Ryder Cup 2023: Europe v USA, day three singles – live | Ryder Cup 2023

Birdie for Patrick Cantlay at 11, and the hill Justin Rose has to climb just got even steeper. Meanwhile the lead match continues to swing hither and yon. Scottie Scheffler sticks his approach at 14 to 18 inches or so, and the birdie putt is conceded. Rahm can’t drain his long birdie effort, and the match is tied again. Only four halved holes in 14 between these two.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (14)
4UP Hovland v Morikawa (12)
Rose v Cantlay 3UP (11)
3UP McIlroy v Burns (10)
Fitzpatrick v Homa 1UP (9)
1UP Hatton v Harman (9)
Aberg v Koepka 3UP (8)
Straka v Thomas 2UP (7)
Hojgaard A/S Schauffele (6)
Lowry v Spieth 2UP (6)
Fleetwood A/S Fowler (5)
2UP MacIntyre v Clark (4)

Par at 10 is enough for Rory McIlroy to immediately restore his three-hole cushion over Sam Burns. An uncharacteristically tentative par putt by Burns from ten feet there. Meanwhile Viktor Hovland nearly drains a long eagle putt at 12, but the two-footer he leaves himself for birdie is enough to go four up over Collin Morikawa. And birdie for Brian Harman at 9, and having been three down to Tyrrell Hatton after 5, his deficit is now just one hole. This is far from over yet.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (13)
4UP Hovland v Morikawa (12)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (10)
3UP McIlroy v Burns (10)
Fitzpatrick v Homa 1UP (9)
1UP Hatton v Harman (9)
Aberg v Koepka 3UP (8)
Straka v Thomas 2UP (7)
Hojgaard A/S Schauffele (6)
Lowry v Spieth 2UP (6)
Fleetwood A/S Fowler (5)
1UP MacIntyre v Clark (3)

Scheffler simply doesn’t have the confidence in his putting right now. He dribbles a weak birdie effort wide on the low side, and having already conceded Rahm’s putt, suffers a two-hole double-whammy in the shortest of orders. Europe lead the first match again. Meanwhile birdie for the USA’s star turn, Max Homa, on 9, and he’s turned things around quickly against Matt Fitzpatrick.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (13)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (11)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (10)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (9)
Fitzpatrick v Homa 1UP (9)
2UP Hatton v Harman (8)
Aberg v Koepka 2UP (7)
Straka v Thomas 2UP (6)
1UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (5)
Lowry v Spieth 2UP (4)
Fleetwood A/S Fowler (4)
1UP MacIntyre v Clark (2)

Justin Rose gets up and down from the bottom of the swale at 10. Upon rolling in his ten-footer for par, he shushes someone in the crowd. Rose gets out of Dodge with a half, hanging onto Patrick Cantlay’s coat-tails. Meanwhile birdie for Rickie Fowler at 4 levels the penultimate match with Tommy Fleetwood. And in the lead match, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler take turns to throw darts at the flag on the par-three 13th. Rahm is super-close, a couple of feet away, so Scheffler will surely have to make the eight footer he’s left with.

Scottie Scheffler finds rough off the tee at the par-five 12th. He ends up requiring to make a 15-footer for his birdie, with Jon Rahm already in for his four. He steps away from the putt, causing the crowd to hoot and holler at him. Unsettled, he can’t make the putt, and the lead match is all square again. Meanwhile Bob MacIntyre puts a good roll on a 12-foot slider on 2, and he takes an early lead against the US Open champion Wyndham Clark in the anchor match.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (12)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (11)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (9)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (9)
Fitzpatrick A/S Homa (8)
2UP Hatton v Harman (8)
Aberg v Koepka 2UP (7)
Straka v Thomas 2UP (6)
1UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (5)
Lowry v Spieth 2UP (4)
1UP Fleetwood v Fowler (3)
1UP MacIntyre v Clark (2)

Here’s an illustration of how good Jon Rahm’s shot from the side of the creek at 10 was. Justin Rose, having sliced his tee shot into similar territory, has a much better lie, a much better stance, and can only force his ball halfway up the fairway. He’s in danger of letting match three slip away from him. But it’s a sixth birdie of the day for the irrepressible Viktor Hovland, who re-establishes his three-hole lead over Collin Morikawa.

