Ryder Cup 2021 news: 'We need the troops to rally' – Inspired USA on verge of Ryder Cup triumph as Europe need miracle

Updated 26/09/2021 at 10:26 GMT

Europe need a minor miracle to retain the Ryder Cup after falling 11-5 behind an inspired US team on Saturday at Whistling Straits. Steve Stricker's team require only 3.5 more points to reclaim the trophy for the third time in 13 years, but it looks like they will go well beyond the winning post judging by their form and focus over the first two days in Wisconsin.

'I'm not going to bring up Medinah' - Stricker says all focus on final day not history

Europe are in dire straits at Whistling Straits. The 43rd Ryder Cup on the shores of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin has been like an American dream for these US band of brothers.

With eight of the 12 home players perched inside the world's top 10 and the other four inside the top 21, US captain Steve Stricker's swinging version of Avengers Assemble has made light work of a European side living off former glories, toiling to make clutch putts and seemingly never really being in a contest for first place on a one-way street to oblivion.

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A 6-2 US advantage from the opening day increased to an 11-5 lead after an absorbing Saturday that cemented the home team's superiority as they bid to become the sixth side in the past seven Ryder Cups to claim the old gold pot at home.

They know it is near now.

Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger chugged beers before the afternoon fourballs to delight the 40,000 or so home fans crying 'USA, USA'. It was horribly arrogant and lacking in respect, decorum or accepted etiquette, but also entirely symbolic of the US attitude to these goings on. They know the game is up for Europe as the champagne moment approaches.

Never before has any side been so far clear after the opening two days of foursomes and fourballs at the Ryder Cup.

Europe were twice ahead by 10½-5½ in 1987 and 1997 with the US holding the same winning cards in 1981 heading for the singles.

While Europe squeaked home twice (15-13 and 14.5-13.5 respectively) after a rousing US recovery in Sunday's singles, the Americans roared away 18.5-9.5 40 years ago at Walton Heath in Surrey.

A similar rout remains more likely than a European comeback to rival Medinah nine years ago when Jose Maria Olazabal's team somehow prevailed 14.5-13.5 from 10-6 behind.

"Six points is a tough one to make up tomorrow, but we were a half-point short of that in the Miracle at Medinah on Sunday, so we're just going to have to push for that tomorrow," said European captain Padraig Harrington.

Never say never, but the stars aligning in the current climate would be akin to holing a putt from inside a sand dune. Yet with the unbreakable big Jon Rahm about, you just never know.

World number one Rahm continues to resist the American offensive, but large swathes of the rest have been chewed up and spat out by a set of technicians revelling in the course, the crowd and those celebratory beers to create a forward momentum that appears unstoppable.

The US attitude is summed up by the edge to their play that saw the brassed off Brooks Koepka denied a free drop on the 15th hole during the foursomes before hollering at two match officials: “If I break my wrist, this is on f****** both of you guys."

Breaking back proved elusive for Europe, whose hopes of a fast start to the day quickly evaporated as they lost the morning matches 3-1 to fall 9-3 adrift.

A 3&1 win in the top match for Rahm and Sergio Garcia over Koepka and Berger was the only victory as Harrington's hopes of a revival quickly dissipated.

Dustin Johnston and Collin Morikawa were 2&1 winners over Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton, Jordan Spieth and Thomas won 2up against Viktor Hovland and Bernd Wiesberger with Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick losing on the 17th to Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Europe toughed it out in the afternoon fourballs and led 3-1 at various junctures before being forced to settle for a 2-2 draw that probably buries any realistic prospects of retaining the trophy with the US requiring 3.5 more points from a possible 12 to claim outright victory.

Shane Lowry and Hatton fended off Tony Finau and Harris English 1up at the last hole with Rahm and Garcia returning in a 2&1 win over Koepka and Spieth, but there was an air of resignation as Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau finally ran away from Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood 3&1 with Johnson and Morikawa 4&3 victors over Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, two figures clearly lacking the minerals of nine years ago.

"I'm very proud of what Jon and I achieved but it's not enough," said Garcia, the record points holder in Ryder Cup history, 22 years after his debut at Brookline. "We need the troops to rally."

The visitors chase an improbable 9-3 win in the singles to retain the trophy, an outcome that appears as likely as discovering the Loch Ness monster in Lake Michigan. Or Devon Loch getting off the deck to win the 1956 Grand National.

This one is over bar the shouting, of which there will be plenty more to come from the hostile and boozed-up home galleries, but pride in performance must inspire the European output at a moment in time when all the energy belongs to the US.

Avoiding embarrassment would be a notable victory on Sunday.