Ryder Cup: USA 4½-11½ Europe – visitors dominate fourballs to stretch lead on fiery day two – live

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Bryan Armen Grahamat from Bethpage Black: “No World No 1 had ever started a Ryder Cup by losing three straight matches. Scottie cheffler went one worse.”

Updated at 01.08 CEST

You think Tommy Fleetwood has had a good week? It’s this good: he’s the first visiting player to win all of the first four matches on U.S. soil since Europe joined the Ryder Cup in 1979.

By the way, he’s just been seen first having fun with his son Frankie and some stuffed toys, and then having fun stroking a dog. He’s living his best life in all sorts of ways.

Jonathan Gresty likes an irony this week. He emails that in the week that the US President, “said Europe is ‘going to hell’, there is immense poetry and joy in seeing the Americans getting completely humiliated – on their own blessed turf – by the wisdom and craft of the Old Continent.” It does need to be polished off, though. If it all falls apart, the irony will be anything but.

Andy Bull on a remarkable incident earlier today regarding an MC on the first tee. It was very strange.

European fans are lapping this up. Colin Livingstone references and rewrites the famous sign on the Bathpage Black first tee: “The Black course is an extremely difficult course. Which we only recommend for European golfers.”

The European fans at Bethpage are dancing with outrageous glee. Simon MacMahon is with them in spirit: “I’m not quite calling it yet, but amongst all the European golfing brilliance on display so far this weekend, a mention too for their captain Luke Donald and his vice captains Jose-Maria Olazabal, Thomas Bjorn, Alex Noren, and Edoardo and Francesco Molinari. It really is a team effort. And now it’s all kicking off! Gotta LOVE LOVE LOVE the Ryder Cup.”

Joe Pearson isn’t happy that I used Patrick Cantlay’s nickname – well, one of them: “As anyone who watches a lot of golf, Cantlay’s nickname is All-Day, because he plays so slow. Ice Man? No”

ShareDay 2 scoreline: USA 4½-11½ Europe

Luke Donald on a remarkable week so far: “I didn’t really imagine this. The job is not done yet, though. But to hear the ‘Ole’s’ from our fans is very fun. Every time the Americans came at us, we came back at them. The confidence these guys have in themselves and in each other is wonderful. We’re trying to get to 14 and a half points first. We won’t be complacent.”

“The lights have gone out on Broadway,” says Nick Faldo.

ShareUSA 4½-11½ Europe

Patrick Cantlay goes all out to make his chip and can’t do it. Next up, Sam Burns from 25 feet. Good effort but the Euro putts were conceded. They’ve won with sparkling approach play. Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick beat Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay 1UP.

Burns/Cantlay lose to Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (F)
USA 4½-11½ Europe

JJ Spaun on his match: “I leaned on my partner for wisdom and guidance.” Xander Schauffele on the Europeans: “They’re playing unbelievable golf. They’re making a lot of birdies and we’re not.”

And then there was one (match). Europe won’t want to fritter away two points. Matt Fitzpatrick is in sand, just like when he won the US Open – and he does much, much better than even that blow – he’s left himself a tap-in! And Tyrrell Hatton has nudged up against it. Literally! “Billiards,” giggles Nick Faldo, adding: “Jeepers!”

Burns can only find the middle of the green and Cantlay’s hard spinning approach rips back off the front of the putting surface. Advantage Europe.

ShareUSA 4½-10½ Europe

The Americans led after only one hole in the third match. But it was the right hole: the 18th. JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele beat Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka 1UP.

Spaun/Schauffele beat Rahm/Straka 1UP (F)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (14)
USA 4½-10½ Europe

Can Straka make par? No. Even if Rahm does, it could be moot. First up Xander Schuaffele has a putt and it is, quite frankly, rubbish. Short from 15 feet. Now Rahm needs to hole and hope JJ Spaun misses. Rahm … makes it. Gritty. Very gritty. But Spaun has a very short putt for the win – and he makes it.

The action is now confined to the final hole. Sam Burns finds the first cut with his drive, Patrick Cantlay the fairway. Matt Fitzpatrick finds sand, Tyrrell Hatton the fairway.

Up ahead, Jon Rahm splashes out of the bunker but can’t find the hole and Sepp Straka hits a clumsy chip to 20 feet.

Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka make a curious pair. Physically, they are very alike. But while Straka has a head entirely free of hair, Rahm has it everywhere. Straka’s approach to 18 has spun back off the front edge. Next up is JJ Spaun who pops his effort to 3 feet – what a year this has been for the US Open champion. Xander Schauffele claps his partner and then finds the green. Jon Rahm needs a good blow here – but his ball plummets into sand. A first American point of the afternoon beckons.

Ice Man. Patrick Cantlay earned his nickname winning individual titles. He’s not lifted a trophy for a long time, however, but in team competition he remains ice cool. He drains his birdie putt at 17. Can Tyrrell Hatton follow him in? Yes he can! The Americans have made four birdies in a row – and they’re locked at all square with Hatton and Fitzpatrick.

Sam Burns launches a superb tee shot at 17 in the final match. He’s got 4 feet for his birdie and piles pressure on the Europeans. Only 18 feet for Patrick Cantlay, though. Matt Fitzpatrick, so mocked for his Ryder Cup record ahead of this week, has been very good this week and he’s bang in this hole with a touch less than 6 feet for his birdie. Finally, Tyrrell Hatton gets an early Christmas present. He hit a bit of a rotter and the slopes swept his ball to 12 feet.

