The 2018 Ryder Cup continued Saturday from Le Golf National near Paris, France, with a four-match session of fourballs (also known as best ball). The afternoon session would feature four matches of foursomes (also known as alternate shot).
The opening session was won by the Europeans by a 3-1 count, with the lone US point coming in the final match, ending a Ryder Cup record streak of eight consecutive match wins by the Europeans.
2018 Ryder Cup: Saturday morning fourballs recap
Match 9 -- Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia win 2 and 1 vs. Tony Finau and Brooks Koepka: Garcia and McIlroy got out to a 4-up lead through eight holes before the United States began to mount a comeback with a win at the ninth to turn.
On Nos. 15 and 16, Finau made birdies to effectively extend the match. However, Garcia finished things off with a big birdie on No. 17 to put the first European point on the board.
Match 10 -- Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton win 3 and 2 vs. Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler: Paul Casey caught fire in this second match, winning three holes in the first six to get out to a 2-up edge, while Rickie Fowler had the American score in the opening six.
Dustin Johnson was the American lead in the final six holes, but after winning the 11th hole with a birdie, he was unable to pick off another hole. A clutch Casey par on the par-3 16th ended the match.
Match 11 -- Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood won 4 and 3 vs. Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed: Patrick Reed did not come to play in this match, with just four of his scores counting toward the team tally, essentially leaving Tiger Woods to take on Europe's best team by himself.
Woods won two holes, both with birdie, in the middle of the round, but Molinari caught fire in winning Nos. 11-13, all with birdie, to put away the US.
Match 12 -- Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas win 2 and 1 vs. Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm: The final point of the session was to decide a potential second consecutive European sweep.
Justin Thomas was the man leading the US team down the stretch, with his score counting for the final six holes, including a tying birdie on the par-3 16th and a winning birdie on No. 17 when the other three players in the match found the deep rough off the tee.
Session score: Europe 3 - USA 1
Total score: Europe 8 - USA 4
2018 Ryder Cup: Saturday morning fourballs recap
Match 13 -- Justin Rose and HenriK Stenson win 2 and 1 vs. Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka: This match was in European hands throughout the day, with Europe winning three holes after losing the first. However, a win on the 15th put the US 1 down with three to go.
No. 17 was the ending to the match, when Dustin Johnson's drive wound up well adrift of the fairway, giving an opening for Stenson and Rose to win with a par on the penultimate hole.
Match 14 -- Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson win 3 and 2 vs. Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren: Where Watson and Simpson struggled to gain momentum after a solid start in Friday foursomes, they found it on Saturday against Garcia and Noren. Up 1 through five, the US side won Nos. 6-8 to turn in 4 up.
The back nine featured three holes won, two for Europe and one for the US, but it was a largely quiet affair to run out the clock for the first American point.
Match 15 -- Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari win 5 and 4 vs. Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau: Fleetwood and Molinari became the first duo in Ryder Cup history to go 4-0 together in a single Ryder Cup. Woods and DeChambeau, who particularly struggled, never had a chance. The Europeans were 5 up through nine, effectively ending the match.
However, the US rallied to win Nos. 10 and 11 to show some signs of life. Then the Europeans put the US down with big putts from Molinari and Fleetwood to wins the 12th and 14th holes to secure their fourth point together.
Match 16 -- Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas win 4 and 3 vs. Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy: The lead American duo for the week were 2 down after the first two holes, but the US quickly rallied to win Nos. 4-6 and establish a 1 up lead by winning two holes based on European mistakes.
After those two early losses, the US would not lose another hole, winning three more after the sixth to set up a session-splitting 4-and-3 win.
Session score: Europe 2 - USA 2
Total score: Europe 10 - USA 6
