Ryder Cup: Europeans manage to avoid dead rubber

Team Europe managed to recover from a potentially disastrous opening session at the 41st Ryder Cup on Friday, winning three of the afternoon fourballs to end the day lagging behind 5-3.

They had been staring down the barrel of a dead rubber weekend, after the Americans earned their first clean sweep in a Ryder Cup opening session since Arnold Palmer captained the side in 1975.

But Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson appeared to want a hefty side of revenge with their lunch, storming to a 5&4 victory over Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, with nine birdies between them over the 14 holes and putting Europe on the board.

Spanish Rafa Cabrera Bello enjoyed a a comfortable win with countryman Sergio Garcia over JB Holmes and Ryan Moore, though Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka put the kibosh on any hopes of an even end to day with their bruising 5&4 victory over Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer.

But rookie Thomas Pieters proved his worth opposite Rory McIlroy in the final match of the day, with the young Belgian winning four holes to an out-to-lunch McIlroy's three in a 4&3 win over Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar.

European skipper Darren Clarke was fearing the dead rubber after the morning whitewash, but the afternoon proved his worries unnecessary, giving the team fresh momentum to enter the second day with.

The Americans continued where they left off after lunch, with Reed winning a quick first hold, though Stenson's par squared the match at the fourth before effortlessly providing three straight birdies from the sixth.

Rose contributed winning birdies at the 11th and 14th, getting Europe on the scoreboard, although the American four-point lead returned rapidly thanks to a win from Koepka and Snedeker.

Willett responded to a tough first tee with a perfect drive right down the fairway, before an awesome putt rescued the half.

But a Snedeker birdie at the second handed the American duo a likely lead, with Willett doing his level best to salvage the European campaign as Kaymer spluttered his way across the course.

Cabrera Bello made his Ryder debut with a birdie at the first, and a Moore two-in-a-row at 14 and 15 proved an insignificant interruption for the Spaniards, with Sergio Garcia joining Cabrera Bello to earn a point for Europe with a 3&2 win over Holmes and Moore.

McIlroy and Andy Sullivan had a more-than-disappointing run in the morning foursomes, as they twice let go of two-hole leads.

The Northern Irishman was hoisted up in the afternoon by an impressive Pieters as they fought off some late energy from Johnson and Kuchar.

Their highlight was an incredible two from Pieters after McIlroy took a dip at the 13th, which saw them four ahead with five to play.

It wasn’t over yet, as the Americans won the 14th with par before a birdie from Johnson on 15 set the scene for an exciting finish.

McIlroy accepted the challenge, however, hammering home an excellent putt for eagle at the next.

For the morning session report CLICK HERE.