Bryson DeChambeau added to the frenzied atmosphere by crushing his first tee shot 344-yards, a drive that cut the corner on the dogleg right and settled 45 yards from the hole.
FARMINGDALE, NY — The "USA, USA, USA" chants started well before the sun rose over Bethpage Black on Day 1 of the Ryder Cup.
They were followed by the crowd calling for Byson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, as the time came closer for the Americans' leadoff hitters to emerge through the tunnel and onto the first tee box.
And then DeChambeau, the ultimate showman, added to the frenzied atmosphere by crushing his first tee shot 344-yards, a drive that cut the corner on the dogleg right and settled 45 yards from the hole.
Every American in the 5,000-seat, stadium-style grandstand that surrounds the first tee and 18th green roared. That was after they cheered the tee shot from Europe's Jon Rahm settling in the rough.
That hole ended with DeChambeau draining a birdie putt and the U.S. off to the start it had envisioned at the revenge Ryder Cup.
"USA, USA, USA."
The chants grew louder when DeChambeau and Thomas won the first hole. The Americans jumped ahead 11 minutes into the Ryder Cup. But as they say, there was plenty of golf to be played.
And at least in the morning, it was not good for the boys in the red, white and blue.
What the U.S. didn't envision was the morning session going to hell after that first hole.
It was not long before those "USA" chants were being drowned out by the familiar "ole, ole, ole," chants familiar at European sporting events.
And U.S. captain Keegan Bradley turning to Donald Trump to energize his team, hoping the president's arrival midway through the day would turn around his team's fortunes.
"We just had the president fly over in his Air Force One, so I've got a feeling things are going to turn here," Bradley said as his team was melting down.
With an experienced European team coming at the U.S. in waves, the home team was embarrassed early, losing the first three matches decisively, 4 and 3, 5 and 3 and 5 and 4.
That first hole won by DeChambeau and Thomas was the highlight until Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay held on in the final foursomes match to make sure the Americans were not shut out in the morning.
"We saw a lot of blue on the board and we knew it was crucial to get a point," Schauffele said.
There is no overstating the importance of that Schauffele/Cantlay win over Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre, rallying after blowing a three-hole lead to win 2-up. They were trying to salvage something after the U.S. was on the verge of starting this Ryder Cup exactly how it started two years ago. The U.S. lost all four foursomes matches in Rome, leading to a three-day party, not at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, but all over Europe.
"It was nice to get the point on the board," Cantlay said. "Get the fans going a little bit."
That one point may have settled down the U.S. The Americans came out in afternoon fourballs much more competitive with a decisive 6 and 5 win by Thomas and Cameron Young over Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard and Cantlay and Sam Burns halved their match with Rory McIlory and Shane Lowy.
That left the U.S. trailing 5.5-2.5 entering Day 2.
"The boys played really good this afternoon," Bradley said. "Europe made a lot of putts. Happy with the way we're playing. Hopefully it'll turn and our putts will go in tomorrow."
'Not exactly what we wanted,' Keegan Bradley said about U.S. start
The ugliness from the fans that some anticipated never materialized. This, though, had a lot to do with their team not doing its part. There were a lot of encouraging words, fans shouting "Get 'em crusher" to DeChambeau, a nod to his LIV Golf team, Crushers GC; and "Roll Tide" to Thomas, who attended Alabama and remains a supporter.
And there were playful taunts, like those directed at Europe's Tyrrell Hatton whose drive on No. 6 hooked badly and left partner Rahm hitting from fescue grass. Even DeChambeau's caddie, Greg Bodine, got into the fun saying "Rahm's on a different hole," as they were waiting for his shot.
When Ludvig Aberg found partner Matt Fitzpatrick's drive in the right rough on No. 6, a fan yelled, "not good Aberg, not good at all."
The Swede looked up, and smiled and then knocked his shot to within 10 feet. Fitzpatrick made the putt, putting them 3-up on Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
Scheffler and Henley, the Nos. 1 and 3 players in the world, respectively, never put a fight, their match ending after 15 holes.
But it was better than Collin Morikawa and Harris English, who called it a day after 14 holes in their loss to McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
Those two American pairings never had the lead, and won just three holes between them.
Add that to Rahm and Hatton's win over DeChambeau and Thomas and this marked the first time Europe won each of the first three matches in a Ryder Cup played on American soil.
"It's not exactly what we wanted, but we know the Ryder Cup is going to be ebbs and flows," captain Keegan said.
Keegan Bradley pairs rookies, veterans for afternoon
Bradley stuck his four players who sat out the morning — rookies JJ Spaun, Ben Griffin and Young, along with Burns — with four Ryder Cup veterans — Scheffler, DeChambeau, Thomas, Cantlay — for afternoon fourballs.
The bounce back started as the Americans were more competitive early in the afternoon and hopeful of heading into Saturday in better shape than two years ago, when they had to make up a five-point deficit.
The afternoon session was highlighted by a fist-pumping and chest-thumping and bumping seventh hole.
Griffin thought he won the hole by draining a 56-foot putt in which he crouched, shook both fists and chest bumped DeChambeau.
That excitement was short lived as Rose stepped over his 41-foot putt and rolled it into the middle of the cup. Rose clenched his fists before pounding his chest with his right hand.
The Europeans had the last roar on that hole, but the Americans appeared to be back in the game.
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: US starts slow once again at Ryder Cup, falls behind Europe after foursomes
Category: General Sports
