… but it’s easy to forget that while Wyndham Clark is a world-class operator and the US Open champion, he’s also a Ryder Cup rookie. The unique pressures, etc. He slices his long iron deep into the gallery to the right of the green, and it’s an up-and-down shootout now.

Homa punches down from the top of the bank. He’s slightly fortunate that, having overcooked the lay-up, his ball sits up atop the first cut, as opposed to disappearing into the thicker stuff a couple of feet further on. MacIntyre and Rose lay up too, finding the fairway. All three really had no option. Over to Clark, who is in pole position to take a shy at the green and surely settle this match.

MacIntyre pushes his tee shot into the thick rough down the right. Rose looks to have found the left-hand side of the fairway but the ball takes a gentle kick left and scampers into a bunker. Homa carves his tee shot off into serious trouble down the right. Only Clark finds the fairway, and with quite the belt too. He’s miles down there, and with the US only needing a half to secure their first full point of the day, the visiting pair are in the box seat here.

Europe stay alive in the only remaining match out on the course! None of the four players trouble the green with their tee shots on the par-three 17th, but Justin Rose is the only one who flicks a wedge to knock-in distance. His par is enough to win the hole, and everyone will be heading down the last. Should the USA fail to hold onto this point as well, it’d be little short of a disaster for the visitors, who were looking good to eat a little bit into Europe’s lead … but the best they can do now is to square the session. A huge final hole coming up!

MacIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (17)
Europe 6-1 USA

Andy Bull is in Italy. Here’s his take on Scandinavia’s finest!

Europe 6-1 USA

Brooks Koepka sends his second at 18 up a grassy bank to the right of the green. With Jon Rahm on in two, the reigning PGA champion has to go close … and he flops delicately to three feet! Scottie Scheffler gets equally close from a more promising position off the front, and it looks as though Rahm will have to rake home and eagle putt from the best part of 30 feet if Europe are to snatch half a point.

Bob MacIntyre races his eagle putt at 16 six feet past the hole, and he can’t make the one coming back. A fantastic tee shot is followed by a dismal three-putt, and with Wyndham Clark having made birdie from a similar position, the USA are dormie two in match three.

Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka 1UP (17)
MacIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (16)
Europe 5½-½ USA

Europe 5½-½ USA

Europe 4½-½ USA

Scrub that about Bob MacIntyre not bringing his best stuff! He sends a power fade into the front of the driveable par-four 16th. He’ll have a good look at eagle. Rory McIlroy looks to close out the anchor match by sending his approach at 15 to ten feet. And on 18, it’s JT v Europe yet again, Spieth having carelessly dunked his wedged approach into the water. Thomas nearly holes his chip from the bottom of the bank at the front of the green. He’ll surely be making birdie, which means either Viktor Hovland or Tyrrell Hatton have to make their 20-foot putts to secure at least a half. Hovland steps up, and …

Two par putts for the US duo of Homa and Clark from ten feet or so at 15. Neither can make them, and that’s the hole to Europe, who are still in this third match despite neither MacIntyre or Rose bringing their best stuff.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (17)
Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka 1UP (17)
MacIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (15)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (14)
Europe 4-0 USA

Scheffler’s brilliance has rattled Rahm, who doesn’t hit his birdie putt. Egregiously tentative. He covers his eyes with a hand before squeezing in irritation. He’s given Scheffler the line, too. He rolls it into the centre of the cup and punches the air powerfully in celebration before it drops. “Come on!” That’s a classic matchplay turnaround, and the USA are guaranteed at least half a point now.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (17)
Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka 1UP (17)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (14)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (14)
Europe 4-0 USA

Schauffele has a three-footer on 14 to grab back yet another hole off McIlroy and Fitzpatrick. But for the third time today, he pulls a short one wide left. That means Europe are dormie four.

The USA next on 18, and both JT and Spieth send their tee shots into the rough down the left. The former in the first cut, the latter in the second. Then back on 17, Scheffler nearly slam dunks his tee shot into the cup for an ace! A huge pitchmark an inch to the left of the cup. His ball bounds five feet past. That suddenly puts a tonne of pressure on Rahm’s putt, which will suddenly look twice the distance.

