Team Europe dominating Americans in crowd-silencing Ryder Cup start

All the hype of the Bethpage Black home-course advantage.

All the talk about the fuel from a disappointing showing in Rome two years ago.

All the excitement generated from the first Team USA shot of the morning Friday, when Bryson DeChambeau drilled an aggressive drive 344 yards over the trees to help give Team USA an early lead in his match and send the crowd into a frenzy.

But all that followed was another dud of a morning session for the Americans — and another dominant opening act for Team Europe at the Ryder Cup.

The Europeans jumped out to an early 3-1 lead heading into the afternoon four-ball matches, with Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay salvaging a point for the Americans against Robert MacIntyre and Victor Hovland.

But other than that, it was ugly.

DeChambeau and Justin Thomas lost, 4&3, to Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley — the Nos. 1 and 3 golfers in the world — were stunned by Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick, 5&3.

And Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood continued to flourish as a duo with a 5&4 victory over Collin Morikawa and Harris English.

It marked just the third time since 1973 that Team Europe earned at least three points in the opening session of matches, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, and since 1991 teams that collected at least three points Friday morning have gone 7-1 in those Ryder Cups.

It’s also the first time ever that Team Europe has clinched the first three matches on the road, silencing a crowd looking for anything to erupt about.

European captain Luke Donald opted for continuity in his foursomes pairings from 2023, and it paid off, with the Rahm-Hatton and McIlroy-Fleetwood duos both moving to 3-0.

And Fitzpatrick, after carrying a brutal 1-7-0 record from his previous three Ryder Cups entering the match, hit plenty of clutch shots — including the winning putt, which led to an emphatic fist-pump.

In two European wins, they were four-up before reaching the back-nine.

Team USA struggled to drive, struggled to putt — struggled at just about everything.

Henley missed putt after putt. Scheffler couldn’t reverse his Ryder Cup woes from Rome. And McIlroy, who finally achieved the career Grand Slam earlier this year, dazzled.

And by the time it all ended, the Americans were staring at another sizeable deficit.