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Europe have traditionally seen foursome as 'their' format in the Ryder Cup, and Luke Donald moved it to the first session each day to try and get a fast start - and safe to say it's worked a treat!

And recent Ryder Cups in Europe show you why, as America have won just three of the 24 foursomes matches played over the last three Ryder Cups on the road.

Europe have won 19 and only two have been halved - I think it'll be foursomes to start again in Ireland in 2027...

A raised hand from Viktor Hovland soaks up the acclaim of the crowd as his second shot nestles wonderfully on the green. A great chance for birdie coming up.

Hello, Sam Burns matches him. Bit of fight straight away from the Americans and both inside 10 feet.

At 6.30am yesterday morning, Sam Burns looked a bag of nerves going out first with Scottie Scheffler.

His tee shot betrays no fear today, down the left side of the fairway and safe.

Both Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland - to huge cheers - join him in the short grass.

Making his fourballs debut, Ludvig Aberg is awry and will be searching in the rough for his tee shot.

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Yes, Viktor, that really was the score this morning! Hovland can't resist getting a photo of that record win from this morning - the biggest 18-hole match victory in Ryder Cup history!

Two years ago, America had a 9-3 lead at Whistling Straits and there was so much talk about a new era of US dominance.

Those predictions have been firmly put to bed by the opening to this Ryder Cup.

Let's see if Europe can force home their advantage this afternoon.

There are 16 points left available.

Europe need just five to win the Ryder Cup.

If USA are going to stand even a puncher's chance in singles tomorrow, they have to dominate this session.

Here we go.

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Zach Johnson just wondering if he can bring in a few late subs with USA seven points down...

BBC Radio 5 Live

Europe's strong position means Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have been given well-deserved breathers this afternoon.

But they'll be out there on the course, no doubt, cheerleading from inside the ropes.

"Winning every single session is something you're hoping for but to actually get it done is pretty incredible," Rahm tells BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Me and Tyrrell are resting this afternoon but hoping the boys can go out and play some high-quality golf.

"Winning this fourth session will give us a good chance tomorrow."

Don't envy Luke Donald breaking the news to Rahm. 100% he was desperate to play this afternoon...

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When you're playing in a morning foursome, you don't expect two hours off before the afternoon's play.

Perhaps no surprise that Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg have been sent out first by Luke Donald after they won by a record 9&7 against the heavyweight pair of Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.

US opponents Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns both sat out the morning session but were ragged yesterday.

Viktor will be eyeing going four from four.

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Europe's Tyrrell Hatton has also been talking to BBC Radio 5 Live after earning that vital win alongside Jon Rahm.

"It never feels comfortable, we're playing against the best players in the world and it only takes a few great swings for a momentum shift.

"It was a really tough back nine, we had to dig deep.

"To hole that putt on 16 to put the pressure on and we needed a bit of luck with Xander missing.

"Jon hitting that shot on 17 was pretty special, in some ways a fitting way to finish the match. Xander is pretty deadly from that distance normally but we were lucky he missed those two.

"It has been a stressful morning but we're just very happy to win another point."

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A fine finish for Team Europe in the morning foursomes was sealed by Jon Rahm's brilliance from the 17th tee.

The Spaniard has been talking to BBC Radio 5 Live about their victory.

"It was a really good match, Tyrrell and I played really good golf. Patrick and Xander didn't have the best of starts but they really got going and started hitting quality shots," said Rahm.

"We needed to dig deep after losing a couple of holes and Tyrrell's putt on 16 was fantastic. Momentum is a great thing in matchplay and making that putt made things more difficult for them.

"For me to step up on the 17th tee and hit a six iron to kick in and basically secure half a point was huge.

"It was a gruelling back nine and I'm proud of our work today."

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A joint-record lead, after a record 18-hole match victory, Luke Donald is in dreamland as Europe, on Saturday afternoon, need just five more points to win back the Ryder Cup.

Seve would be proud of this effort after what happened at Whistling Straits two years ago. Just what does Zach Johnson do from here?

Just so you know...

This is the joint largest lead for any side after three sessions of a five session Ryder Cup, tying the seven points the USA had in both 1967 and 1975.

This is done, right?

Watch the highlights - and from an American perspective, the lowlights - of Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg's 9&7 shellacking of Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.

It's the biggest margin of victory in an 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history.

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Europe's Rory McIlroy speaking to BBC Sport Northern Ireland: “I have been waiting for this opportunity for two years. Whistling Straits was a disappointment and I wanted to put it right and redeem myself a little bit. I have been able to do that over the first day and a half and now I have the opportunity to try and go unbeaten for the week.

“I’m in a position where I can see the finish line. In a pressure-packed arena like this it means a lot. Just have to go out and do what I’m doing and hopefully the putts drop and we can keep putting blue on the board.

“We want to win both sessions today. That is our goal.”

Image source, BBC Sport

Always exciting to find out the pairings and this afternoon's fourballs have just been released.

The European headlines are that Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland will play all five sessions, while Jon Rahm is given a well-earned rest.

For the US, the big news is world number one Scottie Scheffler has been left out. Brooks Koepka is also benched after their nightmare this morning.

We've probably not given the Americans enough credit for some of the better golf they've played, but Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay deserve enormous credit for the fight they showed in that one.

The USA went eagle, birdie, birdie to win three holes in a row and level it up down the stretch, then got out of jail on 15 but Europe found their form again late on.

Even when Rahm almost holed his tee shot on 17 Cantlay answered with a stunner of his own, but in the end just two short putts missed from Schauffele cost them the match.

And what a huge point that could be for Europe...

The first flash of red at the end of a Ryder Cup session this year but it's another blue morning...

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Xander Schauffele misses and Europe win this one 2&1, what a match!

Schauffele backs off his putt, obviously feeling the nerves, and there's a bit of break in it down the hill, which is always tricky. It's just a bit too strong on that line and it lips out, to huge cheers again and yet another point on the board.