Tag: Nicolai Hojgaard

Europe inches closer to winning 2023 Ryder Cup, but U.S. wins Saturday fourballs session to maintain glimmer of hope

The Americans have some work to do Sunday to retain the Cup.

ROME – For the first time at the 44th Ryder Cup, the U.S. won a session at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

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After winning the Saturday afternoon fourballs 3-1, the U.S. trails 10 ½ to 5 ½ and will need to erase the largest deficit in Ryder Cup history if it is going to retain the Cup.

But we’re saying there’s a chance, especially after Patrick Cantlay birdied the final two holes, including a 30-foot birdie putt at 18, to flip his match.

“Hopefully have a ray of light and we can build on this session and try and pull off a big victory tomorrow,” Cantlay said.

Two years ago, the U.S. led 11-5 at Whistling Straits before cruising to a 19-9 victory. No team has rallied from more than a 10-6 deficit, but the U.S. only needs to reach 14 points to retain the Cup. In both 1999 and 2012, the winning side earned 8 ½ points in Sunday singles.

The U.S. showed some life winning the first two matches, but the Euros bounced back to win the third match and inch closer to extending the U.S. losing streak on European soil, which dates to 1993. It looked as if it would be a split of the session. That is until Cantlay’s heroics.

“Feels like we have momentum and we go kind of into the locker room laughing a little bit which just feels good,” Max Homa said.

Here’s a recap of all four matches.

Ryder Cup: Tournament hub | Photos | Fans

Brooks Koepka takes shot at Jon Rahm after Ryder Cup match: ‘Act like a child’

Brooks went after Jon Rahm.

The Ryder Cup is underway, and emotions are high.

Momentum is well on the European side after the opening day of play, as the Euros have dominated at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club to the tune of a 6 ½-1 ½ lead against the United States heading into Saturday’s play. For the first time in Ryder Cup history, the U.S. didn’t win a match during a full day of play.

In the afternoon session, the Americans tied three matches to earn their points, but in each of them, they led on the back nine. The U.S. was 1 up heading to 18 and lost, including on the second eagle in three holes from Jon Rahm.

Rahm, paired with Ryder Cup rookie Nicolai Hojgaard, played brilliantly down the stretch to tie the match against World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka. The duo birdied their last five holes and somehow couldn’t pull away because of Rahm’s heroics.

How did that make Koepka feel? He took a shot at Rahm.

2023 Ryder Cup
Team Europe reacts after Jon Rahm made a shot on the 18th hole during Thursday morning fourballs at the 44th Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. (Photo: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports)

“I mean, I think me and Scottie birdied, what did we say, 14, we birdied 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and then lost by two. So yeah. I mean, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did. But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.”

Let the fireworks begin!

What was the quote in reference to? Possibly when Rahm hit a sign with his club out of frustration at the U.S. Open. But there’s no telling, as Koepka isn’t one to mince words and will go after anyone, even his own teammates.

European captain Luke Donald isn’t concerned by Koepka’s comments.

“Jon was a big support system for Nicolai today, and to hit a big drive down 18 and hit it on the front of the green and make an eagle for a halve, that’s a lot of passion,” Donald said. “Jon is a passionate person, but I didn’t see him acting any other way.”

Rahm topped Koepka to win the Masters earlier this year, and Koepka bounced back winning at the PGA Championship a month later.

Here’s to hoping the two can battle it out again in the heat of the Ryder Cup this weekend.

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U.S. Ryder Cup team squanders opportunity to cut into deficit; Team Europe leads 6½-1½

Team USA failed to earn a full point in any match on Friday.

ROME — A tie has to feel like kissing your sister to the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

The Americans squandered opportunities to win three of the four matches in Friday afternoon’s fourball session, failing to win a single match on the first day of the 44th Ryder Cup, the first time that’s happened in Cup history, and digging themselves a big deficit.

After sweeping the morning foursome 4-0, the Europeans made three clutch putts at 18 to turn potential losses into ties. First, Viktor Hovland drained a 26-foot birdie putt to tie the first match of the session. In the next group, Jon Rahm drilled a 33-foot eagle putt to salvage a tie. Finally, Justin Rose buried a 9-foot birdie putt that capped off a comeback from 2 down with two holes to go. In the end, Team Europe jumped out to a 6½-1½ lead.

“One thing that we talked about a lot is just it’s not over till it’s over, and the boys did that, those three matches,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “They all got something out of it when they could have easily gone the other way, and it just makes a big difference.”