Embraces all round as team mates meet up for a post-round chin wag. Rory McIlroy hugs Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, then Shane Lowry does the same. Scottie Scheffler wanders over to shake hands with various Europeans. They watch Sepp Straka shave the hole at 17. Xander Schauffele misses with his attempt. Now Jon Rahm can win the match – but his putt slips past! JJ Spaun’s turn and he makes it – the match is all square going up 18!

Back at 16 Tyrrell Hatton drops a 20 foot birdie putt. Sam Burns tries to follow him in and leaves the putt on the front edge but Patrick Cantlay converts from 11 feet. What a tough competitor he is. So flinty. So resilient.

Good tee shots from the Americans at 17 and they need it as they are 1DOWN. JJ Spaun is tight in – about 4 feet. Xander Schauffele has 16 feet. Sepp Straka is furthest away at 20 feet but Jon Rahm has 8 feet.

Fin asks: “Do you feel the US could’ve done anything differently over the last 2 days?. The English-Morikawa partnership was an odd one and Scottie Scheffler has played the Tiger role as the ineffectual star. But could Bradley do much to halt the blue waves really?” A question for the end of play but there will be lots of questions ahead for many American golfers and administrators.

The back two matches can now get the TV coverage they deserve. There was so much going on in the top two games footage has been a little sparse. Can the Americans close the gap?

Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (16)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (14)
USA 3½-10½ Europe

Rory McIlroy on this afternoon: “Hugely satisfying … Our first full point together, I’m so proud of this guy … Another blue point on the board … I’m drained to say the least … I just chipped in when I could.” On the crowds: “Look, when you play away, the crowds are challenging. People can make their own judgment on if it went too far. I’m just proud of us.”

Shane Lowry: “It was intense … Something I’ve never experienced … This is why I get up in the morning … I love being a part of this team … It’s only a point … We have a job to do … We need to keep the foot on the gas.”

ShareUSA 3½-10½ Europe

Success for the old friends. Hugs all round and a bellow from the heart and soul of Shane Lowry as the Americans fail to make birdie at 18 and concede the match. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry beat Justin Thomas and Cam Young 1UP.

Thomas/Young lose to McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (F)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (15)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (15)
USA 3½-10½ Europe

Updated at 23.42 CEST

Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick are hanging tough in the final match against Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns. All square heading to 16 thanks to an 8 footer from Hatton.

Shane Lowry might have tired yesterday, but he has found a second wind late today. After the drama on 16 and 17 he hits a beauty into 18. He has 5 feet for birdie with the Americans outside 15 feet. They’ll need to make those and hope Lowry misses. McIlroy is also only 15 feet away. Advantage Europe.

Justin Rose on the chaos at the end of his match: “It was a shame. I was waiting to putt. They were going through their motions. They came again. I said it’s my putt, right? Maybe not so polite. It was taken the wrong way. But it was an amazing match. Tommy was amazing. Epic match.”

Tommy Fleetwood: “It’s part of it, right? It was one moment out of a lot of great golf. It’s not that big of a deal. I enjoyed being part of that match.”

ShareUSA 3½-9½ Europe

Justin Rose find the hole! He and Tommy Fleetwood have been superb yesterday and today. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood beat Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler 3&2.

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (17)
Scheffler/DeChambeau lose to Fleetwood/Rose 3&2 (F)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (14)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (14)
USA 3½-9½ Europe

Back to 16. Only Scottie Scheffler found the green. Bryson DeChambeau has 12 feet for par, Tommy Fleetwood 7 feet, Justin Rose also 7 feet. Scheffler has 28 feet for birdie and a 2 putt might be enough to keep the match alive. With Europe 3UP the Americans are on fumes and he really needs a par breaker. Good line but it has come up short!

Rory McIlroy can’t equal the birdie of Justin Thomas at 17. The latter had his arms in the air, pleading for quiet from the masses. Can Shane Lowry find the hole from 6 feet? It will guarantee a half point if he does. More pleading from JT. Lowry makes it! Fist pump, fist pump, fist pump from the Irishman. He’ll need a sleep tonight.

This is dizzying. Shane Lowry nails his tee shot at 17 to 5 feet. Rory McIlroy is 14 feet away, Cam Young 22 feet and then … Justin Thomas almost holes his effort! He’s got 13 inches. Or rather, he’ll pick it up from 13 inches. Wow. Europe will need to hole a putt to go up the last with a 1UP lead.

There are many folk who feel that the current state of the world resembles the 1970s. Dean is one of them, at least with regard to the condition of the Ryder Cup. He emails: “Do you think it’s time the USA invited South America and Canada to join them for future matches?”

Cam Young – what a superstar he’s been this week. He drains a 15 foot birdie putt at 16 when he knows that Rory McIlroy is in tight to the hole – and the Northern Irishman duly makes the birdie.

Meanwhile, leaving the 16th tee there have been metaphorical hugs and kisses in the second match.

Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (16)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 3UP (15)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (14)
Burns/Cantlay v Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (13)

Updated at 23.22 CEST

JJ Spaun pours in a birdie at 14 and Jon Rahm follows him in. “Europe has all the answers,” bemoans Rich Beem on Sky Sports. The Euros stay 1UP in match three.

Lost of heavy breathing on the 16th tee. Everyone explaining themselves. Everyone insisting it’s a fuss about nothing while getting a bit hot under the collar. Imagine falling out with Tommy Fleetwood. It’s like having a fight with your favourite teddy bear.