Ryder Cup 2023 LIVE: Day 2 scores and updates, McIlroy and Cantlay battle it out in fourballs

Rory McIlroy has in his wake a giant pack of people: photographers and journalists, family and friends, course marshals and police officers, teammates and vice-captains, plus Justin Timberlake and the tall one from Dragon’s Den. This is the Rory Circus, and it is gripping everybody watching. There’s so little to choose between these two teams and it seems like it will come down to who can hole a couple of clutch putts on the back nine

Scottie Scheffler bowed down, sitting on the back of a golf cart, in a complete state of shock and disarray. The world No 1 wiped away a few tears, digesting what had just unfolded on another exhilarating Ryder Cup session at Marco Simone Golf Club – at least one when observed through a blue filter.

Because Viktor Hovland, the best player in the world over the last few months, combined once more to devastating effect with the nerveless rookie wonder, “the stud,” Ludvig Aberg. It was a thumping victory for Europe, 9&7, in one of the most shocking results in matchplay history. The largest Ryder Cup victory in an 18-hole match ever. The wreckage, which epitomises Team USA’s shock demise this week, will require weeks, maybe months, to examine.

Memories of Tiger Woods relishing the humiliating beatdown of Stephen Ames came flooding back in one of the most iconic moments in matchplay history. But that was perhaps the greatest player of all time, exposing a solid, yet unspectacular pro, who foolishly lit a fire inside the 15-time major champion. This was Scheffler, fresh from one of the single-best ball-striking seasons in PGA Tour history, alongside a rejuvenated Brooks Koepka, reinvigorated after banishing his crippling injuries to seize a fifth career major to enter the discussion over who will be the defining player of the post-Woods era.

Aberg running on fumes? The Swede is wayward on 12 and goes into the rough.

Homa and Harman in close on 11.

Two spinny wedges, validating the strategy and forcing Fleetwood and Hojgaard to make birdie soon.

The Dane’s chip is whipped up high and stops about 12-14 feet past the pin. Excellent. Fleetwood with an excellent effort too, it looks like this hole will be halved.

Hojgaard with a booming drive on 11, 309 yards to the pin, he’s marginally short.

Some hope, then, for the Dane and Fleetwood, if match one is gone, Europe will target a half in match two, with the last two matches up for grabs.

Harman lays back, it’s a trend. USA with the conservative approach and eager to leave a distance they can attack the pin with an aggressive wedge.

Homa hit the putt through the break on 10.

Now, then, Europe with a putt for the hole.

Fleetwood with a left-to-right slider, which requires a firm contact. Makes it! A roar behind the 10th green, the deficit down to three.

Viktor Hovland doing Viktor Hovland things.

A chip-in for the Norwegian on 10. Par saved and the hole halved. Work to be done though.

Burns walking with some bravado, a different beast to the lonely figure who trudged around this place alongside Scheffler on Friday morning.

That’s a booming drive from the American on 11.

Hovland then crunche a driver, resisting the conservative option. It bounds up to the fringe of the green, a simple chip and a putt for birdie awaits. Aberg can’t join him, it looks like it might be wet!?

Cantlay with a jittery par saver, legs shaking and toes pressing up and down on the green.

It’s put away neatly and USA remain one down heading to the eighth.

A big swing from just a few yards off the green, Cantlay pops one up on seven and should save par.

Match four looks to be the most competitive, with an intensity unlike the others as both sides trade blows.

Course knowledge? Rose will think so, but in truth, it’s a fluke!

Remarkable approach on seven, it’s way right, pitching into the thick stuff, but it jumps out of the trouble and kicks towards the pin.

A funny game, Rose has a gift there.