Fitzpatrick almost singlehandedly won a full point in the only match that didn’t end in a tie. Entering the Ryder Cup with a chip on his shoulder, the Englishman showed his mettle in the biennial competition. In two previous Cups, he was winless in five matches. Not anymore.

Fitzpatrick put on a putting exhibition during Friday’s afternoon fourball alongside teammate Rory McIlroy. Fitzpatrick had yet to play a fourball match in his previous two Cup appearances; he made the most of his chance.

“You build it up to be this amazing thing that you wanted to be part of thinking that you’ll get a real good go at it, and obviously I never did, really,” he said. “So that’s obviously always something that’s sort of disappointing.”

Fitzpatrick and McIlroy dominated the team of Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, winning 5 and 3. It was a dream start for European Captain Luke Donald.

“Historic day, but we want it to be an historic week, so the job is certainly not done,” he said. “We will all celebrate an amazing day, but we’ll be back tomorrow morning with the goal of trying to win tomorrow morning’s session. We’ll be getting our guys focused to be back in the saddle, so to speak. But what a day.”

Ryder Cup: Tournament hub | Photos

How are the 12 Team Europe Ryder Cuppers faring at the BMW PGA Championship?

One of the major subplots at this week’s BMW PGA Championship is how the Team Europe players are faring.

Earlier this month, U.S. captain Zach Johnson locked in his 12-player roster for the upcoming 2023 Ryder Cup, and European captain Luke Donald followed by doing the same.

After the conclusion of the 2023 Omega European Masters the six automatic qualifiers – three from a world points list and three from a European points list – for Team Europe that are bound for Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy were confirmed. Donald then made his six captain’s picks, including a pair of surprise rookies.

As we’re counting down the days until the biennial event in Italy, one of the major subplots at this week’s BMW PGA Championship in Surrey, England, is how the Team Europe players are faring.

Euro team captain Luke Donald is also competing at Wentworth, as are five of his six vice captains. Vice captain Nicolas Colsaerts is doing the best out of this group, as he’s tied for 38th. Vice captains Thomas Bjorn, Francesco Molinari and Edoard Molinari all missed the cut. Jose Maria Olazabal isn’t playing.

Here’s where the 12 members stand after two days:

Meet the 12 players and captains representing Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy

Get to know the 12 players on Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Last week U.S. captain Zach Johnson locked in his 12-player roster for the upcoming 2023 Ryder Cup, and on Monday morning European captain Luke Donald did the same.

After the conclusion of the 2023 Omega European Masters the six automatic qualifiers – three from a world points list and three from a European points list – for Team Europe that are bound for Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy were confirmed. Donald then made his six captain’s picks, including a pair of surprise rookies.

Of the 12 players on the roster, four will make their debut in the biennial event against the Americans, who haven’t won on foreign soil since 1993.

Get to know all 12 players and the captains who will represent Team Europe in the 44th playing of the Ryder Cup.

Winning is hard: These 14 pros nearly picked up their first PGA Tour win this season

“Second place is just the first-place loser. There is no room for second place.”

With the calendar flipping to June, the PGA Tour counts eight first-time winners this season, including the duo of Davis Riley and Nick Hardy, who teamed up for their first wins at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

It was almost nine on Sunday as Denny McCarthy had a putt to win the Memorial only to be denied his maiden victory by Viktor Hovland.

McCarthy isn’t alone. So far this season, 14 different players have finished runner-up or tied for second 15 times while bidding for their first Tour title. If the Netflix documentary “Full Swing” taught us anything it is that winning is hard. (Don’t drink every time a player says just that or you may not make it through a single episode.)

“The only one who will remember you if you come in second place is your wife and your dog,” World Golf Hall of Famer Gary Player once said, “and that is only if you have a good wife and a good dog.”

NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt didn’t mince words either, saying, “Second place is just the first-place loser. There is no room for second place.”

Nevertheless, let’s take a closer look at this year’s runner-ups, who were so close to tasting victory and climbing another rung on the professional golf ladder with their first Tour wins.

Here are 5 bets to consider for the 2023 Mexico Open, including a Jon Rahm/Gary Woodland top-10 parlay

Which pick are you rolling with in Mexico?

The PGA Tour is south of the border this week for the Mexico Open at Vidanta in Vallarta.

Defending champion and world No. 1 Jon Rahm tied for 15th in his last start at the RBC Heritage a week after slipping on the green jacket in Augusta, Georgia.

Rahm won this event by a single shot last season over Tony Finau and Kurt Kitayama.

As for the rest of the field, it’s one of the weakest we’ve seen in a bit. Three of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are set to tee off Thursday.

Here are five bets you need to consider for the 2023 Mexico Open.

More Mexico Open betting: Expert picks, odds