Hovland-Åberg looking like a long-term combo for Europe
GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg has the makings of a lasting Ryder Cup partnership for Europe. The Scandinavian studs might never have a better session than the one they had on Saturday morning.
Their 9-and-7 win over Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka took its place in Ryder Cup history as the biggest margin of victory in an 18-hole match.
For posterity, Hovland took a photo of the scoreboard beside the 11th hole at Marco Simone, where the blowout finished after just 2 hours and 20 minutes.
He couldn’t quite believe it. Neither could Scheffler, who was seen a few minutes later wiping away tears and being comforted by his wife.
The world No. 1 and Koepka, a five-time major champion, were taken down by a guy playing his second Ryder Cup and another — Åberg — who only turned professional four months ago.
“Obviously we make a strong team,” said Hovland, the world No. 4. “Regardless, I think we could have met a lot of guys and we would have been tough to beat today.”
The Americans started double-double-bogey and were 4 down after four holes. Hovland and Åberg didn’t even have to play particularly well in that run, but they kept the pressure on to go 7 up after nine holes and then 8 up after 10.
The match finished on No. 11 thanks to a concession by Scheffler and Koepka. The Europeans didn’t even have to make a putt.
“We didn’t meet a sharp Scottie and Brooks,” Hovland said, “but we played some really nice golf.”
The previous record for foursomes was 7 and 6, most recently when Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley beat Luke Donald and Lee Westwood at Medinah in 2012. The record for a fourballs match is 7 and 5, while the singles record is 8 and 7.
Rahm reacts to Koepka: Brooks Koepka could have used a board to pound Saturday in the Ryder Cup. Jon Rahm didn’t need one, and he doesn’t know what caused all the fuss.
Koepka kept everyone guessing — about the incident, not his blunt nature — when he accused the Masters champion of pouting after their fourballs match Friday afternoon, which Rahm ended with a 35-foot eagle putt.
“I mean, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did,” Koepka said in the television interview. “But you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.”
Rahm filled in the details, or what he could make of it, after he put up another point for Europe in Saturday foursomes.
“I mean, I’m not going to stand here and say I’m a perfect example on what to do on a golf course. I don’t think either of us two are,” Rahm said as he sat next to Tyrrell Hatton, another player known for expressing his feelings for all to see. “But I play and compete.”
The moment to which Koepka referred came on the 17th hole of the fourballs match. Rahm had a 10-foot putt that would have squared the match with one hole to play when he left it short.
“Going up to the tee, I let off some frustration, hitting the board sideways,” Rahm said. “I kept walking, never stopped, that was it. If Brooks thinks that’s childish, it is what it is. He’s entitled to think what he thinks. I don’t know what else to say.”