Hojgaard pulls his tee shot at 17 into the drink to the left of the green. It’s all down to Rahm … and he’s not a two-time major winner for nothing. Over the flag he goes, and his ball bites ten feet behind. Meanwhile it’s one good, one bad for Europe on 18 as well, Hovland hoicking his tee shot towards the trees down the right, Hatton responding by booming one down the left side of the fairway.

No need for Hojgaard to take his eagle putt, though! Jon Rahm chips in from the back of the green, and this match is guaranteed to go up the last! A huge roar rips through the tension that had been building as the USA set about their business of repairing the damage of the morning. Meanwhile the putting competition on 17 fails to produce a winner, with three disappointing birdie efforts, and the lead match heads to the 18th tee all square.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (17)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (16)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (14)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (13)
Europe 4-0 USA

A couple of big tee shots for Europe here! Hatton sends one at the par-three 17th over the flag to 12 feet. Hovland in the environs too. Thomas responds by finding the nearby fringe, only a couple of feet out. Spieth can’t make it four out of four, though, his ball disappearing into the rough to the right of the hole. Meanwhile back on the driveable 16th, Hojgaard sends a gentle fade into the green, and he’ll have a very good look at eagle indeed. That’s one of the shots of the day.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (16)
Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka 1UP (15)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (13)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (12)
Europe 4-0 USA

Jonathan Liew is in Italy as well. He’s been hanging around the first tee, and here’s his take.

Brooks Koepka drains a 30-foot birdie putt across 15, and for the first time today allows himself the satisfaction of a smile, a yell and a fist-pump. The US hit the lead in the second match at a crucial stage. Meanwhile Rory McIlroy clips his tee shot at 13 to eight feet, but can’t make the birdie putt to move Europe to dormie five. And on 16 it’s Justin Thomas versus Europe again, Jordan Spieth having dunked his tee shot in the water. But this time he can’t salvage the situation, his birdie putt always staying on the high side, Tyrrell Hatton’s three enough to level the match!

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (16)
Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka 1UP (15)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (13)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (12)
Europe 4-0 USA

The momentum is with the USA all right! On 12, Collin Morikawa sends his second from 200 yards to 20 feet, and two putts later his birdie wins another hole back for the Americans! They couldn’t, could they? Surely not. But they could! They almost certainly won’t. But they might! The unique pressure of the Ryder Cup, right here.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 1UP (15)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (14)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (13)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (12)
Europe 4-0 USA

The first bit of edge! Justin Thomas chips up to six feet from the bottom of the swale at 15. Viktor Hovland’s birdie putt, from 12 feet, teeters on the right-hand edge of the cup but stubbornly refuses to drop. Thomas lines up his putt, prepares to take it … and steps away, his concentration broken by the crowd. He gets back over the ball, smacks it into the centre of the cup, and that’s a huge escape for the USA. Thomas turns to stare out the crowd, then spins around with an AW YEAH! And it must be contagious, because on 13, Wyndham Clark drains a 30-foot birdie putt, and there’s suddenly a cushion in for the USA in match three!

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 1UP (15)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (14)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (13)
5UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (11)
Europe 4-0 USA

Sean Ingle is in Italy. His Ryder Cup diary is here.

In the lead match, Spieth can only advance his ball into a greenside trap. Meanwhile Thomas, from the fairway bunker, fails to get over the false front, and his ball topples back down the hole. Hovland and Hatton are both on in regulation, and Europe have a big opportunity to respond to losing two holes in row by winning two.

Nicolai Hojgaard hasn’t let that poor putt at 13 affect him. He tramlines a 20-footer on 14 for birdie, and the hole’s shared with Brooks Koepka, who was in close. Scottie Scheffler had a short birdie putt too, but that flat stick continues to betray the world number one. The tightest of matches remains all square.

