US takes 6-2 lead on Day 1 at Ryder Cup
The United States took a 6-2 lead for its largest opening-day advantage at the Ryder Cup since 1975.
Teaming with Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas led a U.S. comeback from 3 down in Friday’s final fourball match to salvage a tie for a half point against Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland.
Top-ranked Jon Rahm was responsible for 1 ½ of Europe’s two points on opening day. He teamed with Sergio Garcia in the morning for Europe’s only win, then with Tyrell Hatton in the afternoon for a draw with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler.
In the two other afternoon fourball matches, Tony Finau and Harris English defeated Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry 4 and 3, and Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele topped Paul Casey and Bernd Wiesberger 2 and 1.
Johnson and Schauffele each won twice, while McIlroy lost two matches in the same day for the first time in his Ryder Cup career.
This marks the biggest lead for the U.S. since it took a 6½-1½ lead
in 1975, four years before the rest of Europe joined Great Britain and Ireland in an attempt to make the Ryder Cup more competitive.
NFL
RAIDERS’ JACOBS DOUBTFUL » Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is doubtful to play this week against the Miami Dolphins because of an injured ankle.
Jacobs missed last
week’s game with the injury and has been unable to practice all week, leaving his availability for Sunday in serious doubt. 49ERS’ SERMON CLEARS PROTOCOL » Rookie running back Trey Sermon cleared concussion protocol and will be able to play for the banged-up San Francisco 49ers this week against the Green Bay Packers.
The Niners have been hit by a string of injuries this season at running back with starter Raheem Mostert going down with a season-ending knee injury in the season opener,
Jamycal Hasty sidelined by an ankle injury this week and Elijah Mitchell listed as doubtful with a shoulder injury.
But San Francisco got good news Friday when third-round pick Sermon was cleared to play after leaving last week’s game at Philadelphia with a concussion. Sermon was a healthy scratch in the opener and got hurt on his only offensive snap last week but could carry a heavy load against the Packers because of all the injuries. MCCAFFREY OUT ‘A FEW WEEKS’ WITH HAMSTRING
The injury bug has
bitten running back Christian McCaffrey again.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule said Friday that the 2019 All-Pro running back is expected to miss “a few weeks” with a strained hamstring. Rhule said the injury could sideline McCaffrey up to four weeks, but said he doesn’t know at this point if McCaffrey will go on injured reserve.
McCaffrey was injured in Carolina’s 24-9 win over the Houston Texans on Thursday night when he pulled up after making a stutter step while running a sweep play on the team’s third possession.