Nor is his name Maximus Tenth Meridius. He is not a general of any Roman legion. Neither does he want to achieve revenge for him “in this life or the next.” But Russell Crowe is no longer alone. Rome crowned another Gladiator this Friday. Jon Rahm conquered the Italian public with a display of leadership that catapulted the European team to a dream first day in a high-flying Ryder Cup, with a start for the legend.
Barrika was in charge of opening the curtain at dawn and almost closed it eleven hours later, with the sun already fleeing the Roman sky, causing an explosion of joy among the thousands and thousands of spectators who did not miss a single detail in the Marco Simone, a stage with a forward flavor from the nineties but whose origins date back to a nobleman from the area in the 16th century. The Italian countryside, which had raised so many doubts, was shown to be the ideal setting for a match play competition and just one day was enough to prove it.
Rahm put the cherry on top of the day with an eagle putt on 18 when he was against the ropes. A putt that entered the hole with gusto and caused a roar that must have reached the Coliseum.
Luke Donald did not hide, one of the figures that comes out most strengthened from this very blue start to the Ryder Cup, giving all the responsibility to Jon Rahm, designated as the leader of the European team. “He always knows how to say what needs to be said at the right time,” the Basque praised his captain at the end of the day. The Englishman had warned that a good start was the key to everything and not even in his wildest dreams could he have dreamed of what happened on a morning day in which not even the 18th hole was played. In the 96 years of Ryder history, never Europe had won its first four matches… so far. “It’s hard to describe what happened, how well we all played,” admitted the one from Barrika.
Rahm and Hatton were the ones who lit the fuse by chaining birdie after birdie in the foursome, the most complicated modality that exists, and made Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler, the world number, with whom the Basque had unfinished business since Whistling Straits, dizzy. It was quite a recital. But behind them, the experimental pair of Vikings, Hovland and the rookie Aberg, also disguised themselves as a steamroller and shook hands with their rival in the 15th. The American players were very uncomfortable at the start of the competition and were not able to decipher the Marco Simone. On the greens, they were also a real disaster. The European victory was completed by Lowry and another rookie, Straka, and, finally, McIlroy and Fleetwood, who are presumed to be another of the great couples in this Ryder.
Both Donald and Zach Johnson chose to field all the players on the first day, so those who had not played in the morning foursomes did so in the afternoon fourballs. After many weeks of statistical study and affinity, Donald decided a month ago that he was going to pair Rahm with young rookie Hojgaard in the first fourballs session. So it was up to the Basque to discover to the Dane all the ins and outs of a competition like no other. Hojgaard started strong but in the final stretch, against two rivals as fearsome as Scheffler and Koepka, Rahm regained his hero’s mantle with two eagles in the last three holes. The first with a chip in on 16 and, a few minutes later, with the obligation to win the hole to dribble the defeat, with the putt on 18 that is now part of Ryder history.
The Americans settled in the afternoon and began to be looser on the greens. But it wasn’t even enough for them to close the gap. In fact, they finished the day without winning a single game. And in the final stretch of the afternoon they managed to command three. But Europe was touched by a wand and was able to tie in all of them. A demonstration of character that McIlroy and Fitzpatrick completed. The Englishman had five defeats in the Ryder and got rid of the jinx by sending Morikawa and a Schauffele who forgot to putt to the canvas.
Europe needs 14.5 points to win this Ryder Cup and already has 6.5 in the bag. He has 8 left and 20 left in play. Let the party continue in Rome.
