Norwegian dropped a big hit on the first green to give his team the perfect start...

Got to go in, Sam Burns.

He has 13 feet for birdie on the par-three 13th but he overreads it and it slides past the hole.

Pressure off for Tyrrell Hatton but from a similar distance he echoes his US counterpart. Hole tied.

A frown from Jon Rahm after that marvellous tee shot isn't rewarded. He definitely thinks he would have drained that!

Paul Waring
European Tour pro on BBC Radio 5 Live

I don't think Jon Rahm has missed a shot. He's been an absolute beast. A true Jon Rahm masterclass today.

Fantastic to be able to stand this close to him and be able to watch him in full flow.

Very little red on the scorecard. But here's a splash of American colour...

After scrambling back into contention on the ninth, Fleetwood Mac fluff their lines with the putter.

They walk off with a bogey as Schauffele/Cantlay nab their first hole of the day.

That's just a sixth hole for the US so far today. Europe have won 17, illustrative of their dominance on day one so far.

Image source, Getty Images

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have been the USA's dream team in previous Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups, winning eight out of 10 matches together.

And Zach Johnson needs them now more than ever!

They have practised together every day this week so are surely a lock-in as a trusted pair, but they did not make the opening foursomes.

And with the USA being swamped this morning, Johnson could well turn to his team of avengers this afternoon, maybe send them out first to try and turn things around.

No pressure...

Gotta love Jon Rahm.

He hits his tee shot on 13 and grumbles, "Come on, come on!" as he watches it fly.

Then it drops out the sky and is inside 13 feet.

Safe to say my "Come ons" on the golf course land a little further away,,,

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome

Image source, BBC Sport

Live radio commentary is under way on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and via this very web page.

Mark Chapman is your host and it looks like he's found a superb spot to get the show started.

Right then, Max Homa. Can you apply some pressure?

Homa for birdie from about 10 feet... nailed it.

A muted response from the Rome galleries, apart from some instantly-recognisable American whooping.

It's always a whoop.

Four would have been as good as game over. Hovland in response.. what's he got? Confidence - and the half.

This one is almost looking done.

Tyrrell Hatton does not need to drain the eagle putt but he's close enough for the gimme birdie while the American duo are still scrambling to make par.

Four up, six to play.

The air is as blue as the leaderboards as Shane Lowry follows his error off the tee with what is, for him, a poor chip from off the front and they have to concede the hole to the Americans.

Europe still 3UP, but after just making it four on the last that mistake will really niggle Lowry.

Uh oh. Rory McIlroy's concerned look down the tee-box tells us that his drive on the ninth did not hit the spot.

Tommy Fleetwood is forced to hack back out into play, leaving McIlroy with an awkward-looking stance as he lashes the third off the bank of a bunker.

Wow... what a strike. They're up on the green for three and still asking questions of the Americans on this 597-yard par five.