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Classic Ryder Cup peppering of the pin at 9. It’s a 451 yard par-four. Justin Rose has 26 feet for birdie, Bryson DeChambeau 11 feet, Scottie Scheffler 8 feet and Tommy Fleetwood 5 feet. They have the hole surrounded.

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Updated at 15.10 EDT

The top match makes the turn. A pumped up Justin Thomas unleashes a ferociously fast swing at his ball and finds the fairway. A more controlled Rory McIlroy does the same. TV shows us a line of law enforcement officers looking at the galleries and suggests they’ve turned up to keep the calm.

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An excited Simon McMahon is back – and with his catchphrase, too! “Oh my gawd, Matt. Rose walking it in at 8 with a bonus fist pump you just don’t see unless it’s Ryder Cup weekend. Or you’re at the McMahon annual putting competition at the Himalayas in St. Andrew’s. Gotta LOVE the Ryder Cup!â€

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As blue drops off the leaderboard in the top match, Sepp Straka steps forward in the third game out. Some doubted his inclusion this week but he’s a two-time PGA Tour winner in 2025, has experience of Rome, and he holes from 12 feet at 7 for a winning birdie. He and Jon Rahm go 1UP on JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele.

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More noisy scenes at 9. Justin Thomas tries to quieten the galleries as Rory McIlroy lines up a 21 foot birdie putt that edges the hole. Thomas himself holes from 20 feet and stands tall as he peers out at the galleries, waggling his earlobe. Can Shane Lowry match him for a half from 9 feet? No he can’t! Huge roars from the galleries. The match is all square.

Thomas/Young A/S McIlroy/Lowry (9)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (8)
Spaun/Schauffele A/S Rahm/Straka (6)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (6)

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What a bewildering game this is. Bryson DeChambeau can bazooka a ball over 350 yards but he’s just hit a putt 6 feet when the hole at 8 was 12 feet away. It was a double hit, too (no penalty these days). In mitigation, he was up against a collar of rough but it was all part of this infuriating business. Justin Rose takes advantage by making a walk in birdie from 21 feet. He started the walk when it was 8 feet out! Absolute scenes from the oldest man in the match! He and Tommy Fleetwood are now 1UP.

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Updated at 14.54 EDT

Fin is impressed by one American: “It feels like DeChambeau is a one man team so far this weekend. If Rose and Fleetwood turn that match around the USA could disintegrate.†Cam Young is not doing too bad, Fin!

Cameron Young plays out from the bunker on the 8th. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/ReutersShare

Updated at 14.58 EDT

Cam Young and Justin Thomas have played two at the par-three 8th and neither are inside 15 feet. Before Rory McIlroy putts from 25 feet Thomas urges quiet. The putt misses but it’s a safe par. Young’s long par putt pulls up short then Shane Lowry misses for birdie. Thomas has to stand off his par putt before he drains it at the second attempt and then gives some back to the galleries. This is a tight session.

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (8)
Scheffler/DeChambeau A/S Fleetwood/Rose (7)
Spaun/Schauffele A/S Rahm/Straka (6)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (5)

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Scottie Scheffler has missed the green at 7. He’s stuck on a bank above a bunker. Just standing is a conundrum. His stab forward flies a good 20 feet past the hole. Partner Bryson DeChambeau edges the hole with his long birdie attempt. Justin Rose has 8 feet for a winning birdie and he makes it! The match is all square. A tremendous tussle.

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When you win a hole in match play, keeping the foot down tends to matter. But Cam Young and Justin Thomas have missed the green at the par-three 8th while Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy have both found the green.

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Cam Young drains a 36-foot birdie at 7 to win the hole against Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. His partner Justin Thomas bounces around the green, lifting his arms, putting his hand to his ear. He’s pumped but Cam Young is one of the stars of the Ryder Cup. The New Yorker is having the week of his life. Thomas and Young are now 1DOWN through 7.

Justin Thomas gets a little excited. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/ReutersShare

Updated at 14.32 EDT

Matt Fitzpatrick launched a superb approach to the par-five 4th but he can’t find the hole with his eagle putt from 14 feet. The match remains all square, however.

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (6)
Scheffler/DeChambeau 1UP v Fleetwood/Rose (6)
Spaun/Schauffele A/S Rahm/Straka (4)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (4)

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Bryson DeChambeau’s putting has been sensational this week, but at 6 he can’t find the hole from 22 feet. Scottie Scheffler is up next from 11 feet and he finds the birdie! But the Europeans can match him. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood are both closer. As Scheffler tucks into a sandwich, Rose steps forward and makes a par breaker of his own. His career Indian Summer continues apace.