Bob McIntyre’s eagle putt on 12 drifts by. But it’s a birdie. Wyndham Clark ties the hole by raking in a right-to-left 25-foot curler, and though Max Homa was close in, and would probably have made birdie himself, that’ll give the US team quite the fillip, and they remain one hole up.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 1UP (14)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (13)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (12)
5UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (11)
Europe 4-0 USA

Hovland and Hatton batter their drives at 15 down the track. The momentum’s with Europe again in this match now, and Thomas and Spieth don’t respond particularly well, the former finding sand down the right, the latter pulling wildly to the left.

A hole at last for Morikawa and Schauffele! The former chips delicately from the bottom of a greenside bank to six inches, and the birdie’s enough to reduce the arrears to five holes with seven to play.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 1UP (14)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (13)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (11)
5UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (11)
Europe 4-0 USA

Spieth and Thomas take turns to thrash their balls from the tangled rough onto the green. That’s an achievement in itself. Spieth can’t make his long par saver, but at least he gives Thomas a read … but it’s always drifting wide left. Hatton is 12 feet away with two putts for the hole, but he only needs one, and walks off smiling widely. America’s lead in the opening fourball is cut in half.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 1UP (14)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (13)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (11)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (10)
Europe 4-0 USA

Nicolai Hojgaard sails a gorgeous tee shot into the par-three 13th. He leaves himself an eight-footer for birdie … and it’s for the hole, Scottie Scheffler sending his tee shot wide left of the green, Brooks Koepka missing his birdie putt from 15 feet. But the young Dane debutant pulls a dreadfully timid putt wide left, and the USA get away with one. The match remains all square.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 2UP (13)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (13)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (11)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (10)
Europe 4-0 USA

The lead USA team are in a spot of bother at 14. Spieth, having flayed his tee shot towards a tree down the left, can only squirt his second into thick oomska at the front-right of the green. Then Thomas inexplicably sends his iron from the middle of the fairway, over the green and down a bank covered in the thickest filth. With Hatton pin high in two, there’s a huge chance for Europe to grab a hole back here … though with the caveat that Spieth is capable of anything with his wedge.

Scottie Scheffler so close to grabbing the lead for the USA in the second game … but what looks like a fairly straight eagle putt from 15 feet dies to the right one turn away from the hole. Meanwhile on 11, Wyndham Clark nearly holes out from the back of the green for eagle, but has to settle for birdie, a score Justin Rose matches by rattling in a knee-knocker of a six-footer. The one obvious exception aside, these afternoon matches are all up for grabs, though the momentum is with the USA, albeit not in any dramatic sense. At least not yet. A big 30 minutes or so coming up, I’ll be bound.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 2UP (13)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (12)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (11)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (10)
Europe 4-0 USA

Collin Morikawa rolls a birdie putt into the heart of the cup at 10. A consolation hole for the USA? Nope. Rory McIlroy follows him in from 12 feet, and Europe remain six up, with just eight holes to play now. A reminder that Matt Fitzpatrick’s career Ryder Cup record, after two previous appearances, is played five, lost five. That sorry streak will surely be over soon.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 2UP (13)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (11)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (10)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (10)
Europe 4-0 USA

On Sky Sports, Sir Nick Faldo observes that the US team “have done a good job of not panicking”. They’re currently on course to cut into Europe’s lead this afternoon, though there’s still an awfully long way to go. Birdie for Jordan Spieth at the par-three 13th will help their cause, and suddenly the hosts are up against it in the lead match with holes running out.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 2UP (13)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (11)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (10)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (9)
Europe 4-0 USA

Hovland and Hatton make their way scrappily up the par-five 11th. They end up with a couple of mid-range birdie efforts, and neither player gets anywhere close with their putt. Spieth snatches the hole with a birdie putt from ten feet, an effort made a whole lot easier by his partner Justin Thomas sitting close by in three, having crashed a drive the best part of 400 yards down the hole, going on to narrowly miss an eagle putt. Some more red on the board, though there’s better news for Europe in match three, as Max Homa misses a birdie putt from eight feet, allowing Justin Rose to take the hole from five.

