Fired-up Yanks start fast to overwhelm Euro visitors

CHASKA, Minnesota: A fired-up Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed set the tone as the US took early control at the Ryder Cup yesterday with a stunning 4-0 sweep of the opening foursomes matches against holders Europe.

It was the first sweep by the US in an opening session since 1975 at Laurel Valley and gave the hosts a perfect start in their quest to end a run of eight defeats in the past 10 editions.

“It’s a good start,” US captain Davis Love III said after a chilly, overcast morning at Hazeltine gave way to bright afternoon sunshine.

“But it’s long way to go. There’s a lot more points out there. Keep doing the same thing over and over every session.”

Thunderous roars of “USA, USA, USA” echoed across the ultra-long Hazeltine National layout as twice Major winner Spieth and fellow young gun Reed beat European heavyweights Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson 3&2 in the top match for the first point.

Olympic champion Rose and British Open winner Stenson went 3-0 when paired together at Gleneagles two years ago and they were sent off first by captain Darren Clarke in a bid to give Europe a fast start.

“Any time you are take on Rose and Stenson, it’s never simple,” said Reed, who sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-five 16th to seal the win.

“We had a great game plan coming in, we stuck with it. Just hit a lot of greens. In alternate shot you have to do that, give yourself opportunities, and we were lucky enough to be able to hit a lot of greens and have good looks.”

Soon after, US Open champion Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar completed a 5&4 demolition of an out-of-sorts Lee Westwood of England and Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters in the anchor match with massive galleries cheering them all the way.

PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson came from one down after 11 holes to beat Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Germany’s Martin Kaymer 4&2, before Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler delivered the most surprising point of the session for the Americans.

Fan favourites Mickelson and Fowler were wayward off the tee and trailed Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Englishman Andy Sullivan by two after 14 holes before scraping through a fluctuating contest to win one-up.

“All points are big here,” said Mickelson, 46, competing this week in his 11th Ryder Cup.

“This is a match I felt more pressure than any other Ryder Cup. But Rickie was able to get the best out of me and I hit some good irons. We showed a lot of heart to win that match.” – Reuters

Australia 294/9 South Africa 295/4 SA win by six wickets

NO AB. No Hash. No Problem. There was Quinton de Kock.

In 142 minutes of sheer mayhem, De Kock surged past Herschelle Gibbs’ epic 175 for the highest score by a South African against Australia and stomped all over an attack lacking genuine pace and ripe for the picking.

This traditionally raucous audience had already witnessed a wonderfully mature performance from 20-year-old Andile Phehlukwayo, who earlier claimed 4/44, with De Kock then topping off a magnificent day for the South Africans with a very special innings.

If there was any trepidation in the SA dressing room about tackling what numerically was a big chase, especially in the absence of the Proteas’ two finest batsmen, then De Kock assuaged any such tension with a thunderous early assault. He sustained the brilliance over the course of nearly two and half hours at the crease and the crowd were in raptures. He received excellent assistance from Amla’s replacement at the top of the order, Rilee Rossouw, who pounded the ball murderously on his way to 63 off just 45 balls.

The openers brought up the hundred in the 12th over, but rather than coast De Kock turned on the afterburners. The ball was dispatched to all parts – including a couple of scary incidents, one involving umpire Joel Wilson when a straight drive from De Kock hit him on the arm, and then one of the 11 sixes struck by the left-hander hit a spectator on the head, which required medical assistance.

The Australians, who’d left Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, along with a number of other quicks at home, copped a battering. None of the bowlers had economy rates below seven, and regardless of where they bowled, De Kock simply slayed them.

The only question was whether he could get past Gary Kirsten’s national one-day record of 188* against the UAE 10 years ago. Sadly he couldn’t, but it hardly mattered; 142 minutes, 113 balls, 16x4 and 11x6 for 178 runs. The numbers are staggering, but it was a superb performance from De Kock.

The Australian batting plan in the first half of the day was a simple one – swing hard and often. Dave Warner and Aaron Finch only know to bat that way and set the tone against Dale Steyn, playing his first ODI since October last year, and Kagiso Rabada. The batting was brutal, the bowling inconsistent. South Africa didn’t want to appear to be predictable, but perhaps that messed with the minds of the bowlers, particularly Rabada and Wayne Parnell, who conceded a combined 119 runs from 18 overs, sharing five wides too. The short ball was injudiciously utilised and, from Parnell there were too many half-volleys while Rabada’s lines were wayward.

Thankfully for Faf du Plessis, who chose to bowl, there was Phehlukwayo to provide some control and wrest the initiative away from an initially rampant Australian batting line-up.

He played his part in the dismissal of Warner – moving neatly to his right to poach a catch in the covers to give Parnell his sole wicket.

Phehlukwayo’s double strike in the 13th over shook off the assault Finch dished out to him in his first over, when he conceded 16, to dismiss the opener in his next over, Parnell taking a fine diving catch at short fine leg. The big blow came three balls later when he trapped Australia captain Steve Smith plum in front lbw for just eight.

With the exception of George Bailey, who constructed a fine innings of 74, the remaining Australian batsmen kept going hard, but only John Hastings – batting at No 8 – contributed anything substantial.

In fact, their partnership for the seventh wicket gave Australia a total that looked a good one.

Phehlukwayo, who’d added Mitchell Marsh to his tally of victims, thanks to a fine diving catch by De Kock, returned at the back of the innings too, and the composure that was such a feature of his play domestically last season, came to the fore in the biggest match of his career.

The wicket of Hasting’s – caught on the long off boundary for 51 – was important , as he and Bailey were just setting themselves up for a late charge.