Rahm, Hatton roll past DeChambeau, Thomas for Europe’s first point 

Editor's note (Sept. 26, 12:15 p.m. ET) - The Day 1 afternoon Fourballs schedule has been announced. Click here for live scoring.

DAY 1 FOURBALLS

Scheffler/Spaun (USA) vs. Rahm/Straka (Europe)

DeChambeau/Griffin (USA) vs. Fleetwood/Rose (Europe)

Young/Thomas (USA) vs. Aberg/Hojgaard (Europe)

Burns/Cantlay (USA) vs. McIlroy/Lowry (Europe)

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – European teammates Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton showed why they remain one of golf’s most lethal partnerships, beating the USA’s Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, 4 & 3, in the opening Foursomes match Friday at the Ryder Cup.

It was a match involving all three LIV Golf players competing this week at Bethpage Black. Rahm and Hatton, the league’s best 1-2 punch, led their Legion XIII team to the LIV Golf Team Championship last month in Michigan, beating Crushers GC DeChambeau and Paul Casey in a playoff.

On Friday, they dealt DeChambeau another loss while posting the first of Europe’s three convincing match wins in the morning session.

Rahm and Hatton have now won their last three Foursomes matches going back to the 2023 Ryder Cup. Rahm remained perfect in Foursomes play with a career 5-0-0 record, while Hatton is now 3-1-0 in that format.

Each player took turns providing key shots during the final nine holes of the match, a stretch in which the Europeans won five holes, three of those with birdies, to overcome an early deficit after the Americans – fueled by the partisan crowd at sunrise – won the opening hole.

“We were aware it was going to be a tough day,” Rahm said. “Two of their better favorites up there, two of the crowd favorites. We knew the crowd was going to be loud, and well, we are going to need our best. And even though we didn't have our best start during the first seven holes, we battled, we stayed in it and from then on, we started hitting good shots and getting really positive vibes.”

Rahm’s approach out of the fescue after an errant drive from Hatton at the par-4 sixth was a key momentum shift. It appeared the Americans were on the verge of winning the hole and building on their lead but had to settle for a halve with pars.

On the next hole, Hatton and Rahm switched roles, with Hatton delivering a clutch shot from a tricky lie next to a stick after Rahm’s errant tee shot near the trees. They saved par and won the hole to square the match after Thomas missed a short par putt.

“The second shot into 7 is a little bit of a hit-and-hope,” Hatton said. “Thankfully it kind of went straight. We're fortunate to have a clean sort of line. Just hope the stick wouldn't affect it too much.”

Hatton followed with a terrific tee shot at the par-3 eighth to set up Rahm’s winning 12-foot birdie putt to take the lead.

Hatton then rolled in consecutive birdie putts from 20 feet at the par-4 12th and 8 feet at the par-5 13th as Europe took command of the match.

“Yeah, really happy with how we dug in,” Hatton said. “We knew it was going to be a difficult start, and obviously the atmosphere was pretty intense, but it was good fun.”

Said Rahm of Hatton: “This man is a joy to be partnered with. We spend a lot of time together and he can be very, very dependable when things get going difficult. I have full confidence every single time, and just glad we were able to get it done.”

The Americans were derailed all morning by Thomas’ cold putter and the match fittingly ended with him missing a 5-foot par putt at the 15th. Their only bright spot was the opening hole in which DeChambeau nearly drove the par-4 first with a 344-yard drive, then delivered the birdie putt from 15-1/2 feet. It was the only hole the U.S. team won in the match.

DAY 1 FOURSOMES

• Rahm/Hatton (Europe) def. DeChambeau/Thomas (USA), 4 & 3

• Aberg/Fitzpatrick (Europe) def. Scheffler/Henley (USA), 5 & 3

• McIlroy/Fleetwood (Europe) def. Morikawa/English (USA), 5 & 4

• Schauffele/Cantlay (USA) def. MacIntyre/Hovland (Europe), 2 up