The world still feels topsy-turvy, with Team USA winning the morning foursomes by 3 matches to 1. Foursomes has been Europe’s specialty over the years, and has often led to a fast start in recent matches. If it weren’t for the dashing Spaniards, Europe would have found itself in a 0-4 hole. Not quite as big a hole as this one, but still a hole. Let’s have a look at the four morning matches.

? @JordanSpieth absolutely ridiculous!@MichelobULTRA | #ULTRAMoment pic.twitter.com/ZMIaikwXKt

— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 24, 2021

Match One: Rahm/García vs. Thomas/Spieth

Thomas and Spieth have been lobbying to play together since before Spieth’s resurgence. Well, Spieth took care of the resurgence, but Rahm and García had other ideas for this match. The Basque and the Valencian won seven holes on the day, including 15 and 17, to dispatch the USA power couple. It seemed that each time the Americans won a hole, the Euros won a pair. That type of trade-off is never a good one, and in the end, it was 3 & 1 in favor of the Iberian Peninsula.

3UP. ?@TheSergioGarcia and @JonRahmPGA making a statement.pic.twitter.com/713sVGPpok

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 24, 2021

Match Two: Casey/Hovland vs. Johnson/Morikawa

Nearly the inverse of match one, the USA side stopped the European momentum in its tracks with a 3 & 2 victory. The long-hitting South Carolinian and the straight-driving Californian made an impressive partnership, winning six holes on the day. Casey and Ryder rookie Hovland had two birdies in the first four holes, which earned them the lead. The pair next won a hole at the 13th, which served only to delay the inevitable. Team USA cashed one final birdie on the 16th, and put the first red-side point on the board.

One hole. 1Up.

Dustin Johnson puts @RyderCupUSA on top early in the #RyderCup.

? Watch now on GOLF and @peacockTV.
? https://t.co/FGvI8LR3Cz pic.twitter.com/syxkRdydQq

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 24, 2021

Match Three: Westwood/Fitzpatrick vs. Koepka/Berger

Berger is such an underrated player, and his collegiate history with Koepka made this pairing a near shoo-in for victory over the English duo. Padraig Harrington took a chance on placing two serious veterans on his team this year, in Westwood and Poulter, and neither one delivered a point Friday morning. The Euros had a decent front side, with a trio of birdie keeping them square after the American’s hot start. No birdies on the inward half usually means a loss, and that was the fate of the English patients, as birdies at 10 and 11 for the Florida State duo were enough to front them a 2-hole lead, which ended at a 2 & 1 advantage.

The Americans are rolling! ???@BKoepka clinches the last point of morning foursomes for @RyderCupUSA. #RyderCup

? Watch now on GOLF and @peacockTV
? https://t.co/FGvI8M8F19 pic.twitter.com/9i1bwWcsV9

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 24, 2021

Match Four: McIlroy/Poulter vs. Cantlay/Schauffele

If any match was supposed to be a gimme for the Euros, it should have been this one … in July. Then, Schauffele won a gold medal. Then, Cantlay dominated the FedEx Cup. This California pair looked to be unstoppable, and they were. They opened birdie-par-birdie-par-birdie … and assumed a five-up lead after a quintet of holes. Mac and Poulty played the front side in three-over par, and were fortunate to be just five-down after nine. They rallied a bit on the inward half, but the American sawed them off with birdies at 12 and 13, preserving a three-up advantage. Two more birdies for the RWB at 14 and 15 ended the day early for both sides. Five-under for 15 holes, including birdies at the last four. Now that’s a statement.

Perfect line from Xander ? #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/kSRyvicSNM

— Ryder Cup (@rydercup) September 24, 2021