A spark from Bryson? Rahm to keep rolling? An intriguing Saturday awaits at the Ryder Cup

Editor's note (Sept. 27) - Day 2 of the Ryder Cup is underway. Click here for live scoring.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The Americans are in definite need of a spark. The Europeans just want to keep rolling. Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm will play integral parts Saturday at the Ryder Cup on which team will meet its objectives.

For the second consecutive morning, DeChambeau will be in the opening Foursomes match, this time with New York native Cameron Young, his third different partner at Bethpage Black. It’s the only change from Captain Keegan Bradley’s lineup in Friday’s Foursomes session that resulted in three losses and set the tone for a dismal day for the Americans, who trail 5.5 to 2.5.

RELATED: Friday recap | 11 observations from Day 1

“We just thought this was an option for us before the week started,” Bradley said. “We really like this pairing. Their golf balls are very similar. We feel like they are going to match up really well together.”

DeChambeau’s partner Friday was Justin Thomas, whose putter was useless during their loss to Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. Not only does DeChambeau have a new sidekick, he’ll also face a new set of opponents, with he and Young facing Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Aberg.

Despite going 0-2 on Friday – DeChambeau and partner Ben Griffin lost in Fourballs to Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose – the Crushers GC Captain actually was one of his team’s most productive players. His +2.05 Strokes Gained Total was second best among U.S. players on Friday to Young, who played just the afternoon Fourballs and averaged +3.50.

“I felt like I was clutch when I needed to be, but … there were so many putts that just didn't go in for us that went in for them,” he said.

DeChambeau actually had better Strokes Gained Total numbers than Rahm (+1.83) and Hatton (+1.80), but it was the two Legion XIII teammates who enjoyed Europe’s successful Friday.

After beating DeChambeau and Thomas, Rahm was assigned a new partner for Fourballs, Austria’s Sepp Straka, and he carried the Ryder Cup rookie for the majority of their win over Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun.

Meanwhile, Hatton had the afternoon off, which should give him plenty of rest for Saturday’s Foursomes as he’ll reunite with Rahm to take on the veteran duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Rahm and Hatton are 3-0-0 as Ryder Cup Foursomes partners, and if they can defeat Schauffele-Cantlay – the only American partnership to win in Foursomes on Friday – it would be another deflating result for the U.S.

Rahm has hit the opening shot for Europe in each of the first two sessions, but Captain Luke Donald moved he and Hatton down in the order to the third match.

“Jon is looking to always just help in any way he can to contribute to the team,” Donald said. “He has a good track record of going out first. So, he likes to lead. Again, I feel like he's someone that he wants to do a lot of his talking with his golf clubs, and that's what he brings to our team and our team room. People, all our teammates, really respect that.”

Rahm has lost just once in his last 12 Ryder Cup matches, but he isn’t about to take his winning ways for granted. “Although it was great,” Rahm said, “it was just one part of a long race.”

The Europeans have won each of the last six Ryder Cups in which they’ve led after Day 1. Another successful Foursomes session on Saturday would be a significant way to deflate any American hopes of a rally.

“We knew this was going to be difficult,” Bradley said. “We knew this was going to be tough. We didn't expect to come in here and this not be a difficult week. Our boys are in great spirits. I just spoke to them. They are really excited to get out there tomorrow.

“What a stage, what an opportunity that they have to go out there tomorrow and prove to everybody, you know, that now they are down, now they have got to go catch up. I like that.”

Of course, nothing is guaranteed until Singles on the final day. Said Donald: “It doesn't mean anything unless we get 14 1/2 points on Sunday.”

SATURDAY'S FORESOMES MATCHES

• DeChambeau/Young (USA) vs. Fitzpatrick/Aberg (Europe), 7:10 a.m. ET
• English/Morikawa (USA) vs. McIlroy/Fleetwood (Europe), 7:26 a.m. ET
• Schauffele/Cantlay (USA) vs. Rahm/Hatton (Europe), 7:42 a.m. ET
• Henley/Scheffler (USA) vs. MacIntyre/Hovland (Europe), 7:58 a.m. ET