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Match three leaves the 1st tee and the Scandinavians are out in force for the visitors. Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg finds the left rough, Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard finds short grass just short of the green. “Majestic,†says Ewen Murray on Sky Sports of the debutant. What of New Yorker Cam Young? Another decent blow for another debutant. And finally there is the veteran Justin Thomas who finds the right rough. Meanwhile, there is a tidy little chip-in for birdie at 2 from Sepp Straka – that draws the opening match back to all square.

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Updated at 13.05 EDT

Tommy Fleetwood makes a birdie at the par-four 1st.He finds the hole from about 12 feet and now Bryson DeChambeau has six feet to halve the hole. He makes it. The American leaves the green waving his arms upwards and towards the galleries, urging them to make more noise.

Scheffler/Spaun 1UP v Rahm/Straka (1)
Griffin/DeChambeau A/S Fleetwood/Rose (1)

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Julian Menz emails: “I enjoyed the first half of the day, of course. COME ON EUROPE!!†He’s not so keen on the involvement of the U.S. President, however.

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The biggest roar of the afternoon so far is for Bryson DeChambeau at the 1st tee. He responds with a big blow to the centre of the fairway, a mere flick from the green. He’s 2-for-2 at doing that today which is a significant contrast to everyone today (on both sides) who are struggling to find the short grass. He’s playing with debutant Ben Griffin, up against the English duo of Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood (who both claimed win on the PGA Tour in August).

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Updated at 12.51 EDT

Straka’s birdie attempt at 1 never looks close to the hole. What about Rahm? Ditto! From different angles, they saw a similar slope that didn’t exist. Spaun doesn’t miss his short effort. Nice start for him. Back at the tee, Bryson DeChambeau and President Donald Trump tickle each other’s tummies.

Scheffler/Spaun 1UP v Rahm/Straka (1)

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A delicious start for Spaun. After Straka and Scheffler leave their approaches at 1 short of the hole, Spaun has knocked his very close. Not a gimme but close to it. Rahm cannot respond. He and Straka have two chances from around 20 feet to match Spaun’s (likely) birdie.

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All sorts of noise as the opening afternoon match hits the 1st tee. “A festival of birdies,†predicts Ewen Murray on Sky Sports. World number one Scottie Scheffler is joined by US Open champion JJ Spaun to take on Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka, a new Spanish-Austrian combo few would have predicted. Lots of noise around Rahm’s tee shot, but it did quieten down for the hit. Less aggro for Straka. Both of them hit through the dogleg and into the left rough. Spaun receives plenty of (good) noise and his first Ryder Cup blow finds the right rough. Scheffler (big cheers then absolute silence) joins the Europeans in the left rough.

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A reminder for those of you new to the Ryder Cup: This morning the teams played foursomes which involves the two golfers playing alternate shots. In contrast, this afternoon the format is fourball (or better ball) which means all four golfers play their own ball and the best score for each team counts. If Player A makes a 5 and Player B a 4, the team score is 4.

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“Luke has obviously got a game plan, splitting up his pairings,†says Nick Faldo on Sky Sports. He adds that he’d like to play with Ludvig Åberg. Who wouldn’t, in foursomes especially? The Swede has now won all three career foursomes contests. Playing alongside Viktor Hovland in Rome, remember, he beat Scottie Scheffler & Brooks Koepka (9&7) and Max Homa & Brian Harman (4&3). He’s yet to see the 16th hole in the three games.

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A few impressive stats have been flying around off the back of this morning’s action. How about this? Europe has won three points in the first session of a Ryder Cup just three times before – in 2002, 2004 and 2023. On all three occasions, the team went on to win the Cup itself. I suspect Luke Donald wouldn’t like such an observation, afraid of any possibility of complacency. And here’s the combined score in the last three foursomes sessions at the Ryder Cup: Europe 10, USA 2 (holes won: Europe 70, USA 37). All three of those sessions, of course, were captained by Luke Donald (with data input from Edoardo Molinari).

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Thanks Scott. It’s been a great morning of Ryder Cup golf – here’s hoping for more of the same this afternoon. A bit of personal drama as well, this morning, because I had a bit of a disaster with my laptop yesterday when it crashed to earth from 8 feet and ended up looking as beaten up as a British or Irish player in the pre-Europe Ryder Cup era. It could have been worse, though. I have a spare that has stepped into the breach and I’ve seen worse laptop problems this year. Glasgow Herald journalist Nick Rodger’s keyboard malfunctioned at the Open – he couldn’t get the R, T or S to work. Tricky under any circumstances, of course, but a nightmare for a fellow whose focus of the week was Robert MacIntyre of Scotland.

