Europe Leads USA 5½-2½ After Day 1

Team Europe built a commanding 5½-2½ lead over the United States after the opening day of the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, marking Europe’s first Day 1 lead on American soil since 2004 and, by some analytics, giving Europe better than a 70% chance to win or retain the Cup. Europe swept the morning foursomes and added 2½ points in the afternoon fourballs, with standouts Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. McIlroy nearly sealed the final match but missed a late putt, and the match was halved. The U.S. managed one emphatic victory — rookie Cameron Young and Justin Thomas beat Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard 6&5 — while stars Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau went winless. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley faces pressure to regroup as Luke Donald’s Europeans head into Saturday with momentum, and the atmosphere at Bethpage was raucous with crowd heckling and President Trump in attendance.