Team Europe made more Ryder Cup history as Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg delivered a record-breaking win in another dominant display in Saturday’s foursomes.
The Scandinavian pair defeated Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka 9&7, marking the largest margin of victory for an 18-hole Ryder Cup match, foursomes or otherwise.
Hovland and Åberg won nine of the 11 holes contested – carding seven birdies in their final eight holes – while their Major-winning opponents shot seven over as a partnership.
“We make a strong team,” Hovland said. “Regardless, I think we could’ve met a lot of guys and we would’ve been tough to beat today.”
Åberg added: "Today was quite surreal at times. I had to almost pinch myself a little bit."
It was one of three victories for Captain Luke Donald’s side on Saturday morning, with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood along with Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton making it two wins from two together this week to help Europe lead 9 ½ - 2 ½.
The U.S. Team did register their first win through Max Homa and Open Champion Brian Harman as they overcame Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4&2.
Their victory ensured Europe could not reach the 14 ½ points required to regain the trophy by the end of Saturday.
After losing three consecutive holes to see a 3 UP lead wiped out, Rahm and Hatton birdied the 16th and 17th to ensure Europe won their third consecutive session and extend their overnight five-point lead to seven.
After an unbeaten opening day on Friday, in which the hosts won the opening session 4-0 for the first time, Donald’s men got off to another fast start.
McIlroy and Fleetwood won their opening three holes in the lead match against the experienced partnership of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, while Hovland and Åberg went one better by winning their opening four.
At the turn, Europe were ahead in three matches with Lowry and Straka level after recovering from deficits on three occasions.
After Hovland and Åberg quickly wrapped up victory in double quick time, the visitors secured their first point of the week through Homa and Harman after back-to-back birdies and an eagle in a three-hole stretch from the tenth set them on the way to a 4&2 win.
McIlroy and Fleetwood faced resistance from Thomas and Spieth on the back nine, with the holders winning three holes in a four-hole stretch from the 13th to reduce the deficit to one before McIlroy made a 13-foot par putt to seal a 2&1 success.
In the anchor match, Cantlay and Schauffele increased hopes for the visitors they may be able to share the session 2-2 when they won three holes in a row from the 12th, only for Rahm and Hatton to finish strongly with birdies at the 16th and 17th to enhance Europe's hopes of extending their 30-year unbeaten run on home soil.
Saturday's morning foursomes results
| Team Europe | U.S. Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| R.McIlroy/T.Fleetwood | J.Thomas/J.Spieth | Team Europe won 2&1 |
| V.Hovland/L.Åberg | S.Scheffler/B.Koepka | Team Europe won 9&7 |
| S.Lowry/S.Straka | M.Homa/B.Harman | U.S. Team won 4&2 |
| J.Rahm/T.Hatton | P.Cantlay/X.Schauffele | Team Europe won 2&1 |
