This is what they're talking about!

Ludwig Aberg further announces his arrival by sinking a birdie putt on the ninth, extending his pairing's lead to three holes at the turn.

The young Swede took a few holes to settle but, boy, is he settled now.

This pairing certainly whet the appetite and they are delivering in style.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome

Jon Rahm’s wife Kelley stopped off to grab a video of this lot a little earlier after they’d impressed with an improvised version of the 1960s hit ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’.

The song made famous by the Crystals is now getting an airing as ‘Da Doo Rahm, Rahm’ on the Marco Simone.

Image source, BBC Sport

On to the seventh, a challenging par three where accuracy off the tee is key.

Good job these guys know what they're doing...

McIlroy lands his effort within range of a birdie, before Cantlay responds with an effort that is almost straight at the flag.

Scottie Scheffler doing un-Scottie Scheffler-like things.

Ironic jeers from the crowd as his approach on 10 lands short of the green and rolls backwards.

The Americans are still in a better spot than Jon Rahm though who muscles it out of the rough but only finds the thick stuff on the other side of the fairway.

Rickie Fowler is borderline disgusted by the short iron he's played on the eighth - which leaves the USA a mile away on the green in four while Europe are in close after just two, and they've seen enough as the visitors concede.

Sepp Straka and Shane Lowry go 3UP!

Looks like our Steve has been joining Luke Donald in hitting up Duolingo.

Ben fatto!

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome

Image source, BBC Sport

The Ryder Cup is of course not only the biggest team event in golf and but one of the world's great sporting events.

It is estimated the that this year's match between Europe and the United States will reach 620 million households around the globe, with it being broadcast in 200 countries.

There will be around 55,000 fans here each day over the weekend with ticket sales for the whole week at around 250,000.

The scale of this thing, including the 4,800-seat grandstand with a Coliseum theme on the opening tee, is assolutamente massiccio, you might say. And here's some of the other things required for an event this big.

• There are around 10,000 seat across 10 grandstands dotted about the course.
• Around 7,000m2 of scaffolding has been used to construct those.
• 90 tonnes of sand in the bunkers
• 15km of ropes marking out the course
• 28,000m2 used for hospitality suites
• There are 130 greenkeepers
• Around 1,600 volunteers
• Water refill stations at nine holes
• Phone charging locations at three holes
• 250 staff & 9,000 other accredited personnel

After Europe retained the Solheim Cup last week courtesy of a 14-14 tie, the debate has sprung up about whether getting a draw should be enough to keep the trophy in both that and the Ryder Cup.

It was the first Solheim Cup draw, while there have only ever been two in Ryder Cup history, and none since 1989, but should the rules be changed just in case?

Should there be some sort of play-off if the scores are level? Or should tradition remain and the holders can retain the trophy with a draw, like the Ashes in cricket?

Let us know on X using the hashtag #bbcgolf.

Oooh, Open champion Brian Harman pulls the US second shot on the long par-five ninth into the crowd on the right.

Not pleasant for Max Homa to pick up the pieces from.

Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg might well be licking their lips here.

Three up at the turn would be a very healthy advantage and one which the Americans would find difficult to overturn.

The first group reach the turn and Sam Burns gets the Americans up and running with a better tee shot than Tyrrell Hatton, who can only pick out the left-hand rough.

Zach Johnson will be looking for this first pairing to do something to shift the momentum here.

Image source, Getty Images

This can only be pressure - Collin Morikawa is in the rough on the eighth, the rough we've heard all about all week, how it's almost impossible to hit cleanly out of.

Yet the American has a cut at making the green, over water, and as his caddie pleads for it to go, the inevitable happens - splash!

And with the USA in the water, Sepp Straka, crucially from the fairway, steps up and launches a crisp iron shot that lands on the green and runs up within 10 feet of the hole.

No gimmes here... that'll be noted.

But there was never any danger of Cantlay or McIlroy missing a tiddler.

Halves.

Image source, Getty Images

Two shots but Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton can't capitalise.

Sam Burns is on the money from nine feet and somehow US escape without further punishment on the ninth hole.

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

Just as Xander Schauffele was lining up a putt on the sixth green, the big screen behind showed Shane Lowry clearly saying something naughty.

Cue big laughs in the crowd. And even Rory caught that and had a chuckle.

Schauffele first then... downhill on the sixth green, veers off left.

Oh, the home crowd like that.

Over to you Tommy... a birdie putt for the hole.

Fleetwood confidently sets it out right but it doesn't move!

Chance gone.

Image source, BBC Sport

It is all blue now.

In the final match of the foursomes, McIlroy executes a lovely approach on the par-four sixth.

Probably about 12 feet away and a makeable putt for Fleetwood.

How can Cantlay respond? Very well. Not as close as McIlroy but it makes for an interesting shootout with the short stick.

Calls of "hit in Shane!" turn into "go on Shane!" from the crowd as Lowry trundles a birdie putt to win the hole right up to the edge of the cup but with just not enough roll to drop.

The huge sighs of the crowds turn to roars though as Collin Morikawa can't save par, and the hole, with the tricky seven-footer Rickie Fowler left him by racing his effort by.

Europe go 2UP in another match - the blue wave is getting stronger.

Just seen US captain Zach Johnson looking rather pensive.

Scottie Scheffler is 61 yards away from the hole, in clumping rough, trying to rescue this duo from Sam Burns' water shot.

Wow, he's found some artistry to get within 10 feet - but that'll only be for par if Burns can sink it.

Twenty-seven yards and two shots for Europe to win the hole.

Homa has missed it!

The ball slides left to right from about eight feet and the American kind of shrugs his shoulders like he was expecting it.

Team Europe stay two ahead in this match when Aberg confidently holes out.