At this point Europe were one down in the opening match and Tyrrell Hatton was weighing up hitting from behind a big stick.

After some fevered discussion with partner Jon Rahm, they figured it out and he smashed it onto the green.

Soon after, they completely turned the game around.

And what would you know...

The US find sand with their approach to the seventh.

Viktor Hovland nails his approach to 12 feet.

That's surely a certain four for Europe. The US will realistically need to get up and down to stay one up.

Remember what I said about being left to rue missed chances?

James Gregg
BBC Radio 5 Live at The Ryder Cup

This is the theatre where the actors carry nations and continents on their backs and Rory McIlroy is doing such a brilliant job of that so far.

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Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are a match made in golfing heaven! Not only are they great friends, but their games just mesh together perfectly as they're showing with his awesome display at Bethpage.

A sparkling Fleetwood iron off the tee, a solid birdie putt from McIlroy and there you have it, Europe go five ahead after just eight holes.

And that's five birdies as well, in foursomes, at the Ryder Cup, away from home! Are you not entertained?

That's two holes in a row the US could have doubled their lead.

If you're them, you're thinking 'will we regret those misses?'.

If you're Bob and Viktor, you're thinking 'we are going to turn this round'.

Expect to see a lot of captain and vice-captain action around this bottom match. It's absolutely crucial.

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Matt Fitzpatrick with a huge fist pump after sinking a wonderful putt.

He's been playing some unbelievable stuff so far in this first session as he puts Europe four up against the world number one.

Brilliant.

Matt Fitzpatrick has played in two Ryder Cups in America and lost all five matches played - the way he's started today he's determined to fix that record.

Great effort by Viktor Hovland but that is indeed a four for Europe on the sixth.

Downhill for Patrick Cantlay and he seriously dribbled that off the face. That was not a great effort and they stay just 1UP.

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The home side has the advantage of setting up the course, and Keegan Bradley has tamed Bethpage Black, cutting down the rough and making it more of an everyday PGA Tour course.

That means players can grip it and rip it without too much worry about playing their second shots - plus greens are soft and receptive to spin.

What does it all mean? Well it's set up for birdies, which Bradley feels suits the Americans better, but as yet that's not quite worked in their favour.

We've seen plenty of birdies, but mainly from Europe, will we see more American ones soon? Maybe an American eagle or two? They'll need some if this continues.

Russell Henley lines up Scottie Scheffler's approach but he just misses the break and goes past the hole.

Collin Morikawa stops the bleeding for the US but needs to sink a six footer to just get a half.

And Tommy Fleetwood then sticks his tee shot in close at the eighth as this European pair will just not stop piling on the pressure.

Viktor Hovland puts Robert MacIntyre in the middle of the fairway but the Scot doesn't really take advantage.

That looks like a four for Europe.

Xander Schauffele with a better approach and the US will have a look at a three there.

The home side seriously need their final pair to come through.

Scottie Scheffler in the middle of the fairway and it's a brilliant approach shot. Cheers from the huge amount of US fans in the crowd. They need some Scottie magic.

Now for Matt Fitzpatrick. He hits the green like Scheffler but leaves the ball a few yards longer than his American opponent.

Jon Rahm has a putt from 12 feet to win the ninth, but he's not read it well and hangs it out to the right.

That means it's a half as Europe gave the USA a two footer for their par, when given the way the last couple of holes have gone you'd have thought Europe would make them putt that.

Europe 1UP at the turn.

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If the first objective for Luke Donald was to silence this New York crowd early on then consider that mission accomplished, as there's hardly a 'U.S.A' chant to be heard around Bethpage Black right now.

Europe have turned things around in the top match, have big leads in the next two and are just behind in the second, so the momentum is firmly with the visitors.

It can turn quickly, of course, but right now this Europe fan's T-shirt is summing things up nicely as Donald's men look for a rare away win.

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That early scoreboard is all looking a bit blue at the moment.

Robert MacIntyre did produce a fine chip. Three feet left for the four, and Viktor Hovland makes no mistake.

The US could only lag their putt for a three hole-side and that's a half. And a big escape for Europe.

They stay one down - the only European side behind.

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No mistake from Scottie Scheffler as he nails his putt to halve the hole.

Still plenty of work for the US to do as they trail Europe by three in match two.

Ludvig Aberg goes for it but it's a tough putt and leaves it just short.

Pressure is on Russell Henley to drop this close now and it's neither here or there. Not an easy putt for Scottie Scheffler coming up.

Ludvig Aberg strides towards the seventh green and puts the marker behind the ball as he lines up the putt while Russell Henley looks to tackle a tricky shot from the rough.