Sam Burns sends a long-iron heatseeker to the 9th pin, from 263 yards to eight feet! One of the shots of the week. He’s not minded to miss his eagle putt, and Rory’s birdie isn’t enough. The world matchplay champion cuts McIlroy’s lead to two holes as they turn.

Rahm v Scheffler 1UP (11)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (10)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (9)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (9)
Fitzpatrick A/S Homa (8)
2UP Hatton v Harman (7)
Aberg v Koepka 2UP (6)
Straka v Thomas 2UP (5)
2UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (4)
Lowry v Spieth 2UP (4)
1UP Fleetwood v Fowler (2)
MacIntyre A/S Clark (1)

A second birdie for Jordan Spieth at 3, and Shane Lowry has work to do already. Spieth’s good buddy JT birdies 5 and he’s two up as well, against Sepp Straka. But better news for Europe back on 2 as Tommy Fleetwood flings a dart at the flag and tidies up for his birdie, to take an early lead against Rickie Fowler.

Rahm v Scheffler 1UP (11)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (10)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (9)
3UP McIlroy v Burns (8)
Fitzpatrick A/S Homa (8)
2UP Hatton v Harman (7)
Aberg v Koepka 2UP (6)
Straka v Thomas 2UP (5)
2UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (4)
Lowry v Spieth 2UP (4)
1UP Fleetwood v Fowler (2)
MacIntyre A/S Clark (1)

Justin Rose and Patrick Cantlay trade birdies from eight feet on 9. Patty Ice hits the turn still two holes up. Matt Fitzpatrick gets himself out of position at 8 and Max Homa, who has previously had to make a couple of five-footers for halves, gets his reward for hanging on in there by levelling the match. Meanwhile par is enough at 6 for Brooks Koepka to go a couple up against Ludvig Aberg.

All sorts of trouble for Jon Rahm on the short par-four 11th. He pulls his tee shot long and left, then gets a flyer out of the thick rough. His ball topples down the bank on the other side of the green, and he takes two chips to get back up. It’s all immaterial anyway, as Scheffler walks in his 25-foot birdie putt. Two holes down through 5, the world number one has clawed his way back and now hits the front in the lead match.

A staunch up-and-down from the front of 8 salvages a half for an out-of-position Rory McIlroy at 8. Sepp Straka and Justin Thomas trade 25-footers for birdie at 4. With Straka having made his first, that’s some display of moxie by JT, who doffs an imaginary cap, hollers loud, then cups his ear at the gallery. With Patrick Reed absent for LIV-related reasons, Thomas is doing a fine job of deputising for Captain America!

Rahm A/S Scheffler (10)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (9)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (8)
3UP McIlroy v Burns (8)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (7)
2UP Hatton v Harman (6)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (5)
Straka v Thomas 1UP (4)
2UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (3)
Lowry v Spieth 1UP (2)
Fleetwood A/S Fowler (1)
MacIntyre v Clark

Two putts for Rahm on 10, and that’s one of the most outrageous pars you’ll ever see. That second shot from the bank by the creek was something else, and the reward is a very unlikely half. Scheffler will feel he’s had his pocket picked. The lead match remains all square. Meanwhile a second birdie in three holes for Nicolai Hojgaard, and the young Dane is off to a flyer against Xander Schauffele.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (10)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (9)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (8)
3UP McIlroy v Burns (7)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (7)
2UP Hatton v Harman (6)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (5)
Straka v Thomas 1UP (4)
2UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (3)
Lowry v Spieth 1UP (2)
Fleetwood A/S Fowler (1)
MacIntyre v Clark

Ah, in fact Rahm is dry. Just. His ball has stuck itself on the bank beside the creek. He’ll have to manufacture something special here, the ball above his feet in thick rough, a wooden footbridge not too far in front of him. He takes an animalistic lash at the ball, and somehow, from 180 yards, muscles it onto the green! He’s 50 feet away, yet somehow just inside Scheffler, whose approach was made from the centre of the fairway! That’s one of the shots of the tournament. (Credit to the late, great Peter Alliss for “animalistic”, a word he used to describe a similarly astonishing Hail Mary swipe made by Jack Nicklaus from gorse going up the 18th at Turnberry towards the denouement of 1977’s legendary Duel in the Sun.)

