Team Europe dominated Team USA in the opening session of the Ryder Cup, winning four points from four in the first session for the very first time.
Europe did not trail in any of the four matches, with the leaderboard exclusively blue from the moment Rory McIlroy made a birdie at the fourth in the anchor match.
But it was Viktor Hovland who set the tone for what was a memorable and historic morning session – winning the opening session of a Ryder Cup 4-0 for the first time in their history.
The Norwegian, playing alongside rookie Ludvig Åberg, chipped in for a birdie at the first, before his fellow Scandinavian birdied the second as they took control in the second match of the day against Brian Harman and Max Homa.
Playing in the opening foursomes match, Jon Rahm produced a sublime display in the company of Tyrrell Hatton, birdieing the third and fifth before the World Number Three almost holed his tee shot on the par-three seventh as they took control against Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns.
Both pairings maintained their command on proceedings as they went on to record 4&3 victories.
In third match out, Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Austrian debutant Sepp Straka made five birdies as they raced four up after nine against Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa.
Despite losing two holes out of four from the 10th, they wrapped up a 2&1 win with a par on the 17th.
McIlroy, who is making his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, teamed up with Tommy Fleetwood to great effect, with the pivotal moment in their match seeing the Englishman hole a long-range par putt before the American pairing of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele lost the 15th with a three-putt.
“It’s huge – I didn’t see it coming,” said McIlroy.
“I knew Europe were primed, I knew they had a lot of form in their team, and I knew America were a little bit under-prepared.
“I thought we were going to come out of the blocks fast, I didn’t think it was going to be this fast. What a sensational morning for Europe.
“It was brilliant golf – it wasn’t a fluke in any way.”
