Ryder Cup 2023: Europe v USA, day three singles – live | Ryder Cup 2023

Yep, Scheffler’s putter is misbehaving badly. He shoves a short birdie putt wide right on 5. Rahm’s had already been conceded, and these are worrying signs for the world number one in the lead match. Meanwhile par at 4 is enough for Hovland to go two up in the second match. And Max Homa’s opening tee shot finds rough. He can’t punch his second up the false front of the green. He chips up to seven feet, but there’s no need for him to take his par putt because Matt Fitzpatrick, having sent his approach to eight feet, rolls in for birdie. This is a really impressive start by the European team. It’s the start Team USA needed.

2UP Rahm v Scheffler (5)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (4)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (2)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (2)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (1)
Hatton v Harman

The return of Patty Ice! Having uncharacteristically tugged at a short one on the 1st, Cantlay smoothly walks in a 30-footer for birdie on 2, then wanders off in the style of a man popping down the shop for the paper and 20 Bensons. Hovland has two putts to win the 3rd against an out-of-position Morikawa but only needs one. And Rahm nearly rakes a 30-foot birdie putt on 4, but it doesn’t matter because Scheffler three-putts. A reasonable chance that flat stick will gift the point in the lead match to Europe. Scheffler’s been jittery on three greens out of four; the other hole was secured with the security blanket of two putts for the win.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (4)
1UP Hovland v Morikawa (3)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (2)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (1)
Fitzpatrick v Homa

Sky’s first swear-box apology of the day as Collin Morikawa sends his tee shot at 3 into thick rough. A really jaded “eff me” delivered in the laid-back Californian style. Plenty more to come, kids! Enjoy, enjoy. Back on 1, Sam Burns, who had found the bunker at the front, splashes out weakly, leaving himself a 20-footer for par. He can’t make it, and it costs him the hole.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (3)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (2)
Rose A/S Cantlay (1)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (1)
Fitzpatrick v Homa

Rory, who also had the dubious honour of being serenaded to the tune of the Cranberries ersatz-grunge dirge Zombie, cracks his opening tee shot down the middle. His opponent Sam Burns clearly didn’t get the memo about the caps: his is still sitting atop his noggin. He carves one into the gallery down the right, and pulls his approach short and left of the green. Meanwhile up on 3, a spot of trouble for Rahm, who finds greenside rough and gets a flyer with his chip, and all the matches out on the course are now level.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (3)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (2)
Rose A/S Cantlay (1)
McIlroy v Burns

The US team aren’t wearing their caps on the 1st tee today, in a performative show of solidarity with the under-fire and perma-hatless Patrick Cantlay. The man himself returns the favour by firing his approach at 1 to five feet. Patty Ice – a play on Matty Ice, the nickname of former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, and a reference to his unflappable demeanour – betrays his monicker by pulling the birdie putt nervously. Anything to do with his nemesis Rory McIlroy’s name being announced back on the tee, and the accompanying roar reaching the green as he made his backstroke? The plot thickens!

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (2)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (1)
Rose A/S Cantlay (1)

Another tentative putt by Scheffler. He really should be levelling his match with Rahm, but doesn’t give the straight nine-footer enough juice. It stops apologetically on the lip, and that’s a big chance spurned.

Plenty of boos greet Patrick Cantlay as he turns up for work. Given the events last night between his caddie and Rory McIlroy, this can’t be a surprise to anyone. He’ll be going round with Justin Rose today, and Europe’s veteran, the only fortysomething playing this week, gets the love he deserves. The pair split the fairway. Up on the green, Hovland nearly drains his 30-foot uphill birdie putt. But it turns left on its last turn. The door’s open for Morikawa, but he runs into the wall, pushing his 12-footer wide right.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (1)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (1)
Rose v Cantlay

Europe need four points to win today; the USA require eight-and-a-half to retain their trophy and nine for outright victory. The holders have to start fast, you’d have thought, so Scheffler does well to respond to losing the opening hole by getting well inside Rahm on the 2nd green. Meanwhile back on 1, Morikawa gets a big break, his tee shot so wild that he’s on the rough trampled by the gallery. He can reach the green and his approach lands pin high, where he’ll have a good look at birdie. Hovland well outside him.

As Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa turn up for their match, the roars drift all the way down the hole, to the comparative tranquility of the green. A few oohs and aahs there as Scheffler leaves a tentative birdie putt three feet short. No mistake by Rahm, though! A calm, perfect, laser-guided roll, and it’s the fastest start for Europe. He raises his putter in the air by way of reserved celebration. Meanwhile there’s more good news for the hosts back on the tee as Hovland splits the fairway, but Morikawa pulls his tee shot into the gallery.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (1)
Hovland v Morikawa

Rahm pings his first iron of the day pin high, 15 feet to the left of the flag. Scheffler takes dead aim, but he’s a little short and will have a slightly longer birdie putt, maybe 20 feet or so.

Scheffler shed a tear or two yesterday after finding himself on the end of a record-breaking 9&7 reverse. He’s clearly regrouped, because he calmly bashes his opening wood down the track. Rahm follows him onto the short stuff, and this, old golfing buddies of mine, is on!

Scottie Scheffler comes out of the tunnel. It’s the only time so far that a member of Team USA has emerged first. A smattering of pantomime boos, but nothing really vicious, Scheffler being too darn likeable. If you’re after that sort of thing, let’s wait for Patrick Cantlay. The passion is reserved for Jon Rahm’s arrival. Bedlam, roar, tumult, etc. These two giants of the sport embrace each other warmly. Scheffler about to take the first shot of the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Days like this don’t come around too often. The atmosphere in the stands surrounding the first tee at Marco Simone is positively incendiary, and no wonder. Just to illustrate what the Ryder Cup means to people, yesterday saw the world number one dissolve in tears on the course, the world number two reduced to effing and jeffing at people in a car park, and the world number five having to deny creating a locker-room rift due to his placing a monetary value on something so precious. Yep, this tournament has value all right, just not something that can be measured in nickels and dimes. Right now, just for today, this is everything. The opening match is about to arrive at the 1st. Buckle up folks, because one way or another, it’s going to be special.

Preamble