Jordan Spieth has been all over the show this week. Beyond erratic, but always entertaining. But he’s come out of the traps today flying, sending an arrow at 1 to a couple of feet and taking the opening hole off Shane Lowry. Meanwhile on 10, it looks like Jon Rahm has found a creek down the right. But there’s good news for Europe on 7, where Rory McIlroy nearly aces, just like Collin Morikawa moments ago. Birdie puts the world number two in control against the current WGC Matchplay champion.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (9)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (8)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (7)
3UP McIlroy v Burns (7)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (6)
2UP Hatton v Harman (5)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (4)
Straka A/S Thomas (2)
1UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (1)
Lowry v Spieth 1UP (1)
Fleetwood v Fowler

Par is enough for Patrick Cantlay on the par-three 7th. Justin Rose had found himself plugged under the face of a bunker, and while he did extremely well to flip out to eight feet, Hartley Wintney’s finest couldn’t make the downhill tickler he’d left himself. Always missing on the low side. Meanwhile a birdie for Scottie Scheffler at the par-five 9th ties up the lead match, his opponent Jon Rahm having been all over the place. A productive couple of minutes for the USA, who need more good things to happen for them, and fast.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (9)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (8)
Rose v Cantlay 2UP (7)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (6)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (5)
3UP Hatton v Harman (4)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (3)
Straka A/S Thomas (1)
1UP Hojgaard v Schauffele (1)
Lowry v Spieth

A walk-in eagle two for Matt Fitzpatrick at the driveable par-four 5th! He regains the lead over Max Homa. Nicolai Hojgaard meanwhile birdies 1 to start fast against Xander Schauffele. But there’s some much-needed good news for Team USA at the long par-four 8th. Viktor Hovland’s drive puts him out of position from the get-go. He’s forced to lay up, and par is enough for Collin Morikawa to take back a hole.

The Open champion Brian Harman sends his tee shot at the par-three 4th long. He can’t get up and down from the greenside rough, and that’s another hole to Tyrrell Hatton, who has fair flown out of the blocks. “Koepka v Aberg is the perfect draw for Brooks,” writes Colin Livingstone, setting himself up for the fine punchline. “When he gets his fit of pique, Kopeka will be able to call Aberg childish without causing offence.”

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (8)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (7)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (6)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (5)
Fitzpatrick A/S Homa (4)
3UP Hatton v Harman (4)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (2)
Straka A/S Thomas (1)
Hojgaard v Schauffele

Tyrrell Hatton cops a lucky lie in rough down the 3rd. He takes full advantage, swishing to six feet and rolling in the birdie putt. He goes two up quicksmart, but doesn’t waste too much energy celebrating. In fact, as erstwhile European player, captain and serial winner Paul McGinley observes on Sky Sports, none of the home team are expending precious joules on unnecessary gadding about. Serious work to do. A diktat from Captain Donald, perhaps.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (8)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (7)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (6)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (5)
Fitzpatrick A/S Homa (4)
2UP Hatton v Harman (3)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (2)
Straka A/S Thomas (1)
Hojgaard v Schauffele

An elegant flop up from the bottom of a swale to the back-right of the short par-four 5th by Rory McIlroy. In the air, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’d left it short. Even as it lands on the fringe, perhaps. But it’s almost perfectly judged, hitting the downslope and rolling out to four feet. He rolls in the birdie putt to restore his two-hole cushion over Sam Burns.

What a putt, Viktor Hovland! He knows he’s got to make his downhill curler on 7, with Morikawa in so close, and he positively rams it in. It’d be still going had it not hit the hole, but that’s not the point. He’s made the perfect read, so it drops, and while it’s only a half, it feels like a win. He punches the air and this guy really is some player. Meanwhile fine birdie for Max Homa at 4, and he levels against Matt Fitzpatrick.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (8)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (7)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (5)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (4)
Fitzpatrick A/S Homa (4)
1UP Hatton v Harman (2)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (1)
Straka v Thomas

