And Peter, Shane Lowry will be pretty happy as he watches his partner Sepp Straka flow a pearl straight down the first fairway.

For Max Homa teeing off the Americans? Rinse and repeat. Thick rough on the right once again.

If Zach Johnson wasn't feeling poorly already...

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

Shane Lowry is having a ball out there so far this week. The sight of him galloping down the 18th fairway after Jon Rahm stuffed in a match-saving putt late on Friday was something else.

And the Irishman led the celebrations after Justin Rose rescued a half in the bottom match too.

He formed an excellent partnership with Sepp Straka yesterday… and they’ve just seen European blue hit the board in the top two matches.

Three holes completed.

Three holes won by Europe.

Somebody get a life jacket for this American team.

That's a double bogey start from this big American pair who hand the hole to Europe. This first hole hasn't been kind to the visitors generally, not as bad as the 18th though, with Europe managing to get ahead yet again.

What a start.

Tommy Fleetwood. 35 feet. Centre of the cup.

The onslaught continues.

Sloppy start this from the American pair, with Brooks Koepka leaving Scottie Scheffler behind a tree for his third shot, and he can only bunt it onto the back of the green while Ludvig Aberg has landed Europe's second a touch closer on the putting surface.

Image source, Getty Images

You would imagine having a beer with Shane Lowry would be a terrific experience.

The Irishman was in full voice yesterday, but his game was also on point too as this duo destroyed Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler.

They had a rest in the afternoon, although Lowry played the role of chief cheerleader for Team Europe.

Max Homa played twice too - and saw a point slip through his fingers on the 18th green. He and Brian Harman will need to dig deep.

Image source, Getty Images

An outstanding recovery from Justin Thomas who makes it onto the green with the second shot as his ball kicks up off the sprinkler and trundles down.

It'll be a 50-foot putt for birdie.

Rory McIlroy follows him on with an approach over the lip to tee up Tommy Fleetwood for a similarly-long birdie attempt.

Speaking of Viktor Hovland - watch the highlights from his amazing match alongside Tyrrell Hatton against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas from yesterday.

More issues for the Americans off the tee on hole two.

Jordan Spieth sprays it right and it's in the first cut of the rough.

A similar story for Tommy Fleetwood but he is a bit further down the fairway for Rory McIlroy's second shot.

European captain Luke Donald on Sky Sports: Seve [Ballesteros] is an inspiration every time. He was the ultimate European Ryder Cup player who made everyone else play better. He had so much passion for this event and wanted to win at all costs. We always respect Seve and he is a big part of the Ryder Cup for all of us.

"It’s a clean slate today, 0-0 this morning. There are a lot of points to be won for either side. We have to go out and take care of business and win this session.

"You always have to be careful of a wounded animal like the US are today. They have a stacked team, are very strong, and we are not taking them for granted one bit.

"But I couldn’t be happier with my team. They are 12 unified guys on a mission to win back this cup."

Zach Johnson brings out his big guns again - having the world number one playing with a five-time major champion isn't a bad pairing is it?

Scottie Scheffler is up first, but he leaks his tee shot into the right rough just as Justin Thomas did.

Everyone's favourite golfer Viktor Hovland is up next, and after yesterday's display you could forgive him a bit of a come down, but not one chance of that as he smokes a power fade into position 'A' on the fairway.

Big putt for Jordan Spieth here after Justin Thomas plonks his approach to 17 feet. He takes aim but is slightly off line.

Europe have two putts to win the hole and get Saturday off to the ideal start.

Rory McIlroy rolls it close, the US give him a nod and, while it does not drop, Europe take an instant lead.

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

A huge flag is unfurled in the stand on the first tee. It’s of Seve Ballesteros, an iconic legend of the European Ryder Cup team who was taken from us way too soon.

His son Javier and close friend and Ryder Cup partner Jose Maria Olazabal are here to watch it.

A poignant moment.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

How about that performance from Ludvig Aberg, who has never even played in a major?

Luke Donald described him as a "generational talent" upon picking him and he duly delivered alongside Scandi partner Viktor Hovland.

As for Hovland, one-and-a-half points on the board yesterday in a stellar display.

Scottie Scheffler was hamstrung by Sam Burns in the morning, but he and Brooks Koepka looked set for a point in fourballs before Jon Rahm did Jon Rahm things on 18.

Image source, Getty Images

We saw quite a bit of Jordan Spieth thrashing around in the rough chasing his own ball yesterday. He didn't really need his partner Justin Thomas plunging him in there to kick off his Saturday.

He just has to chunk it out and Thomas will still have 75 yards to go to even reach the green.

On the opposite of the fairway, Tommy Fleetwood takes aim and bosh, what a start. Splashing it onto the green and within 15 feet. Remarkable.

A giant Seve Ballesteros flag has just been unfurled from the top to the bottom of the grandstand that flanks the first tee.

It's a Tifo-style banner, like you would see down the road at the Stadio Olimpico.

The inscription reads: "Forever in our hearts".

Striking.

Matt Wallace
Four-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

The main reason Justin Thomas is here is because of Jordan Spieth and he was the one who delivered.

Jordan did not so I am sure Zach Johnson will have been geeing him up.

These two are the best team in the American dressing room. Get them out first as getting red on the board early is so important for them today.

Plenty of chirpiness from Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood who look uber relaxed. Their US opponents have a game face on.

Justin Thomas to get us going. It's not a confident start though, thrashed right into the thick rough that flanks the first hole.

McIlroy goes the other way, also in the rough but that lie looks more favourable.

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

The roar when Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy were announced was something else.

They are very much Ryder Cup royalty in these parts.