GARCIA SEES FIRST SESSION LOSS AS JUST THE OPENER

Spain’s Sergio Garcia insists losing the opening session of the Ryder Cup 3-1 is “not a big deal”.

Garcia and compatriot Jon Rahm, leading the team out, were the only Europeans to score a point with a three and one victory over the United States’ star pairing Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

However, their teammates could not follow suit leaving them with a twopoint deficit heading into the afternoon fourballs – exactly how the first morning session finished in Paris three years ago, when Europe went on to win comfortably.

“It’s not a big deal. It’s just the first session. A lot of things can happen,” said Garcia, who equalled Sir Nick Faldo’s all-time record for matches won at the Ryder Cup (23).

“We have a good session this afternoon and everything is back to normal. I know the guys are fighting hard and we know that, and we are here for them.

“We would love to play amazing golf, all of us, and win every single point, but that’s not the case.

“It doesn’t happen. It’s a very good American team and a very good European team, and the matches are always going to be tight.”

Garcia paid tribute to his playing partner after the world number one got momentum going for them with a number of putts on the front nine.

“It felt great, but I knew who I had on my side and I wouldn’t change him for anyone, it was amazing,” he said.

“He made every putt he had to make and it was a good match.”

Rahm admits he was fired up by the thought of extending the Spanish legacy at the Ryder Cup.

“We had an idea it was going to be Justin and Jordan. I think everybody would have picked both of them to play together pretty much,” he said.

“My first thought was that we fire in the first, you got to do, and the Spanish legacy that the Ryder Cup has. Then with Sergio being the European with the most amount of points ever there’s a little bit of pressure to play with somebody like that.

“But at the same time, with his ball-striking, I knew my job was going to be to make some putts, and that’s exactly what I did early on, and we kept the vibe going.”