So much for Collin Morikawa’s struggles! Having made an awful mess of 6, a chip up the false front rolling back to his feet, he responds by nearly acing 7, his gentle fade landing on the front of the green and rolling a couple of inches wide right of the cup. He’ll have a two, maybe three-footer for birdie. Viktor Hovland is on, but facing a tricky right-to-left swinger down a ridge, so chances are the USA will be taking a hole back here. Meanwhile disappointment for Justin Rose at the driveable par-four 5th. He fails to get up and down from the fringe, a bang-average chip leaving too much work to do with the putt. A chance to level with Cantlay spurned.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (7)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (6)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (5)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (4)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (3)
1UP Hatton v Harman (2)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (1)
Straka v Thomas

Rahm’s birdie putt on 7 misses on the right by the width of a dimple, but he remains one up on Scheffler. Meanwhile Burns takes back a hole from McIlroy on the par-three 4th, reward for sending his tee shot to ten feet and rolling in the straight putt. Opening birdie for the previously underperforming Brooks Koepka to take the early lead over Ludvig Aberg. And trouble for Collin Morikawa on 6. His ball topples off the false front and he requires two chips to get back up onto the green. With Hovland on in regulation, 12 feet away, the hole’s conceded. The two-time major winner is struggling right now.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (7)
3UP Hovland v Morikawa (6)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (4)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (4)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (2)
1UP Hatton v Harman (2)
Aberg v Koepka 1UP (1)
Straka v Thomas

Collin Morikawa missed a couple of short putts yesterday as he struggled to close out his and Sam Burns’ match with Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg. Now he rolls in a six-foot knee-knocker to halve 5 with Hovland. He really needed that, to avoid slipping three down in short order. Meanwhile the aforementioned Burns magically escapes 3 with par, getting up and down from greenside rough, but it’s all in vain as Rory McIlroy rattles in his birdie putt. An opening birdie for Tyrrell Hatton and this continues to go very well for Europe … although Scheffler makes his short birdie putt on 6 to snatch back a hole. Perhaps the flat stick is warming up at long last.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (6)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (5)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (4)
2UP McIlroy v Burns (3)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (2)
1UP Hatton v Harman (1)
Aberg v Koepka

Scheffler sends his wedge at 6 over the flag to five feet. To think Rahm had been happy enough landing his pin high to 15. Putting contest coming up, and if Scheffler doesn’t make this birdie putt, the alarm bells really will start ringing. Meanwhile bother for Burns on 3, where he’s hacking his way up the hole in the rough, while McIlroy is safely on in regulation.

Yep, Scheffler’s putter is misbehaving badly. He shoves a short birdie putt wide right on 5. Rahm’s had already been conceded, and these are worrying signs for the world number one in the lead match. Meanwhile par at 4 is enough for Hovland to go two up in the second match. And Max Homa’s opening tee shot finds rough. He can’t punch his second up the false front of the green. He chips up to seven feet, but there’s no need for him to take his par putt because Matt Fitzpatrick, having sent his approach to eight feet, rolls in for birdie. This is a really impressive start by the European team. It’s the start Team USA needed.

2UP Rahm v Scheffler (5)
2UP Hovland v Morikawa (4)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (2)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (2)
1UP Fitzpatrick v Homa (1)
Hatton v Harman

The return of Patty Ice! Having uncharacteristically tugged at a short one on the 1st, Cantlay smoothly walks in a 30-footer for birdie on 2, then wanders off in the style of a man popping down the shop for the paper and 20 Bensons. Hovland has two putts to win the 3rd against an out-of-position Morikawa but only needs one. And Rahm nearly rakes a 30-foot birdie putt on 4, but it doesn’t matter because Scheffler three-putts. A reasonable chance that flat stick will gift the point in the lead match to Europe. Scheffler’s been jittery on three greens out of four; the other hole was secured with the security blanket of two putts for the win.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (4)
1UP Hovland v Morikawa (3)
Rose v Cantlay 1UP (2)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (1)
Fitzpatrick v Homa

Sky’s first swear-box apology of the day as Collin Morikawa sends his tee shot at 3 into thick rough. A really jaded “eff me” delivered in the laid-back Californian style. Plenty more to come, kids! Enjoy, enjoy. Back on 1, Sam Burns, who had found the bunker at the front, splashes out weakly, leaving himself a 20-footer for par. He can’t make it, and it costs him the hole.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (3)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (2)
Rose A/S Cantlay (1)
1UP McIlroy v Burns (1)
Fitzpatrick v Homa

Rory, who also had the dubious honour of being serenaded to the tune of the Cranberries ersatz-grunge dirge Zombie, cracks his opening tee shot down the middle. His opponent Sam Burns clearly didn’t get the memo about the caps: his is still sitting atop his noggin. He carves one into the gallery down the right, and pulls his approach short and left of the green. Meanwhile up on 3, a spot of trouble for Rahm, who finds greenside rough and gets a flyer with his chip, and all the matches out on the course are now level.