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Updated at 12.33 EDT

The fourballs will commence in 20 minutes or so. All times BST.

5.25pm: Scottie Scheffler and JJ Spaun v Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka
5.41pm: Ben Griffin and Bryson DeChambeau v Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose
5.57pm: Cameron Young and Justin Thomas v Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard
6.13pm: Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay v Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry

Thanks for reading this morning’s foursomes coverage. Matt Cooper will take you through the afternoon’s fourballs, and I’ll see you again tomorrow. Good luck one and all!

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Updated at 12.02 EDT

Day one foursomes: result

DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 4&3
Scheffler/Henley v Ã…berg/Fitzpatrick 5&3
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5&4
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland
USA 1-3 Europe

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USA 1-3 Europe

The crowd continue their boisterous party, so much so that Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are forced to raise their hands to get them to pipe down so Bob Mac can putt. He doesn’t make it, and that’s a diminuendo end to their attempted comeback. But the USA pair showed great heart in rebounding from the loss of their three-hole lead, closing the match out on 17 and 18 in style. The hosts on the board! Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay beat Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland 2UP.

2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (F)
USA 1-3 Europe

USA’s Xander Schauffele celebrates as he and Patrick Cantlay leave the 18th green after winning their foursomes match against Europe’s Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland. Photograph: Peter Casey/Imagn Images/ReutersShare

Updated at 12.58 EDT

Hovland swishes out from the bunker, and does so pretty well. But his ball stops 15 feet short of the flag, and this final match is all but done and dusted. The crowd at full volume, at long last!

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Xander Schauffele, from the middle of the fairway, 105 yards out. He’s going first. With Bob MacIntyre’s ball in deep cabbage, here’s a chance to pretty much close this out … and he wedges a delicious approach to ten feet. Cheers of USA! USA! USA! ring out for the first time in hours … and they double in volume as MacIntyre is unable to muscle Europe’s second onto the green. His ball apologetically dunks into the bunker guarding the front right of the dancefloor. Viktor Hovland will need to hole out for Europe to have any chance of winning the hole and putting up half a point.

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Patrick Cantlay sends Team USA’s drive at 18 down the track. Viktor Hovland carves Europe’s miles to the right, the ball disappearing into a rare patch of thick Bethpage rough. Hovland and MacIntyre clawed their way back into this match wonderfully, but the momentum has suddenly shifted back to Cantlay and Schauffele, just in time for the USA, at the moment they desperately needed something. A first point for the hosts looks more likely than not from here. Very much more likely.

1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (17)
USA 0-3 Europe

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… but Cantlay doesn’t hit it! Yet another underhit putt, stopping a couple of turns short. Over to Bob MacIntyre, who is serenaded by several frat boys accusing him of onanistic practices. The crowd have really gone for him at this hole, and the putt breaks sadly off to the left. The hosts go 1UP with one to play, and are certain of getting something on the board. But what? The next few minutes so precious to Team USA.

1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (17)
USA 0-3 Europe

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Viktor Hovland is presented with a plugged lie. He nevertheless splashes out to seven-and-a-half feet. That’s some result from where he was – there wasn’t too much in the way of green to work with, either – and that’s pretty much the best he could do. But it still leaves his partner with a missable putt for par. And it won’t matter anyway if Patrick Cantlay holes his downhill left-to-right slider from 20 feet …

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Xander Schauffele nails his tee shot. An 8-iron sent sailing majestically over the flag to 20 feet. Serious advantage to the USA. The crowd, for the first time since this morning’s very early exchanges, are en fête.

Schauffele/Cantlay A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (16)
USA 0-3 Europe

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The par-three 17th makes its tournament debut. The number: 168 yards. Bob MacIntyre stands over his ball, begins his backswing … but then aborts the mission. He steps away to a chorus of pantomime booing. He goes through with his second effort … and dunks it into the bunker to the left of the green. The crowd might have got under his skin there. Door open for Xander Schauffele.

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… but hits a weak putt that’s always destined to die left well before it reaches the cup. That’s not Cantlay’s first tentative prod of the morning. He’s not putted well. So costly for the hosts.

Schauffele/Cantlay A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (16)
USA 0-3 Europe

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Both pairs call the referee to ascertain who putts first. It’s Europe, just. Viktor Hovland, his putter hot, steps up … but this one kinks off to the right on its final couple of turns. Over to Patrick Cantlay, who has the chance to reclaim the lead for the USA …

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This final match issuch an entertaining battle. Xander Schauffele screeches his approach into 15 to a halt, pin high, ten feet from the flag. Bob MacIntyre responds by firing a dart straight at the flag, 12 feet short! Yet another flat-stick showdown coming up!

