GO BIG OR GO ROME

THE 45th Ryder Cup began for the USA with Bryson DeChambeau bombing his opening drive over the trees to huge applause on his way to a birdie

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But the American talisman's final tee shot into the bins off the 15th fairway better summed up the home team's morning in the foursomes.

It was close to rubbish.

And when Justin Thomas's weak par putt dribbled past the hole with only a smattering of European cheers to break the silence, Keegan Bradley's dream team had suffered a nightmare.

The US skipper had claimed playing his two biggest personalities together would “bring a spark to our team” and he wanted them to ignite the crowd.

But sending out his two high-energy players together was also a high-risk strategy. And it failed as history repeated itself.

Back in Luke Donald's first Ryder Cup in 2004, US captain Hal Sutton got the number of his children wrong in the opening ceremony - and then committed the even bigger mistake of sending Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson out together. The world No.1 and No.2 lost their opening fourballs and Team USA never recovered.

Yesterday was the first time Europe - who whitewashed the States in the first session two years ago in Rome - had won the opening session in the USA since that day.

DeChambeau is now 0-3 in Ryder Cup foursomes while his fellow LIV Golf stars Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm - who is 5-0 - are undefeated together.