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Ryder Cup Day 1: Rory McIlroy takes a bow as Europe flips the script on U.S.

Remember when the United States got off to a perfect start to the 2016 Ryder Cup, winning all four matches in Friday’s morning session and were being touted as having better than an 80 percent chance to win back the cup?

Yeah, that lead is pretty much gone.

The Europeans flipped the script on the Americans in the afternoon four-ball session, winning three of four matches to make it 5-3 U.S. heading into the weekend.

Credit the European side for remaining tough, particularly the duo of Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson. Their opponents, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, birdied five of the first six holes and … found themselves all square.

From there, it was all Rose, Stenson and … Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello and Rory McIlroy and Thomas Pieters.

The capper came on the 16th hole when McIlroy was looking to squash a late rally from Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson. Facing a lengthy putt for eagle, McIlroy drained it, turned to the partisan American crowd and took a bow.

“This is definitely a little more hostile [than Medinah in 2012],” McIlroy said of the very vocal American crowd at Hazeltine. “Reactions like that on the last, I just want to let people know how much this means to us.”

Rory McIlroy takes a bow after an eagle on No. 16. (Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy takes a bow after an eagle on No. 16. (Getty Images)

FOUR-BALL RESULTS

Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson (EUR) def. Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed (US) 5&4

Match note: The match lasted just 14 holes. Rose and Stenson combined to birdie nine of them.

Ryan Moore reacts after missing a putt on the eighth green. (AP)
Ryan Moore reacts after missing a putt on the eighth green. (AP)

Sergio Garcia/Rafa Cabrera Bello (EUR) def. J.B. Holmes/Ryan Moore (US) 3&2

Match note: Holmes and Moore didn’t win a single hole until the 14th, then Ryan Moore drained two straight lengthy birdie putts. It proved to be too little too late, but it was certainly a confidence boost going forward.

Brandt Snedeker/Brooks Koepka (US) def. Martin Kaymer/Danny Willett (EUR) 5&4

Match note: Kaymer could have stayed in the clubhouse, at least on the front nine anyway, when the team used Willett’s score on every hole.

Rory McIlroy/Thomas Pieters (EUR) def. Dustin Johnson/Matt Kuchar (US) 3&2

Match note: Rory McIlroy once called the Ryder Cup an “exhibition” event. Seeing his reactions throughout this round (particularly his bow after an eagle on the 16th to close out the match), it’s pretty clear he no longer thinks that is the case.

BEST CLUB TOSS

Henrik Stenson in a landslide.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

No commentary necessary

WHAT’S NEXT?

Saturday’s format is the same as Friday’s: Foursomes in the morning, four-ball in the afternoon.

Play begins at 8:35 a.m. ET.

Here are the matchups:

Rickie Fowler/Phil Mickelson (US) vs. Rory McIlroy/Thomas Pieters (EUR) 8:35 a.m. (ET)
Brandt Snedeker/Brooks Koepka (US) vs. Henrik Stenson/Matt Fitzpatrick (EUR) 8:50
Jimmy Walker/Zach Johnson (US) vs. Justin Rose/Chris Wood (EUR) 9:05
Patrick Reed/Jordan Spieth (US) vs. Sergio Garcia/Rafa Cabrera Bello (EUR) 9:20