Rahm A/S Scheffler (3)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (2)
Rose A/S Cantlay (1)
McIlroy v Burns

The US team aren’t wearing their caps on the 1st tee today, in a performative show of solidarity with the under-fire and perma-hatless Patrick Cantlay. The man himself returns the favour by firing his approach at 1 to five feet. Patty Ice – a play on Matty Ice, the nickname of former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, and a reference to his unflappable demeanour – betrays his monicker by pulling the birdie putt nervously. Anything to do with his nemesis Rory McIlroy’s name being announced back on the tee, and the accompanying roar reaching the green as he made his backstroke? The plot thickens!

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (2)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (1)
Rose A/S Cantlay (1)

Another tentative putt by Scheffler. He really should be levelling his match with Rahm, but doesn’t give the straight nine-footer enough juice. It stops apologetically on the lip, and that’s a big chance spurned.

Plenty of boos greet Patrick Cantlay as he turns up for work. Given the events last night between his caddie and Rory McIlroy, this can’t be a surprise to anyone. He’ll be going round with Justin Rose today, and Europe’s veteran, the only fortysomething playing this week, gets the love he deserves. The pair split the fairway. Up on the green, Hovland nearly drains his 30-foot uphill birdie putt. But it turns left on its last turn. The door’s open for Morikawa, but he runs into the wall, pushing his 12-footer wide right.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (1)
Hovland A/S Morikawa (1)
Rose v Cantlay

Europe need four points to win today; the USA require eight-and-a-half to retain their trophy and nine for outright victory. The holders have to start fast, you’d have thought, so Scheffler does well to respond to losing the opening hole by getting well inside Rahm on the 2nd green. Meanwhile back on 1, Morikawa gets a big break, his tee shot so wild that he’s on the rough trampled by the gallery. He can reach the green and his approach lands pin high, where he’ll have a good look at birdie. Hovland well outside him.

As Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa turn up for their match, the roars drift all the way down the hole, to the comparative tranquility of the green. A few oohs and aahs there as Scheffler leaves a tentative birdie putt three feet short. No mistake by Rahm, though! A calm, perfect, laser-guided roll, and it’s the fastest start for Europe. He raises his putter in the air by way of reserved celebration. Meanwhile there’s more good news for the hosts back on the tee as Hovland splits the fairway, but Morikawa pulls his tee shot into the gallery.

1UP Rahm v Scheffler (1)
Hovland v Morikawa

Rahm pings his first iron of the day pin high, 15 feet to the left of the flag. Scheffler takes dead aim, but he’s a little short and will have a slightly longer birdie putt, maybe 20 feet or so.

Scheffler shed a tear or two yesterday after finding himself on the end of a record-breaking 9&7 reverse. He’s clearly regrouped, because he calmly bashes his opening wood down the track. Rahm follows him onto the short stuff, and this, old golfing buddies of mine, is on!

Scottie Scheffler comes out of the tunnel. It’s the only time so far that a member of Team USA has emerged first. A smattering of pantomime boos, but nothing really vicious, Scheffler being too darn likeable. If you’re after that sort of thing, let’s wait for Patrick Cantlay. The passion is reserved for Jon Rahm’s arrival. Bedlam, roar, tumult, etc. These two giants of the sport embrace each other warmly. Scheffler about to take the first shot of the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Days like this don’t come around too often. The atmosphere in the stands surrounding the first tee at Marco Simone is positively incendiary, and no wonder. Just to illustrate what the Ryder Cup means to people, yesterday saw the world number one dissolve in tears on the course, the world number two reduced to effing and jeffing at people in a car park, and the world number five having to deny creating a locker-room rift due to his placing a monetary value on something so precious. Yep, this tournament has value all right, just not something that can be measured in nickels and dimes. Right now, just for today, this is everything. The opening match is about to arrive at the 1st. Buckle up folks, because one way or another, it’s going to be special.

Preamble