Summary
FARMINGDALE, NY (AP) — It’s reasonable to think that no Ryder Cup duo could beat a team on a roll like the so-called Fleetwood Mac. However, the matchup between Harris English and Collin Morikawa against one of Europe’s top teams never seemed fair. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley chose to pair English and Morikawa twice, but bad luck saw them face Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood both times.
In neither match did they make it past the 16th hole, and their 3 and 2 defeat in the foursomes on Saturday would have been even more significant had they not won two holes in a row at the end.
“We fought well,” English commented. “We could have thrown in the towel in the middle of the round, but we didn’t.” Despite that, this result felt like the most predictable outcome of the U.S.’s comeback attempts on day two.
The Americans opened the four-ball session with a score of 8 1/2-3 1/2, with English and Morikawa in the dugout. The combination of two of the PGA Tour's most accurate but shortest-hitting drivers on a long course with trimmed rough was part of an analytical discussion that Bradley dismissed, stating, "We have a plan and we're going to stick to it" when asked about his second-day lineup.
Key details
One piece of data that generated a lot of interest came from datagolf.com, which ranked all 132 possible foursome combinations on Bradley's 12-player roster. The English-Morikawa duo ranked 132nd. The site's analysts, brothers Matt and Will Courchene, commented that the formula wasn't that confusing. "English and Morikawa are the two worst players on the U.S. team," said Matt Courchene. "That's the most important thing."
This isn't a personal attack; these are, without a doubt, the 12 best players the United States has to offer. English was runner-up in two majors this year, while Morikawa has won two, though his form in 2025 has been questionable, with putting stats being a negative factor in his game.
“We had a stretch where we started missing putts and hitting some bad shots, and that costs you against two of their best players,” Morikawa said.
Fleetwood and McIlroy, meanwhile, sank putts totaling 112 feet over the 13 holes they won or tied. They had a 6-under-par performance over 16 holes in the alternate-shot format, a number English described as “pretty hard to beat.”
Statements and context
“We could have made a few more putts yesterday,” English said. “We finally started to make some today. But against that duo, they played really well together. They’re a tough team to beat.” Fleetwood improved to 6-0 in foursomes, while McIlroy is now at 9-5-1.
Even the Courchenes, who didn't understand all of Bradley's decisions, especially this one, acknowledged that the Americans faced a formidable team. They also pointed out that all the analytics in the world can't predict what no captain can control. "The Americans played below their expectations, and now it seems everyone is blaming Keegan. The players keep taking shots," Matt Courchene concluded.
