Team USA entered the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black looking to make amends after being soundly defeated in Rome two years ago. Things have not got off to the start that Captain Keegan Bradley had imagined. Team Europe won three of the four matches in the morning foursome session, making Ryder Cup history in the process.

With the Americans trying to make a charge in afternoon four-ball, World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is stemming the tide.

McIlroy, playing with Shane Lowry, caught fire on the greens.

With the match all square through five, McIlroy drained a birdie putt uphill to take the lead. Afterward, he dropped a fist pump, firing up the crowd.

“Come on,” McIlroy can be heard screaming. But the five-time major champion was not done.

On the par-4 7th, Rory struck again, but this time from long range.

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The 41-foot birdie putt put the Europeans 2-Up through seven against Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.

The Northern Irishman already placed a point on the board in the morning. He and partner Tommy Fleetwood crushed Collin Morikawa and Harris English, 5 & 3.

McIlroy is looking to make good on the shocking statement he made two years ago. After winning the 2023 Ryder Cup, McIlroy said from the podium that there is nothing more difficult to do in golf today than win a Ryder Cup on the road. He followed that up saying that is what they were going to do.

Team Europe may be on the road to accomplishing that goal.

Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka are in complete control against Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun, 3-Up. If both of those scores hold through the afternoon, the worst the Europeans can do entering the weekend will be a 5-3 lead.

Among all 24 players to play thus far, Scheffler might be letting his team down the most. He is yet to birdie a single hole, despite having played in both sessions. If the World No. 1 cannot turn things around soon, this year's Ryder Cup may get out of control.