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Damien Woods emails: “God bless the Americans but you never poke an Offalyman. Shane’s father, Brendan, scored points in the all Ireland football final of 1982 when they were overwhelming underdogs but beat a Kerry team going for five in a row. Expect something similar today…â€

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Updated at 14.16 EDT

This could be getting tricky. Rory McIlroy has stepped off his putt once more. He and Shane Lowry are chatting to the officials, but not a lot is happening. McIlroy circles the shot then tries again … the ball lags close. There are jeers to follow. Dame Laura Davies on Sky Sports wants to head out there to sort it out. “Ridiculous,†she says. And it’s surely only going to get worse. Then Shane Lowry drains his birdie from 11 feet. It’s only for a half as Cam Young has a tap in, but it’s spicy!

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy on the sixth. Photograph: Harry How/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 14.34 EDT

Rory McIlroy is waiting to hit a putt. And he’s waiting. He wants quiet and he’s not getting it. Meanwhile, the situation:

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (5)
Scheffler/DeChambeau 1UP v Fleetwood/Rose (5)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (3)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (3)

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The American big boys have lit the fuse. After his eagle-3 at 4, Bryson DeChambeau knocks his approach at 5 inside 7 feet, and Scottie Scheffler joins him in that range. Their opponents, meanwhile, are struggling for birdie. Justin Rose is up first from 34 feet and can only lag to gimme distance. Tommy Fleetwood is 18 feet away and his putt edges the hole but doesn’t drop. DeChambeau capitalises by finding the hole and there is now red on the board. Can their team mates match them?

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“No envelope situation,†reports Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir. He expands that Viktor Hovland stepped down for cautionary reasons this afternoon and will play in the singles. He also explains that Shane Lowry has had a fan removed from the property for bad behaviour.

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The Europeans can’t match the eagle of Bryson DeChambeau so the second match is now all square (or tied as the US scoring system prefers this week). Back on 2, Matt Fitzpatrick misses a 3-foot putt but Tyrrell Hatton helped him out from the same range. Shane Lowry drains another winning putt at the 5th and gives another roar from the heart.

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (5)
Scheffler/DeChambeau A/S Fleetwood/Rose (4)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (3)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (2)

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Simon McMahon is enjoying the fiery scenes: “Absolutely tremendous from Shane Lowry there on 5, giving it the full eff you plus bonus finger jabbing at the punter who had heckled McIlroy moments before. You just don’t see that any other week of the year, unless of course you’re drinking in Lochee High Street in Dundee. We’re all just friends and golf fans at the end of the day, though. Gotta love the Ryder Cup.â€

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Bryson DeChambeau is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he is standing strong today. He doesn’t look happy about it, but his 193-yard approach to the par-5 4th misses the hole by inches. A gimme eagle for him. He’s happier as he gets to the green and urges the galleries to make more noise.

Bryson DeChambeau tees off from the fourth. Photograph: Michael Reaves/PGA/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 13.51 EDT

After Shane Lowry’s excitement, and Justin Rose’s quality, Sepp Straka makes a winning putt of his own at 2. Europe lead in three matches. A giddy start to the afternoon for the visitors.

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (4)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (3)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (2)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (1)

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Shane Lowry is pumped! There is aggro in his game with Rory McIlroy and when he holes a long eagle putt on 5 he goes bananas and shouts “F**k you!†as he points to someone in the gallery.

Shane, pumped. Photograph: Matt Slocum/APShare

Updated at 13.38 EDT

Joe Pearson asks: “Given Viktor Hovland’s situation, will we get to find out who’s in Bradley’s envelope?†Let’s hope the neck is just a little sore and the physios can work their magic, Joe. We will likely only learn that name if the worst case scanerio emerges tomorrow.

We have a break of the fourball deadlock, by the way. Justin Rose opens birdie-birdie and the second one wins the hole for Europe. He and Tommy Fleetwood lead 1UP in the second match.

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Ryder Cup rookies might be wondering what happens if Viktor Hovland can’t play tomorrow. The two captains put the name of a player in an envelope for these circumstances. If Hovland can’t play, the American whose name is in Keegan Bradley’s envelope will sit out the singles, and their match will be deemed to have been halved.