Hovland/Hatton v Thomas/Spieth 1UP (12)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (11)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (10)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (9)
Europe 4-0 USA

Jon Rahm nearly drives the par-four 11th. His ball stops at the bottom of the false front. Rahm chips up delicately to kick-in distance, the ball taking a couple of hops before screeching to a halt. That’ll be a birdie … but it’s just a half, because Scottie Scheffler rolls in a 20-footer for birdie of his own.

An eagle putt from 25 feet on 9 and a chance for Team USA to snatch back a hole. Collin Morikawa is even given a read by Xander Schauffele, but he doesn’t learn from his partner’s putt, the ball missing on the low side, and Europe hit the turn in great nick.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (11)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (10)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (9)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (9)
Europe 4-0 USA

… and there’s more American momentum to be found at 10. Two bogeys by Rahm and Hojgaard present the hole to Scheffler and Koepka in par.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (11)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (10)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 2UP (9)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (8)
Europe 4-0 USA

Jordan Spieth chips up from the bottom of the swale at 11 to a couple of feet. That’s outrageously good. Also fine: the birdie putt that Tyrrell Hatton trundles in from 15 feet to ensure at least a half. Spieth tidies up and that’s what it is. And completing the triptych, back on 9 Wyndham Clark sends a booming fade into the heart of the green, from the best part of 300 yards to 20 feet. Two putts later, it’s a birdie that doubles the USA’s lead. It’s the first time the US have reached 2UP in any match.

Trouble afoot for Europe at 10. Rahm sends his tee shot into the rough down the left, then picks up his tee, spins through 180 degrees, and throws it away like a dart while screaming the EFF word. God love him. He muscles out of the rough but even he can’t heave it up towards the green from there. Hojgaard also topples off the false front and with Scottie Scheffler on in two, this is advantage USA.

Viktor Hovland creams his tee shot at the short par-four 11th onto the back of the green. Justin Thomas sends his into the thick stuff over the back, while Jordan Spieth’s drive disappears down a swale to the right of the green. Meanwhile the pairs in the final match share the long par-four 8th in par, and that’s stemmed the bleeding for the USA after six lost holes on the bounce.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (10)
1UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (9)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (8)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (8)
Europe 4-0 USA

Max Homa and Justin Rose trade mid-range par putts to share the spoils at 8. Scottie Scheffler’s birdie at 9 cuts into Europe’s lead in match two; Jon Rahm is fuming after carelessly three-putting. And Matt Fitzpatrick’s hot streak has inspired Simon McMahon into penning some doggerel poetry. Here it is!

There was a young golfer called Matty
Whose style on the course was called ‘natty’
A Ryder Cup story
With his partner Rory
His putting drove USA! batty

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (9)
1UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (9)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (8)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (7)
Europe 4-0 USA

Reports suggest the Spieth-Hovland pow-wow was a result of confusion over putting order. Seems the Europeans weren’t aware of the rule that allows partners to putt out of sequence, so were surprised/confused to see Justin Thomas have his go first despite being closer to the hole than Spieth, who was furthest away of the four players and therefore ensured Team USA were next up. So all something and nothing by the sounds of it.

BREAKING NEWS: MATT FITZPATRICK MISSES A PUTT!!! Yes, he really has done that. But it doesn’t really matter, because Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele both hit their tee shots at 7 over the back of the green, and can’t chip back close. In fact Morikawa, at the bottom of the bank by a creek, sends a flyer back over the green and off the front. And after Fitzpatrick’s birdie putt dies off to the right, Rory McIlroy rolls his in from 15 feet for his first contribution of the afternoon. That’s dovetailing all right! That is beyond outrageous, and Morikawa and Schauffele’s brains must be addled.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (9)
2UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (8)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (7)
6UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (7)
Europe 4-0 USA

Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth get involved in a fairly in-depth conversation as they make their way to the 10th tee. Not sure what it’s about. For a second it looked like the discussion was going to be sharp and short, and yet the pair seemed to part on friendly enough terms. Strange.

