Europe on the brink of Ryder Cup greatness after dominant Saturday performance

Luke Donald stands on the precipice of Ryder Cup greatness.

Four wins out of four as a player and the Englishman is now on the verge of becoming just the second European captain – after Tony Jacklin – to win both home and away matches.

Europe will take a record 11½-4½ lead into Sunday’s 12 singles matches, needing to secure three points to win on the road for the first time since 2012.

If the statistics that followed Friday’s 5½-2½ scoreline lent weight to the belief that this was going to be Europe’s year, Saturday’s 6-2 demolition job has seemingly made Sunday a formality.

No side has ever come from more than 10-6 down to win – Europe’s ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012 and the US’ infamous ‘Battle of Brookline’ in 1999.

A home comeback on Sunday could well be dubbed the ‘Battering at Bethpage’, although that too would be an apt naming for Europe’s dominance so far.

Of course Donald was saying all the right things on the eve of Europe claiming a fifth away win, following 1987, 1995, 2004 and 2012.

“Their job is not done yet. I’m not going to be complacent. They will have plenty of fight. We’re trying to get to 14½ points first,” he said, trotting out the usual platitudes you’d expect from a captain who has planned meticulously for this moment since winning in Rome two years ago.

But even he let slip that he “didn’t really imagine this” as a scenario at the end of day two.

And what a scenario it is.

This is the largest lead a European team has held at this stage, eclipsing the 11-5 advantage they built at Oakland Hills in 2004, when they closed out a record 18½-9½ away triumph.

For the US to overturn this, they will need to win 10 of the 12 points on offer. The most secured by either team on the final day is 8½ – the US in 1979 and 1999, and Europe in 2006 and 2012.

Only four of the 22 Ryder Cups since Europe joined in 1979 has seen a team come from behind at the end of day two to win – 1993, 1995, 1999 and 2012.

It is also the largest lead by any away side as Europe look to buck the trend of huge home wins – although the run of big blow-out victories looks set to be extended to six.

The past five have been won by the home team by five points (Europe, 2014), six (US, 2016), seven (Europe, 2018), 10 (US, 2021), five (Europe 2023).

Eight of the past 10 Ryder Cups have been won by a margin of five or more points. The gap was never more than three points in each of the previous eight editions (1987 to 2002).

The average margin of victory between 1983 and 1999 was 1.3 points, since then it has been 5.5.

Despite facing a potential record defeat on home soil – nine points in 2004 – US skipper Keegan Bradley was doing his best to put a positive spin as he looked to draw on a record Super Bowl comeback.

Bradley is from this north-east corner of the United States and supports the New England Patriots.

When asked what he would say to his players before Sunday’s singles, he replied: “28-3. I was at that Super Bowl. I watched it. What a cool thing to have witnessed live in person.”

Bradley was referring to American football’s showpiece in 2017, which saw the Patriots rally from 28-3 down in the third quarter to beat Atlanta 34-28 in overtime.

However, the Ryder Cup doesn’t go to extra holes and a 14-14 tie, while marking a remarkable comeback, would still see holders Europe retain the trophy.

Bryson DeChambeau, who, along with Cameron Young, picked up one of the US’ two points on Saturday, is backing Bradley’s narrative.

“Anything can happen,” said the two-time major winner who has been a huge crowd favourite this week.

“I know it’s quite lopsided, but it would make for a great comeback story.”

And Xander Schauffele and JJ Spaun, who won the home side’s solitary point in the afternoon fourballs, were concise in their thoughts of how to overcome the deficit.

“Win your point,” was Schauffele’s answer, while US Open champion Spaun added: “Just go for broke.”

The heavyweight match-up of the world numbers one and two stands out in a list that has sees Bradley go do what Spaun suggested and “go for broke”.

Scottie Scheffler is having a torrid Ryder Cup. He is the first player since Peter Alliss in 1967 to lose a match in each of the first four sessions. And now he faces a fired-up Rory McIlroy, who has picked up 3½ points from the same number of outings, despite being continually heckled by opposition fans.

The top match sees New Yorker Cameron Young, the US team’s joint top scorer with two points, head out first in a ploy Bradley is surely using to whip up some early support and in the hope he can get some early red on the scoreboard.

But he is facing Europe’s grinder. Justin Rose may have only played twice, but he has won both his fourball matches with Tommy Fleetwood and looked particularly sharp on Saturday, with a string of birdies.

Fleetwood, who also has a 100% record, from four matches, is out second against Justin Thomas – a man with a 100% record in singles, having won three out of three.

Patrick Cantlay has played two, won two in previous singles matches and will take on a Ludvig Aberg who has not had the best of weeks with one win from three.

The other standout match features Xander Schauffele and Jon Rahm. Schauffele is the only other US player to score two points, while Rahm has looked back to his best in picking up three points this week.

Europe have hidden the injured Viktor Hovland in the bottom match. He is expected to play despite having a neck issue but if he is unfit to face Harris English, both sides will pick up half a point each.