Patrick Cantlay can't connect on the first from four feet but he can on the second from 25! It's a birdie that moves him one up on Justin Rose.

Cantlay is made of some strong stuff to be playing like this under these circumstances - among all the things he's been called this week, his nickname 'Patty Ice' is the most appropriate right now.

Opportunity knocks for Viktor Hovland to take the lead against Collin Morikawa who has taken three shots to make the green.

Eleven foot for birdie? Nailed. He's up in this one too.

Another splash of European blue goes onto the Ryder Cup colour chart.

Like Jon Rahm did earlier, Rory McIlroy wins the first hole - although he didn't have to work too hard for it.

A deft chip leaves him tapping in for the par and Sam Burns misses his putt for the same.

Easy to forget Max Homa is a Ryder Cup rookie given he has played with composure this weekend.

Good connection off the tee but a slight wince as it lands in the rough and does not quite escape it.

Freedom for Matt Fitzpatrick and he is arrow straight.

Back to our leading group, who are stood on the fourth tee and about to tackle the opening par three.

Scheffler's honour... he's found the green but is way down the slope. That's a long putt.

A chance for Rahm to go inside and have a chance to stick his nose back in front again.

That's exactly what the Spaniard has done.

I don't think there was any doubt, but just in case there was - Patrick Cantlay is very much the pantomime villain in Rome, with the crowd very much on his back.

His imaginary hat tip last night, and that of his team, was great fun and a nice way to answer back to the crowd, but his caddie Joe LaCava hasn't done him any favours - he'd not be getting this much had he not overstepped the mark on the final green last night.

Collin Morikawa turns the air blue as he fleeces another drive left on three. That will be ugly as he gets out there and he knows it.

Can't be helping his mindset that Viktor Hovland keeps lashing it down the fairway.

On the first, Burns is not looking good. And that's nothing to do with his mullet.

From the rough on the right, he drags his second left of the green and into the sand.

McIlroy has a good opportunity here to stick his foot on the gas.

But he looks anxiously after his ball and that's because it's just bounded off the dancefloor and into the semi-rough.

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

It’s a day for gambling for some fans - dozens have already picked their spot by the side of the driveable par-four 16th which had the jeopardy of water down the right. There’s a huge screen across the other side of the pond so it would appear they’ve got bases covered.

They’ve also got a couple of mowers to watch, as the final grooming is given to the green.

Image source, Getty Images

The pick of the Americans this weekend has been Max Homa who has fed off the energy of the crowd and is responsible for two of their five and a half points.

He faces Matt Fitzpatrick, who banished his Ryder Cup demons with some frankly ridiculous putting on Friday, but he does have two defeats to his name in singles.

Image source, Getty Images

Even Scottie Scheffler won't blow this with the putter. Even. He's the world number one!

A smart birdie effort leaves Scheffler with a gimme as he uses his two putts very wisely.

That's the third hole for the American and he's levelled up.

Image source, Getty Images

The door was ajar for Scheffler on the third, now Rahm has left it wide open.

A stinker of a chip out of the rough has left him with a monster putt for a par.

This will be an escape act which Houdini would have been proud of.

Decent effort but it doesn't drop.

Scheffler has two putts for the hole...

Patrick Cantlay looks in great form again with a stunning iron shot to around four feet on the first - but he misses the putt!

Justin Rose was 35 feet away but made his par and then must have feared the worst, but he was let off the hook as Cantlay missed from close range - a miss that brought about a huge cheer from the European fans.

The Kentucky Waterfall is flowing fast.

Sam Burns shows off his luscious locks to the crowd, waving the cap a la last night.

Now down to business.

Oooh! Burns has gone way out right, forcing punters to scatter.

Rory McIlroy lashes his drive down the fairway, a nice cut to leave him short of the bunkers.

Europe's prizefighter struts along the hole, eyeballing his adoring fans and soaking up the moment.

Collin Morikawa has another birdie putt on the second but it's from 30 feet and he's never sinking that.

Partner Viktor Hovland cleared the green but is in closer from the fringe. Chance from 15 feet? No luck either. Halved.

Just wait for the roar which will greet Rory McIlroy.

The Northern Irishman will have endeared himself even further to the European fans after last night's feistiness.

They've got your back, Rors.

Wonder how he reflected on things when he woke up on the morning of the night before?

Maybe a bit sheepish, perhaps a tinge of regret. We've all been there on a Sunday morning...

Again, Scheffler hits the stripes between tee and green.

Rahm can't respond this time and misses the third green to the left.

Another chance for the American world number one to level if he can fire up that putter.

European captain Luke Donald on Sky Sports: "We're excited for today. Look at that start, Jon Rahm birdieing the first and Viktor and Justin Rose in the middle of the fairway. We are ready.

"We want to start strong. Jon has been our strongest player statistically but he is also a giant in the game. We know that. We're stacked with our first few guys and we expect a lot of blue early.

"I have had ultimate confidence in my team from day one and we are a great bunch. We are very unified - we know what the mission is and we will go out there and enjoy the day.

On the image of Seve Ballesteros behind the team's crest: "You saw the tifo yesterday. He is forever in our hearts. Seve represents the crest better than anyone for Europe and he will be always be near our hearts."

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

Hundreds and hundreds of caps are waved in the air as Patrick Cantlay arrives on the first tee

“Let’s all have a whip round, for Cant-a-lay” rings out. This could be fun.

And the cap waving follows the American all the way down the first. I don’t think his caddie Joe LaCava did him any favours either with his antics on the 18th yesterday.

Oh man! When your luck is out...

Scheffler's birdie putt sits right on the edge of the hole, balanced as precariously as a bungee jumper about to leap.

The American's ball gets nervous though and refuses to fall.

Perhaps Scheffler lacked a bit of confidence and didn't trust his stroke as much as he should.

He is unable to win the hole and the match stays one in favour of Jon Rahm.