“We need to play like the USA did yesterday,” said Padraig Harrington, captain of the European team. Europe began the second day losing 6-2 and forced to win at least the morning session of foursomes. By image, by honor, by having options to go back … The Irish boss did not hesitate and placed his most competitive partner to open the duel in Whistling Straits: Jon Rahm and Sergio García. The leader of the ‘Old Continent’ and number one in the world together with the player with the most points in the history of Ryder (26.5). Blue had to preside and silence a bit the screaming of the aroused, and not always respectful, fans that populated the spectacular Wisconsin field.
But if the Ferrari red is an F1 legend, the North American Ryder red dominates the 43rd edition. of this fabulous competition. Steve Striker, captain of the USA, knew that the first holes were key and so he transmitted it to his players. And they carried out the plan, guided by a splendid Dustin Johnson, as if it had been designed by Colonel Hannibal Smith himself for Team A. The first five holes played in the session were the winner for them. Three from the Koepka-Berger duo and two from the Johnson-Morikawa duo. DEFCON 1 was activated in Europe. Wiesberger injected oxygen by signing a birdie that dyed the third game blue. There was still everything to play, but the reaction had to come with immediate effect.
Sergio and Rahm began to carbure like a perfectly oiled machine and raised three holes against with a splendid García, rookies Hovland and Wiesberger battled an inspired and highly motivated Thomas, who was paired with Spieth; Westwood and Fitzpatrick dreamed of dyeing their match the color of the sky, and Casey infused talent (what an eagle at 14) to a whiny Hutton to unnerve Johnson and Morikawa, two and three in the world rankings.
Europe was imbued with the spirit of Medinah 2012 led by the couple that bears the Seve-Olazábal seal printed on their hearts. Koepka and Berger dwarfed as Rahm and Sergio passed by to see holes like the hotel pool. Change of vibrations … although the Ryder are moments and situations management. Rahm and Sergio came back and kept the tone to strengthen the lead and seal the point for the team by 3 and 1. The rest of the couples of the ‘Old Continent’ could not follow their leaders and lost. Therefore, the second day of ‘foursomes’ closed with 3-1 for the USA, for a global count of 9 to 3. Europe is in the UCI.