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Fantastic speculation about Viktor Hovland’s neck. Nick Faldo on Sky Sports wonders if he pulled it celebrating his putt on 17. There is a precedent for this. Ian Woosnam issued a famous fist pump when he holed the winning putt in the 1991 Masters – and pulled a muscle in his upper arm. He then spent his time in the Butler Cabin partially-anaesthetized by adrenalin as he struggled to get the sore arm inside the green jacket.

Viktor Hovland celebrates on the 17th. Is this when his neck twanged? Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPAShare

Updated at 13.42 EDT

Interesting. Viktor Hovland was set to play in the fourth match with Matt Fitzpatrick, but Tyrrell Hatton has turned up on the tee instead. Sky Sports reports the Norwegian has a neck injury. They’re taking on Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.

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Earlier today, Scott reported an incident when Rory McIlroy shouted American fans to “shut the f*** upâ€. “I don’t mind them having a go at us, that’s to be expected,†he said after winning his foursomes. “I mean, that’s what an away Ryder Cup is. In between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just give us the respect, let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have.†Fans have taken to shouting “miss it†or “it’s downhill†or “you missed this one yesterday†(and similar) as Europeans address the ball. The galleries have also collectively counted out loud as Europeans set themselves. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a little more intense if this afternoon goes on.

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Match three is testament to the cosmopolitan nature of the modern world. Spaniard Jon Rahm (married to an American) alongside Austrian Sepp Straka (whose mum is American) up against the Americans Xander Schauffele (French-German dad, Taiwanese-Japanese mum) and JJ Spaun (dad of European descent, mum Filipino-Mexican). It makes the simplicity of all the howling and hollering around this match seem a little bewildering!

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Updated at 13.05 EDT

A good start from Scottie Scheffler. He knocks his approach at 1 to 3 feet after the English pair leave their second shots outside 10 feet. What about beefcake Bryson? He tucks his effort inside Scheffler’s. (Back at the tee, JJ Spaun’s caddie jogs down the tunnel stroking the various Stars and Stripes flags on the wall.) Justin Rose makes his birdie, then they ask the Americans to polish off their efforts. Scheffler brushes his in for an opening half.

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Match number two. Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose up against the Alpha Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. Big roars for Scheffler, wild ones for DeChambeau. He’s absolutely amped and biffs his ball just short of the green. Scheffler is less alpha than his partner, of course, but syncing this pair together is a big statement ask from captain Keegan Bradley.

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Some sloppy approach work after all four players in the first match found the fairway. Rory McIlroy and Cam Young have the best birdie opportunities. McIlroy up first from 14 feet. He gets the count from the gallery and the putt misses on the high side. Young has half the distance and he pulls it! A flat start all round.

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First up in the fourballs: Shane Lowry (in the fairway) and Rory McIlroy (in the fairway) versus Cam Young (in the fairway) and Justin Thomas (in the fairway). There was a lovely photo on TV just now, showing Young as a toddler with his father at a Bethpage Black US Open, watching Tiger Woods. They looked like Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin.

Here goes Rory in the four-balls. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 12.41 EDT

It’s also worth remembering that these New York galleries don’t only throw flak at the Europeans. Earlier today, a voice hollered at Scottie Scheffler, while he stood over an approach shot on the back nine: “You’re the World No. 1 – start playing like it!â€

Photograph: Paul Childs/ReutersShare

Updated at 12.40 EDT

There are dangers for Europe over the next 30 hours, of course. One is complacency. The outside chatter can be that the Europeans are flying and the Americans are flagging. But the players cannot afford to think like that. Rory McIlroy addressed another threat: how the crowd dynamic will change in the singles. The current lead is the exact one that the victorious European team had at this stage in 1987 – but an 8-4 advantage went pear-shaped at Brookline in 1999. One reason it went wrong there is that, in an intimidating atmosphere, the players coped with a pal by their side but struggled when they were alone. It’s not done yet.

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Thanks Scott. How much fun was that first session?! I’m a little exhausted and I was only watching it. I’m not saying I have the answer to the following riddle, but there is plenty of criticism flowing the way of Keegan Bradley’s captaincy. On Sky Sports Nick Dougherty and Laura Davies have pegged him stubborn for sticking to his plan. I think we can all understand what they mean. But remember Thomas Bjorn in 2018? It’s also widely believed that he won because he stuck to his plan. I suppose the only conclusion is that if you’re going to stick to a plan it had better be a damn good one.

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