Story of Ryder Cup day one: Golfing gladiator Jon Rahm shines on record-equalling day for Europe

We should have known who’d been built to be a golfing gladiator. Step forward Jon Rahm, who evoked memories of the great Seve Ballesteros in the Ryder Cup as he played a starring role on a memorable opening day for Europe in the 44th edition in Rome.

Jon Rahm of Team Europe celebrates after chipping in for an eagle on the 16th during the first-day fourball matches in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome. Picture: Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

After creating history by recording their first-ever 4-0 clean sweep in the opening foursome session at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Luke Donald’s men dug deep in the afternoon foursomes to eke out another victory, this time by 2.5-1.5. In establishing a 6.5-1.5 lead at the end of the first day, Europe matched the biggest margin in the event’s history since a side led by Bernhard Langer held the same advantage at this stage at Oakland Hills in Detroit in 2004.

As a result of that dream start, the home team only need eight points to win back the trophy after a 19-9 hammering at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin two years ago and 20 points are still up for grabs over three remaining sessions in the Italian capital.

It can’t be glossed over. The Americans, captained by Zach Johnson, were pretty dreadful on day one and perhaps that was down to the fact the majority of the 12 players hadn’t teed up competitively since the final round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta on August 27. That said, the Europeans, in contrast, looked sharp and no one more so than Rahm, who has taken to this stage with the same relish as Ballesteros in particular but also Jose Maria Olazabal, one of Donald’s vice captains for this contest.

Jon Rahm is congratulated by team-mate Shane Lowry at the end of a dream day for Europe in Rome. Picture: Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

Over the course of the day, Rahm chipped in three times and almost made a hole in one at the seventh in his morning foursomes win alongside Tyrrell Hatton. The last of his chip-ins was for an eagle-2 at the 16th alongside Nicolai Hojgaard in the afternoon session and the roars raised by that flash of magic could probably be heard across the city at the Vatican. The Masters champion wasn’t done there, though. He then holed a 30-footer for an eagle-3 at the last, his ball hitting the back edge of the hole and jumping up before disappearing. Even Rahm himself couldn’t believe his amazing day could end on such a high note.

“I don't know. I don't know,” said Rahm in reply to being asked how he was able to produce so many dramatic moments in a pressure-cooker event like this. “You know, it's the intention of the moment, right, and then the fact that something happens is truly unique. I've got to give Nicolai props because over here on 18, he gave me the freedom to basically go at it, and he told me to hit a putt, try to make it. And he said, ‘do it for Seve’. I don't know if he would have quite made it like that, but I'm sure glad that it went in.”

Like Colin Montgomerie then, more recently, Ian Poulter, Rahm is fast becoming Europe’s talisman in the transatlantic tussle. He was sent out first by Donald for a specific reason in the morning matches and, in tandem with the equally-tenacious Hatton, they delivered by putting blue on the board early and going on to land an impressive first win of the day. “Extremely,” he said of how satisfying it had been to get the job done after Donald had signed off his slick speech at the opening ceremony on Thursday with a shout of ‘Forza Europe’. ”I've had a good feeling about Tyrrell all along. Last time we played together it really felt good, and it was good to come out here and perform the way we did. “We played as confident as two people can play and it was a beautiful one.”

Rahm’s heroics at the last came soon after Viktor Hovland, playing alongside Hatton, had holed a 22-footer for a birdie there to snatch another half point. “It was about time the ball went in,” said Hovland of it dropping just when it seemed as though it would stop agonisingly short. It would have been a sore one for Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth on a day that ended up without a single flash of red on the scoreboard over the two sessions.

After a poor personal return in that defeat in Wisconsin, Rory McIlroy started his seven straight appearance in the encounter with two wins, the first in the company of Tommy Fleetwood and the second with Matthew Fitzpatrick at his side. It was a sweet success for Fitzpatrick, who’d previously lost five out of five. He’d craved for first outing in the fourballs and, boy, did he deliver with five straight birdies from the second. “Got off to a crazy good start,” said the Englishman, “and, yeah, it was a special day for me.”

McIlroy enjoyed it, too. “Yeah, absolutely amazing,” said the Irishman. “Just a great day in front of some amazing home fans,” But he’s not about to get ahead of himself, adding: “We have to regroup for tomorrow.”

A day to remember for the Europeans was capped when Justin Rose, a star for Paul McGinley at Gleneagles in 2014, holed a six-foot birdie putt at the last – boy, was it good for the home team in the final hour’s play – to earn the third half point of the afternoon session alongside Bob MacIntyre. The Englishman pointed to his team-mates at the back of the green in celebration. “I think it was you and you and you and you; that's what I was saying,” he explained of that. “For all the boys. You know, just because everyone is in it together. Made the putt because I had ten people willing it in behind me.”

Another day like this one on Saturday and it will be looking good as Europe bid to pull off an Italian job.