Brian Harman's clutch putt secures first-hole win for Team USA at Ryder Cup
American golfer Brian Harman sank a 5-footer to take a 1-up lead at the 2023 Ryder Cup on Saturday. The 2023 Open Championship winner paired up with Max Homa for the second day of foursome matches. He played remarkably well and secured the first-hole win.
Harman and Homa finished in a tie on the first hole and won the second hole after Brain sank a putt. However, the European team quickly bounced back and won the next hole.
There was a tie on the fifth followed by an American team victory on the sixth and then again the European team won the sixth hole. Fortunately, the tie was broken after Harman and Homa won on the eighth hole, taking 1-up the lead after the semi-finished foursome Saturday match.
The Saturday foursome matches are underway at the Marco Simone Golf Course. The European team maintained the dominance as they are leading in three matches. From the American team, only Brian Harman and Max Homa could take the lead in the game.
Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg maintained an incredible 7-up lead while playing against Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood also have a 2-up lead over Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth and so do Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
"I'm not afraid of it"- Brian Harman says he is prepared to face the hecklers at the Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup attracts a massive crowd on the golf course, usually fans are cheering for their home team. The last time Brina Harman played at the Open Championship on foreign soil, he received criticism from fans. However, this time for the Ryder Cup, Harman is already for such situations.
Golf fans cheer for their home team and thus sometimes they brutally troll the foreign players. In his recent interview with the media, Harman said that he is not afraid of the European team's supporters and has prepared to face the hecklers. He said (via Tennis World USA):
"It can influence me a little, but I'm not afraid of it, it's normal for it to be there, we are the away team. But we are professionals and we will play to the best of our ability."
"I promise to give my all same. The first official event of the cup took place in 1927 in Worcester, Massachusetts, under much more professional conditions. The rules were set in advance by a committee and the PGA of America introduced qualifications for its players," he added.
Here are the results of the 2023 Ryder Cup Day 1:
Friday foursome results
- Rahm & Hatton 4&3 over Scheffler & Burns
- Hovland & Aberg 4&3 over Homa & Harman
- Lowry & Straka 2&1 over Morikawa & Fowler
- McIlroy & Fleetwood 2&1 over Cantlay & Schauffele
Friday four-ball results
- Spieth & Thomas TIED Hovland & Hatton
- Koepka & Spieth TIED Rahm & Hojgaard
- Homa & Clark TIED Rose & MacIntyre
- McIlroy & Fitzpatrick 5&3 over Schauffele & Morikawa