Some red on the board again! Wyndham Clark fires an arrow straight at the flag on the par-three 7th, and is never missing the short putt he leaves himself. The Americans have turned this game around in short order. But up on 8, it’s a third birdie in a row for Nicolai Hojgaard, and the third hole won by the 22-year-old debutant! Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka took turns to miss good birdie chances of their own from 15 feet there. And a sickener for the USA on 9, as Justin Thomas makes birdie, only for Viktor Hovland to match him by rolling in a 15-footer. That’ll hurt because Hovland make his bird despite topping his second shot in the weekend style. Nothing fazes the FedEx champ right now.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (9)
2UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (8)
McIntyre/Rose v Homa/Clark 1UP (7)
5UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (6)
Europe 4-0 USA

“Oh Matthew Fitzpatrick!” The home gallery serenade the hottest player out there today to the tune of Seven Nation Army. That’s because he rolls in his birdie putt, and he’s now six under on his ball through 6. That cranks up the pressure on Xander Schauffele, who pulls his own short putt to gift the hole to Europe. Shades of the 15th in the foursomes this morning.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (8)
1UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (7)
McIntyre/Rose A/S Homa/Clark (6)
5UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (6)
Europe 4-0 USA

Matt Fitzpatrick just keeps on keepin’ on! He hits his wedges from 128 yards at 6 and twirls it with great contentment. It’s the universal sign for Nailed It. And that’s what he’s done, landing his ball three feet from the flag. Can anyone stop him? Well, perhaps Xander Schauffele might, as he wedges in to similar distance.

Max Homa rakes in a long birdie putt across 6. He needed to, as well, because Justin Rose had sent his approach over the flag and spun it back to three feet. Homa’s putt secures a half, and at the moment, the USA must be wondering what they have to do here. They’re finding it nigh-on impossible to make any inroads on the scoreboard.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (8)
1UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (7)
McIntyre/Rose A/S Homa/Clark (6)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (5)
Europe 4-0 USA

Rory McIlroy is reduced to laughter at the sheer audacity of his partner’s antics. Fitzpatrick has gone par, birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle! Meanwhile it must be catching, because back on 7, Nicolai Hojgaard is the only player to make his putt, and that’s a second win of the round for the debutant! Things beginning to go Europe’s way again.

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (8)
1UP Rahm/Hojgaard v Scheffler/Koepka (7)
McIntyre/Rose A/S Homa/Clark (5)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (5)
Europe 4-0 USA

Collin Morikawa follows Matt Fitzpatrick by setting up a fine eagle chance on 5. But his putt stubbornly stays up on the right. That opens the door for Fitzpatrick, who rolls in his eagle putt, roars with delight, and walks off five under through five holes on his own ball!

Hovland/Hatton A/S Thomas/Spieth (8)
Rahm/Hojgaard A/S Scheffler/Koepka (6)
McIntyre/Rose A/S Homa/Clark (5)
4UP McIlroy/Fitzpatrick v Morikawa/Schauffele (5)
Europe 4-0 USA

Hovland’s birdie putt on 8 from 25 feet shaves the hole. Spieth has the opportunity to regain the lead with a straight uphill 20-footer, but leaves it one turn short. Never die wondering, kids. The hole’s shared.

Matt Fitzpatrick’s stunning early form continues apace. He creams a 3-wood into the heart of the driveable par-four 5th, his ball rolling past the flag and stopping ten feet behind. A huge eagle opportunity coming up. He’s not going to make five one-putts in a row, is he? Meanwhile everyone in the second group sets up a putting competition on the par-three 7th, though Nicolai Hojgaard is the closest of the four by a good few feet.

Justin Thomas sends his tee shot dangerously close to the drink down the left of the long par-four 8th. He stays dry, but only just, and the ball’s tangled up in knee-high rough. He can only advance the ball a couple of yards in the rough, but hacks out at the second attempt. With Viktor Hovland on in two, it’s all down to Jordan Spieth, who responds by sending a high draw pin high to 20 feet.