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A jaw-dropping stat courtesy of the ever-superb Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray. “The biggest surprise of the morning is the world number-one Scottie Scheffler … his last 26 holes in foursomes … he’s 14 down!†He then goes on to observe that Tiger Woods didn’t really fancy the format either. “Sometimes the best hunters hunt alone.â€

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Viktor Hovland bashes his drive at 16 down the left-hand side of the fairway. Patrick Cantlay, the nerves surely jangling like billy-o, sends a power fade down the right-hand side of it. Both teams in good nick. One team feeling a darn sight better than the other right now.

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Of the two players chipping onto 15, Xander Schauffele has more green to work with. He bundles his chip to eight feet. Bob MacIntyre lobs up from closer range to six. Patrick Cantlay’s downhill putt is always sliding by on the left; Viktor Hovland’s tickle down is always dropping into the centre of the cup! Europe have hauled themselves back level in this anchor match, in no small part because of Hovland’s flat-stick moxie!

Schauffele/Cantlay A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (15)
USA 0-3 Europe

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A very pleased Luke Donald takes his turn to chat to the host broadcaster USA Network. “I’m very proud. They’ve come out very strong. I knew the USA would be very tough. It’s very tough out here. I’m very pleased to see the boys playing so well. They know the plan and it’s nice to see them sticking to it.â€

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Viktor Hovland sends his second at 15 towards a greenside bunker. It stops just short, and he’d be left with an awkward stance with his feet in the sand … were he playing the next shot himself. But he’s not, and his partner Bob MacIntyre is left-handed. Meanwhile Patrick Cantlay gets a drop away from the boozy-do, and also finds greenside rough. Shredded nerves all over the shop already, and it’s not even midday on day one!

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As Donald Trump’s plane passes overhead, USA captain Keegan Bradley puts a brave face on things. “It’s not exactly what we wanted, but we know the Ryder Cup is going to be ebbs and flows. I gotta lot of faith in our boys. Let’s see how this last match finishes up. We just had the president fly over in his Air Force One, so I gotta feeling things are gonna turn here.â€

Air Force One flies over the course during the foursomes. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/ReutersShare

Updated at 11.27 EDT

The volume cranks up as the final match crosses Arnold Palmer Way – the road that runs through Bethpage Black – and towards the 15th tee. All of the hospitality is over on this side of the road – serving holes 1, 15, 16, 17 and 18 – which explains the more lubricated nature of the noise. Bob MacIntyre sends a fairly straight tee shot down the hole, but Xander Schauffele pulls his into one of those hospitality suites! Team USA really feeling it right now.

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No problem for Viktor Hovland, who hasn’t let that short missed putt on 11 mess with his mind. A half, and he’s earned a hearty slap on the back from his captain Luke Donald as everyone vacates the green.

1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (14)
USA 0-3 Europe

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Xander Schauffele gives his long birdie putt a good roll, but it’s always dying to the low side on the left. That’s par, but a chance for Bob MacIntyre to level things up. However his putt from the fringe gets a bit of a flier, and skitters three feet past. No way is that going to be conceded, and out of nowhere, the man from Oban might have thrown his opponents a lifeline. Big putt coming up for Viktor Hovland.

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Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay take turns to wedge their tee shots into 14. The Hov is closer, 15 feet to 35, but Cantlay’s ball is on the green, while Hovland’s is on the fringe. You could slice the tension with a 1-iron. The home gallery know things have already gotten real.

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This will be the first time Europe has won the opening session of the Ryder Cup on American soil since 2004. They ended up winning that contest 18½ to 9½. And here’s a reminder that the winner of the morning session on day one has gone on to win the Ryder Cup on each of the last five stagings. The one previous to that, when the day-one morning winners didn’t go on to close the deal? The miracle of Medinah. A lot for Team USA to process here.

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Team USA really need to hold on in this final match now. A point almost essential. Having been three holes up, anything else would be an unmitigated disaster. It’s bad enough for the hosts already. And they’re not in great shape coming up the par-five 13th, both teams on in three but Europe far closer. Patrick Cantlay can’t make the 35-footer that he’s left with … but Viktor Hovland is good for his ten footer, and that’s back-to-back business from the talented Norwegian. At the side of the green, Rory McIlroy, his morning’s work complete, screams with delight. The hosts reeling.

1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (13)
USA 0-3 Europe

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