Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Saturday 29 September 2018
Europe sweeps afternoon to build 5-3 lead in Ryder Cup

By DOUG FERGUSON these windy conditions.
AP Golf Writer Thousands of fans, some
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVE- of whom managed to get
LINES, France (AP) — Three a seat for the opening tee
matches in the books, three shot in the grandstand that
red points on the board, holds just under 7,000 sur-
and Tiger Woods was still on rounding the first tee, left
the golf course. Le Golf National chanting,
This was exactly the start cheering and singing over
the Americans wanted in this wild turn of events.
the Ryder Cup. Many would have been
And then Europe finished happy for Europe to keep
even better. it close, especially after
Four hours later, the cheers Finau's big break. The gal-
at Le Golf National ramped lery was so stunned that
up to a feverish pitch as Eu- it booed Finau as he ap-
rope swept all four match- proached the green, and
es Friday afternoon for a he paused before rapping
5-3. It was the first time Eu- in the short birdie putt.
rope swept a session since "We'll take the breaks
1989, and the first time ever where we can get them,"
at the Ryder Cup in four- Finau said. "We needed
somes. one there."
"We didn't come here to Europe's Francesco Molinari celebrates after winning a foursome match with his partner Tommy Behind them, Thomas and
win the foursomes," Fran- Fleetwood on the opening day of the 42nd Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en- Spieth lost a 3-up lead, and
cesco Molinari said. "We Yvelines, outside Paris, France, Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. then Thomas holed a 6-foot
came here to win some- Associated Press birdie putt on the 15th hole
thing else." the hole. to go 1 up. Spieth polished
Molinari and Tommy Fleet- They wound up winning on off their victory over Paul
wood were the only Euro- the 18th when Rose hit into Casey and Tyrrell Hatton
peans to play both match- the water, the only time with a 3-foot par putt on
es, and they won them Finau and Koepka led all the 18th.
both. They combined for match. In his return to the Ryder
five birdies over their last In the afternoon, the mood Cup for the first time since
seven holes to polish off changed in the mild air and 2012, Woods quickly add-
Woods and Patrick Reed freshening wind. Spieth was ed to his losing record. Five
and salvage something shaking his head after all days after Woods won the
from a morning that be- those putts that dropped Tour Championship for his
longed to the Americans. in the morning slid by the first victory after four back
They took down Jordan edge of the cup in the af- surgeries, he and Patrick
Spieth and Justin Thomas in ternoon. Ian Poulter's eyes Reed went cold at the end.
the afternoon. grew wider with each hole They were 2 up until Moli-
"It was a bit of a roller- he won with Rory McIlroy in nari and Fleetwood went to
coaster ride," European the afternoon. work with a pair of Molinari
captain Thomas Bjorn said. "You see a change in body birdies to tie the match, a
"We know it's a marathon, language," U.S. captain Jim pair of Fleetwood birdies to
and we're delighted with Furyk said. "I'm sure the Eu- take the lead, and one last
the way the day turned ropeans' body language birdie putt from Molinari to
out because it was a fair- significantly changed to Tiger Woods of the US, left, and Patrick Reed of the US line up a finish them off.
ly tough morning. We go all smiles and boisterous putt during their fourball match on the opening day of the 42nd The key moment was at
home happy tonight, but and hugs and high-fives, Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the 15th, where Woods was
we refocus and look for- and I'm sure the looks on outside Paris, France, Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. in the left rough. Because
ward to tomorrow." some of my players were Associated Press of water surrounding the
The change was notice- not quite the happiest, and green, Woods told Reed he
able in the body language. dead opposite this morn- Europe took the lead in ev- three of them with bogeys. would lay up and make 4
The Americans walked tall ing." ery foursomes match and Phil Mickelson missed his to at least stay in the hole.
and had reason to feel Furyk tried to see the big never let up. Rose teamed first opening session since Reed hit into the water,
as though nothing could picture. with old partner Henrik his rookie year in the Ryder and Woods never had a
go wrong, especially Tony "It was four points out of Stenson and dismantled Cup, and he was missing chance at par. Fleetwood
Finau. It was his amazing for- 28 that we played for," he Dustin Johnson and Rickie while in action during the holed a 15-foot birdie from
tune that turned the tide in said. "We are not happy Fowler by winning five holes afternoon. Mickelson and the fringe for the lead, and
the morning. He and Brooks with it. I think we use it as in a seven-hole stretch. Bryson DeChambeau were then the Englishman made
Koepka were 1 down to Jus- motivation tomorrow." Right behind them, McIlroy 7 down at the turn and a 35-footer on the next
tin Rose and Jon Rahm on The Americans are trying to recovered from his awful did well to at least get to hole.
the par-3 16th when Finau's end 25 years of losing the morning by joining forces the 14th hole, where Ser- "They put it on us, and we
8-iron appeared headed Ryder Cup in Europe, and with European stalwart gio Garcia and Alex Noren couldn't answer," Woods
for the water. Instead, it for one morning, it looked Poulter, who lived up to his closed them out. said.
landed on the 12-inch as though this might be the reputation. But this was more about Eu- At least they have Satur-
wide boards that frame the time. By the end of the day, They were 2 down early rope's great play. Garcia day, when Furyk is sending
green, soared into the air the Americans were seeing until Bubba Watson and and Noren were 5 under out the same teams and
as the gallery gasped, and blue, and plenty of it. Webb Simpson collapsed at the turn, an astounding can only hope for similar
plopped down 3 feet from by losing four straight holes, score on his golf course in results to Friday morning.q