Team Europe will want to avoid any final day-drama in their bid to win back the Ryder Cup as they take a huge lead into the singles matches. Luke Donald’s side have a 10½-5½ advantage over Team USA – no side has other mounted a comeback from that far behind.
Jon Rahm was rested for Saturday’s fourballs action, as the USA won their their first session of the week to close the gap to five points. The Spaniard is first out this morning against Scottie Scheffler, who was left in tears after his record 9&7 foursomes defeat alongside Brooks Koepka.
Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy are also out early for the Europeans, as they look to quickly secure the four points they need for victory. Some fuel was added to the first last night for both teams, as McIlroy and a number of his team-mates clash with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie following some exuberant celebrations on the 18th green. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog, featuring expert analysis from Matt Majendie in Rome.
Live updates
Seve the European inspiration…
Scheffler eyeing big response
Great day for MacIntyre, about as bad a day as you could ever have for Scottie Scheffler.
The world number one went out alongside Brooks Koepka in the morning foursomes, and the American pair were sent packing on the 11th green. An astonishing 9&7 defeat – the heaviest defeat in Ryder Cup history.
Scheffler then sat out the afternoon actiona and was pictured in tears as he was comforted by his wife.
He’s first out this morning, leading the USA off against Jon Rahm. Huge match.
Special day for MacIntrye!
It won’t be a day that Robert MacIntyre forgets in a hurry.
He was fairly downbeat on Friday evening, feeling he didn’t contribute enough alongside Justin Rose as the picked up half a point, but yesterday was a different story.
MacIntyre holed a number of big putts on the back-nine as he and Rose beat Thomas and Spieth for the only point the Europeans picked up in the fourballs session.
Cantlay downplays split rumours
Yesterday’s somewhat heated scenes all stemmed from reports that Patrick Cantlay was a major factor in a split in the American team-room.
It had been claimed that he was refusing to wear a hat in protest at not being paid to play in the Ryder Cup, but he insisted after his dramatic win that there was a more mundane explanation.
“It just doesn’t fit,” Cantlay said of the team hat. “It is as simple as that. That is all it is.”
McIlroy involved in car-park spat
Rory McIlroy had to be restrained by European Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry after an acrimonious end to the Saturday fourballs.
The row sparked into life when McIlroy took umbrage with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava’s cap-waving celebrations following the American’s birdie putt on the 18th of the final match on Saturday.
McIlroy and playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick had both yet to attempt their birdie putts, and the row continued after the USA won, with loud boos from the crowd.
The incident later spilled out into a car park with McIlroy filmed pointing and remonstrating angrily with someone out of shot, and having to be held back by Lowry.
European captain Luke Donald, who was not present at the time of the latter incident, said he would speak to his player in the aftermath of the spat.
He said: “I’ll talk with Rory when I get back. I didn’t see the incident personally, I saw the one on 18. I wasn’t there personally in the car park but, when I get back, I will talk with him.”
Team Europe in charge!
The United States need to pull off a record-breaking recovery today to have Ryder Cup aspirations to either retain or win the cup.
Twice in cup history there have been comebacks from 10-6 down – in Brookline and again with the Miracle in Medinah. This time, they have five points to claw back with day two ending at 10.5-5.5.
The Saturday afternoon fourballs was the visitors’ best session so far as they won it 3-1 in dramatic fashion courtesy of some late heroics from Patrick Cantlay, with birdies on the final three holes amid darkening skies in Rome.
Click here for our full Saturday recap!
Your timings for today’s singles matches
10:35am Rahm vs Scheffler
10:47am Hovland vs Morikawa
10:59am Rose vs Cantlay
11:11am McIlory vs Burns
11:23am Fitzpatrick vs Homa
11:35am Hatton vs Harman
11:47am Aberg vs Koepka
11:59am Straka vs Thomas
12:11pm Hojgaard vs Schauffele
12:23pm Lowry vs Spieth
12:35pm Fleetwood vs Fowler
12:47pm MacIntyre vs Clark
All times BST.
How to watch the Ryder Cup
TV channel: All the action will be broadcast in their entirety across Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage begins at 9am BST this morning.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can stream the action via the SkyGo app.
Live blog: You can follow every shot of the Ryder Cup right here with us!
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup!
Team Europe take a big, big lead into today’s singles matches, their 10½-5½ advantage meaning Team USA must produced a record comeback if they are to keep hold of the trophy.
Luke Donald’s side need only four points from the 12 on offer, so it’s no surprise he’s got his big guns going out early. Jon Rahm leads the Europeans offer, with Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy not far behind.
We’ll have all the latest updates and build-up before the first tee shot is hit this morning, with that set to come at 10:35am BST from Marco Simone Golf & Country Club. Stay with us!
