Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia lead by example as Europe target improbable fightback

Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia were again leading by example as Europe attempted to stage an improbable fightback to retain the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
With three of the five sessions of play completed, Rahm and Garcia remained the only European pair to have won a match, the Spanish duo recovering from losing the first three holes in Saturday’s foursomes to beat Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger.
Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia lead by example
Narrow defeats for Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland and Bernd Wiesberger and Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick meant the United States won their third straight session 3-1 to extend their overall lead to 9-3.
!
The Spaniard converts another stunning putt as #TeamEurope move 3 up against Spieth and Koepka!
Is the momentum starting to swing?
Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel Live blog https://t.co/5fi4fALTMB pic.twitter.com/PA3GHBHgG5
— Sky Sports Ryder Cup (@SkySportsGolf) September 25, 2021
That meant Steve Stricker’s side required just five-and-a-half more points from the 16 available to regain the trophy, but Padraig Harrington’s side at least showed signs of being up for the fight in the afternoon fourballs.
Rahm and Garcia quickly moved three up on Koepka and Jordan Spieth, with Hatton and Shane Lowry one up after eight holes against Tony Finau and Harris English.
In the final match of the day, Rory McIlroy – who had been left out of a session for the first time in his career – and Ian Poulter were all square against Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa after five.
Ian Poulter makes another!#TeamEurope #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/Ax7AoQtPWx
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 25, 2021
Europe’s perilous position could have been even worse had Rahm and Garcia not turned the opening foursomes match around in brilliant style, Garcia chipping in for a birdie on the ninth and also holing from eight feet on the 12th to move ahead for the first time.
The high-quality contest was then almost marred by an incident involving Koepka on the 15th, where the four-time major winner sought relief from a bad lie in the rough, claiming there was an impediment in his follow-through.
After being turned down by one referee Koepka called for a second opinion but did not get the answer he wanted and angrily said to the officials: “If I break my wrist it’s on f****** both of you.”
While his well-being concerns are understandable this is not a great look for @BKoepka pic.twitter.com/CW5JROBWRy
— Geoff Shackelford (@GeoffShac) September 25, 2021
Koepka, who injured himself hitting a tree root and withdrew from the Tour Championship earlier this month, eventually took on the shot and even found the green, but a stunning approach to the next from Garcia set up a conceded eagle and the match was over on the next.
The win was Garcia’s 24th in total, edging him ahead of Nick Faldo, and extended his record points tally to 27.5.
Hovland and Wiesberger had been three up after six holes against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth before falling to a two-hole defeat, while Casey and Hatton had turned a four-hole deficit to just one when Casey holed out from 107 yards for an eagle on the 14th, only to bogey the next.
PAUL CASEY!!!!!#TeamEurope #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/QauGRYWb3u
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 25, 2021
Westwood and Fitzpatrick’s 2 and 1 loss to Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay meant Westwood has lost his last six Ryder Cup matches and Fitzpatrick is yet to win anything from his four across 2016 and this year.
Harrington had earlier defended his decision to leave former world number one McIlroy out of a session for the first time in his career.
McIlroy had played 26 straight matches since making his debut at Celtic Manor in 2010, but lost twice on the opening day – alongside Poulter and Lowry – without even reaching the 16th hole.

“Rory, we need him for the singles,” Harrington told Sky Sports. “Pushing him out this morning, making him play five times, would be an awful lot. Clearly you’re going to see him this afternoon.
“If we are going to win tomorrow we are going to need a big singles day. We have to keep that in mind.”
Latest
-
News
Steve Stricker makes Padraig Harrington sweat as Irishman wins US Senior Open
The pair were rival captains in last year’s Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.
-
News
Golfers warned of further sanctions if they continue to play in LIV breakaway
The DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 and tournament bans to its members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event earlier this month
-
European Tour
DP World Tour hits members who played inaugural LIV series with £100,000 fines
They have also been banned from several forthcoming tournaments including the Scottish Open.
-
News
Rory McIlroy not impressed as Brooks Koepka becomes latest big name to join LIV
The world number two labelled the players who have joined the new series as “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway.
-
The Open
R&A confirms LIV Golf Series players will be allowed to compete at Open
The 150th Open Championship will get underway at St Andrews in three weeks’ time.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick turns to other major winners for advice on dealing with fame
Fitzpatrick won the US Open on Sunday.
-
News
Brooks Koepka set to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series
Koepka’s brother Chase played in the opening event at Centurion Club earlier this month.
-
US Open
Gary Player urges Matt Fitzpatrick to avoid ‘poison’ of modern-day coaching
Player tells US Open champion Fitzpatrick to learn from mistakes of recent major winners, saying: “The teaching today is the worst it has ever been.”
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick’s caddie Billy Foster ready for ‘long party’ after US Open win
Foster won his first major after a 40-year career which includes spells working for the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick backed to become a dominant force after winning first major
The Englishman claimed his first major title at Brookline.