Ryder Cup 2018 - as it happened: USA take lead after Friday fourballs
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Your support makes all the difference.The 2018 Ryder Cup is underway at Le Golf National. Jim Furyk has selected Tony Finau and Brooks Koepka to lead the US team out in Paris and they will be up against Thomas Bjorn's strong opening pairing of Justin Rose and Jon Rahm.
Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen will play match two against Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey and rookie Tyrrell Hatton face Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in match three, before the much-anticipated appearance of Tiger Woods alongside the fiery Patrick Reed, who play Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood.
Follow all the action from every hole in Paris with our live blog:
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Preview
What time does it start?
It all gets underway at 7.10am on Friday morning with the opening fourballs.
Where can I watch it?
The whole tournament is being broadcast on Sky Sports Golf. You can also stream it online via SkyGo. It is also available on NowTV.
For those without access to any of those The Independent will be live blogging the entire weekend.
Who's playing?
Some of the very best golfers on the planet. Tiger Woods leads the American team while new world number one Justin Rose is Europe's leading light.
Who's going to win?
USA Evens
Europe 5/4
Draw 11/1
Ed Malyon:
When life gives you lemons, make 7-Up.
The bitter taste of the morning evaporated in this corner of France as Europe continued to rampage with Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren’s comfortable win over Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson seeing them seven holes ahead with nine to play.
Had they held on at seven up, it would have been the biggest foursomes victory in Ryder Cup history.
That their match wasn't even the biggest thumping of the afternoon, with Fleetinari (or Planet Moliwood, depending on your preference) also winning 5&4 speaks volumes to how comprehensive this sweep was from Europe.
From a devastating morning to a brilliant afternoon. The wind picked up and the Americans got blown away but tomorrow is a new day. Underestimate the reds at your peril but tonight they'll be going home feeling blue.
Jonathan Liew:
If Carlsberg did afternoon sessions... they would be awful, because Carlsberg tastes like piss. But nevertheless, a cracking session from Europe, and a reminder of the importance of momentum in this competition. As Europe gobbled up hole after hole, the roars whipped around the course like electricity, stiffening European resolve, charging them with belief. The turning point? Molinari and Fleetwood turning around their morning fourball against Woods and Reed. Had they been beaten or held, it’s hard to see a European comeback on that scale. Not only that, but they’ve well and truly pricked the Tiger bubble that could have powered the US all through the weekend. The Americans will come back strongly on Saturday morning - best ball format does seem to suit them a lot better - but for now, the force is with Europe.
And that's it for today.. and what a day it was.
Tomorrow's pairings will be announced in the next half hour and we'll see you at seven tomorrow morning for the next instalment.
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