Catriona Matthew
Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

The USA have just never managed to keep the momentum so far this week have they.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Bethpage

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There was barely a blade of spare grass round the edges of the first tee with tens of thousands wedged in but now Rory and Scottie have teed off, two-thirds of the fans have set off in pursuit.

A big match in many senses of the word.

Oliver Wilson
Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live at Bethpage Black

In match play you always prepare to expect the unexpected.

Matt knows he has to stick to his game. He knows Bryson is going to be hitting driver past him all day. It’s not something he’s unused to.

He’s just got to stay in his routines and try and beat him the old-fashioned way.

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But it's the little guy who strikes first!

Jamie Donaldson
Ryder Cup 2014 winner for BBC Radio 5 live

Scottie is so chilled but hasn’t been playing the golf he normally does and it’s just incredible how good he is, how dominant he is to have not won a point so far. He’ll have something to prove.

Rory’s playing unbelievably having not lost a game.

Its just going to be a great match

Strains of the Cranberries' song Zombie - anthem of the Ireland rugby team - are heard from the stands just before Rory McIlroy sends that opening exocet just shy of the first green.

Scottie Scheffler pummels his opener to a similarly optimum spot.

This is mouthwatering.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Bethpage

A sense of hunour from the DJ… “It started out with a kiss…” from Mr Brightside plays just as Rory McIlroy walks out to face world number one Scottie Scheffler.

Thankfully no expletive-laden chants directed at Rory today with the home fans, after naturally booing him turn to their standard ‘Scottie Scheffler’.

But the Ole’s take over as Fitzpatrick nails a hole-winner,,, “Drive for dough,” says one disgruntled local while another adds “how did we lose that hole”?

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Both miss the green at the par-three third and produce so-so chips - but then Cameron Young misses from six feet for par, having landed that bomb on the first.

There's no chance of Justin Rose then missing from five feet though and he slots it in to level the match. Calm as you like.

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Matt Fitzpatrick stiffs his iron to six feet. Great response from the Englishman to Bryson DeChambeau's power play off the tee.

The American will be putting first as well, as his chip and run comes up just over eight feet short and he hits that too hard, taking the break left out of the equation.

That will likely sting as Fitzpatrick is not missing from there and drops in his birdie putt to establish an early advantage.

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Well, well, well. Could this be any more appetising?

In the Presidents Cup they artificially create these match-ups, but it makes it so much more enticing when they appear organically in the Ryder Cup.

The best two players in the world going head to head is a delicious prospect.

Rory McIlroy has played far better than Scottie Scheffler this week, but how many times did Tiger Woods perform poorly in the pairs then turn it on in the singles?

McIlroy admitted he was drained yesterday after a gruelling fourball match - his fourth of the week - but he will pumped for this.

Bryson DeChambeau and Matt Fitzpatrick share a quick handshake before they get going.

The American gets a huge cheer from the galleries on the opening tee, while it is a slighlty muted jeer for the Englishman, who follows the line of the fairway and will have a wedge from around 100 yards or so into the pin.

The sheer difference in power between this duo is exhibited as Bryson goes right and lands his ball just off the edge of the front green.

It's hard to see these two spending much time near each other apart from when teeing off or putting.

Justin Rose misses his long birdie try and gives Cameron Young a nice read as the American has the same line of putt but he can't convert and he stays one ahead.

European captain Luke Donald says Viktor Hovland is "devastated" he had to withdraw from the singles with a neck issue.

"He was really very stiff this morning and tried to go through his warm up but just couldn't play," Donald told Sky Sports.

"He's devastated. He's gutted. He really wanted to represent Team Europe in the singles, so it is very, very unfortunate."

Justin Thomas' putt comes up a fraction short and he bends his knees in frustration. Tommy Fleetwood is unable to capitalise, though.

All square after the first.

Advantage Cameron Young again at the second, but only thanks to a slice of luck as he pulled his tee shot towards the trees but got a very nice bounce back out onto the second cut.

Both are a fair distance from the flag on approach but the American is a good 10 feet closer.

Tommy Fleetwood is on to the green with his approach shot at the first - about 20 feet from the pin - while Justin Thomas' iron shot is further away but not by much.

A few members of the USA team were saying yesterday how Europe have putted so much better during the foursomes and fourballs. Will it be a similar story today?

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Bryson DeChambeau was painted as the gladiator of the United States team who would take this contest to the Europeans.

However, he has gone 1-3-0 with his only victory coming in Saturday's foursomes alongside Cameron Young.

His opponent Matt Fitzpatrick entered the week with a frankly atrocious record but is 2-1-0 and and the understated golfer from Sheffield was arguably Europe's best player on Friday.

Those numbers are representative of just how things have played out for the two teams and the Englishman could leave Bethpage Black with three points after securing just one across his first three Ryder Cup appearances.

Tommy Fleetwood gets a big hug from Europe captain Luke Donald before he lines up for his tee shot.

Fleetwood is so laid back here he's virtually horizontal, and he smashes a wood over the trees and just on to the cusp of the fairway.

Justin Thomas, who has an unbeaten Ryder Cup singles record, does likewise and is probably 10 feet in front of Fleetwood.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Bethpage

A wry smile on Keegan Bradley’s face as that birdie putt dropped.

The US captain is buzzing round the first tee, greeting all the players and caddies but also watching the big screen

Catriona Matthew
Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

This crowd exploded when that ball went in the hole.

We're in for an afternoon here.

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