Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka suffer worst loss in Ryder Cup history as Europe keeps rolling

ROME — As it turns out, there is crying in golf.

At the Ryder Cup when you suffer a humiliating loss by a record margin, which is what happened to Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka against Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in the morning foursomes Saturday.

It didn’t get much better from there for the Americans, who lost three of the four matches in the morning session, now trail Europe 9¹/₂-2¹/₂, heading into afternoon fourball play.

Scheffler, the No. 1 ranked player in the world, and Koepka, the reigning PGA Championship winner, a five-time major champion, and one of the most mentally tough players in the game, were hammered by Hovland and Aberg, a 23-year-old Ryder Cup rookie who just turned pro in June, 9&7, at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. 

It was the most lopsided result in any match in the 44-year history of the Ryder Cup and it left Scheffler in tears as he sat with his wife and teammates after it was over.

The Americans, who failed to win a single match among the eight that were played on Friday and entered the day trailing 6 ½ to 1 ½, were in desperate need of a big morning in the foursomes (alternate shot) to get a tone.

Instead, it all backfired as Hovland and Aberg absolutely ambushed two of Americans’ top players to take a 7 ½ to 1 ½ lead at the time.

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth battled, but fell to Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood 2&1.

Brian Harman and Max Homa did give the U.S. a much-needed point with a 4&2 victory over over Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka.

But Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton beat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 2&1 in the final match to extend Europe’s commanding lead.

The American duo were 5-over par for the first three holes and it got no better from three, with the Europeans winning nine of the 11 holes played and having the other two.

Europe captain Luke Donald before Saturday’s matches warned his side to be wary of the U.S. players reacting like “a wounded animal” as they tried to claw back into contention. The Americans ended up shooting 7-over-par in the 11 holes played _ a shocking number for the best players in the world.

Making matters even more embarrassing for the U.S. is the fact that Hovland and Aberg were 1-over par for the first three holes but won them all, before Aberg almost made a hole-in-one on the fourth.

It was not known at the time the match ended whether the Europeans took offense to a verbal shot Koepka directed at Jon Rahm after the world No. 2 from Spain and rookie Nicolai Hojgaard halved their match with Koepka.

“I mean, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did,” a frustrated Koepka told a TV reporter greenside after the afternoon four-ball match. “But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.’’

There was no follow-up question from the TV reporters and Koepka wasn’t available to reporters after the match, so there was no context to what he said about Rahm.

Though there was speculation that Koepka was referring to Rahm hitting a small board in frustration at the U.S. Open in June.

Either way, it wasn’t a good look for Koepka.

And then it got worse on Saturday.