Things looked grim for the European Ryder Cup team on Friday, but they didn’t get much better on Saturday morning. Down 6-2 after Day 1 at Whistling Straits, the Europeans went 3 down after three in each of the first two foursomes (alternate shot) matches on Saturday.
Hours later, Europe turned it around in the first match — and made some moves in the others — but ultimately it was yet another U.S. rout. The Americans won three of four points for the third-straight session and increased their lead to 9-3. Four fourball matchups are set to begin at 1:26 p.m. ET on Saturday, which is all that remains before 12 singles matches close out the event on Sunday.
Here’s how Saturday morning’s foursomes matches unfolded.
Ryder Cup 2021 Saturday morning foursomes results
Match 1 — Sergio Garcia/Jon Rahm (EUR) def. Brooks Koepka/Daniel Berger, 3 and 1
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Koepka and Berger won big in Friday foursomes and got out to an early 3-up lead after five on Saturday morning, but five of the next eight holes were won by Garcia and Rahm. Berger and Koepka won the 14th with a par to trim their deficit to 1 down after Garcia missed the green and Rahm skulled a chip. Then, on the 15th, the biggest controversy of the day unfolded, as Koepka asked for free relief from a drain but was denied by two different rules officials (more on the intense conversation here). They tied the hole, but Garcia and Rahm went eagle-par on 16 and 17 to win both and win the match 3 and 1.
Match 2 — Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa (USA) def. Paul Casey/Tyrrell Hatton, 2 and 1
Johnson and Morikawa, who also teamed up to win on Friday morning, won the first three holes with birdies and seemed to be on their way to an easy win. They won 7 with a par and 8 with a birdie to go 4 up at the turn. But Hatton and Casey won 11 and 13 with pars, and on 14 Casey holed out from the fairway for eagle to cut the deficit to 1 down. Johnson and Morikawa rebounded and won the 15th with a par to go 2 up, and the teams tied the 16th and 17th to end the match. Johnson is now 3-0 on the week.
Match 3 — Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (USA) def. Viktor Hovland/Bernd Wiesberger, 2 up
The first two matches of the day started all USA, but Europe was out in front in the third one. Thomas and Spieth — who were 3-1 together at the Ryder Cup in Paris — lost their foursomes matchup on Friday and were 3 down through six against Hovland and Wiesberger on Saturday. But the Americans won 7, 9 and 10, gave one back on 11, and then won 14, 15 and 16 with two pars and an eagle. A European birdie on 17 forced the match to the 18th and gave Hovland and Wiesberger a chance at a half point, but Wiesberger’s approach went into the water and Thomas and Spieth won the hole easily.
Match 4 — Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (USA) def. Lee Westwood/Matthew Fitzpatrick, 2 and 1
The Americans made a key par save on 8 to tie the hole when it looked as if they were bound to lose it, and that seemed to push the momentum on their side. They went 1 up a hole later when Cantlay made a long birdie putt on 9 and then won 10 and 11 with pars. They closed their match out on the 17th green.