English duo Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick have spoken of revenge – compatriot Tommy Fleetwood preferred the word “motivated” and Rory McIlroy went with “determined” – but Europe’s team are united in their quest to regain the Ryder Cup.

The record 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits was a humbling experience as they lost their grip on the trophy and that quartet are among seven of the current team who experienced it.

They all have their own way of describing what is driving them this week at Marco Simone in Rome but it all points in the same direction.

“Ultimately deep down you want to get some revenge. We have a fantastic team and we will be trying our best to make that happen,” Hatton told rydercup.com.

“You don’t want to be trying too hard, so you give it 100 per cent but being aware of not trying to force the issue and be natural.

“I’m not one to usually fist pump after putts unless they have true meaning but the Ryder Cup is different so on the positive side you will see more (from me) for sure.”

Fitzpatrick may be a major champion, having won last year’s US Open, but in terms of the Ryder Cup he has yet to land a punch having lost all five matches he has played in over two editions.

And while he is keen to get off the mark he is aware the bigger picture is far more important.

“Whistling Straits was disappointing… I think it is some motivation,” he said.

“Realistically if we just won by a point I don’t think it matters; as long as we win I don’t think we are bothered but we all want to win it back regardless of what happened last time.

“I couldn’t care less what happens as long as we win, I don’t care,” adding as a joke: “As the old saying goes, ‘if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying’. Don’t use that.”

Fitzpatrick’s faith in his team-mates has also grown.

“I’ll be honest, if you look at the way the team compared to the US team nine months ago you’d think, ‘OK, there’s a bit of a gap here’ but I feel the closer we have got to this week the more it has looked in our favour.

“Looking at some of the numbers presented, it’s a lot closer than everyone thought it would be so that’s a great sign for us.”

World number two Rory McIlroy felt the defeat in Wisconsin more than most after his only point in for matches came in the Sunday singles over Xander Schauffele, which prompted a tearful television interview afterwards.

“I don’t mind being vulnerable, it’s a very natural human thing to do and I’d say Whistling Straits was probably one of the most vulnerable times of my career,” said McIlroy, who professed his love for his team-mates in an emotional outpouring on the 16th green.

“I wasn’t playing my best golf. It was a tough week for all of us and makes us more determined to put it right this time.

“There are moments of chaos and there’s a really fine balance between thriving in the chaos and getting swept up with that emotion but also being able to bring yourself back to centre and get yourself back to doing what you need to do.”

Fleetwood spoke of standing in silence on the 18th green watching the Americans celebrate as “a very motivating feeling we knew we didn’t want to happen again”.

And world number four Viktor Hovland feels they have a point to prove after that thrashing.

“I think we all have a bit of a chip on our shoulder, we want to show what we can do,” he said.

“I am sure the Americans think they can show up here and do the same thing again but we’re going to do everything we can to stop that.

“I hope we all play our asses off and show them what Team Europe is made of. I just want this week to be a huge statement.”

Norway’s Viktor Hovland warmed up for Friday’s start of the Ryder Cup by holing his tee shot at the par-four fifth hole at Marco Simone in Rome.

Unfortunately for the world number four it was only a practice round and it was his second attempt at going for the green on the 300-plus yard hole which is guarded by water.

The 24-year-old had fanned his first attempt pin-high into the right rough and reloaded with his three-wood and landed the ball on the green.

He turned away to walk back to his bag only to see the ball roll into the hole followed by loud cheers, him tossing his club away, playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick jumping on his back and fellow team-mate Tyrrell Hatton struggling to contain his laughter.

On the outskirts of the Eternal City, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has a simple message for his players: This is your time.

It is written, in their native language, on the wall in their personal area in the team’s dressing room, which also features a space dedicated to the late Seve Ballesteros – Europe’s long-time talisman in the biennial contest.

On their way to the first tee at Marco Simone, the last thing the players will see is a large image of Ballesteros, designed by local art students, bearing the Italian phrase: “Per sempre nei nostri cuori” – Forever in our hearts.

Donald has unashamedly cranked up the emotion in the build-up to Europe’s attempt to regain the Ryder Cup, bringing his players to tears with messages from family and friends and in Rory McIlroy’s case his caddie, Harry Diamond.

“Previous Ryder Cups we’ve gone pretty light-hearted at the start of the week and then we get hit with an emotional bomb before we go play Friday,” McIlroy said.

“It’s a little different this year. It flipped a little bit and I think that was part of Luke’s plan and strategy.”

McIlroy, of course, was famously emotional at the end of the previous Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, the four-time major winner feeling he had let his team down by suffering three heavy defeats before beating Xander Schauffele in the opening singles.

“I just can’t wait to get another shot at this,” McIlroy said in between sobs and, after a tumultuous two years in men’s professional golf, he will finally get his wish.

Joining LIV Golf in June 2022 and subsequently resigning from the DP World Tour meant that Ryder Cup stalwarts Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were ineligible for Donald’s team, although whether the ageing trio would have qualified or been selected anyway is up for debate.

US players remained eligible through membership of the PGA of America, but captain Zach Johnson made it clear he had zero interest in performances in the LIV Golf League and only US PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka was selected after narrowly failing to qualify.

That meant no place for the likes of Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, who garnered seven and a half points from eight matches in 2021, yet the visiting team can still boast three of this year’s major winners, six of the world’s top 10 and all 12 players ranked inside the top 25.

Europe have five players outside the top 30, including three of their four rookies, but can call on the world numbers two, three and four in McIlroy, Masters champion Jon Rahm and FedEx Cup winner Viktor Hovland.

They also have home advantage in a contest which has seen just one away victory in the last eight, namely the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012 when Jose Maria Olazabal’s side recovered from 10-4 down to pull off an incredible win.

That also remains the last close contest and the United States have not won on European soil since 1993, a fact their players have been keen to play down.

“We have so many guys that have not played a foreign Ryder Cup, an away game, if you will. I think that ignorance is bliss in my opinion,” US Open champion Wyndham Clark said.

“We have guys like Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa and Collin Morikawa and myself that have played on Walker Cup and Palmer Cup teams where we dominated and all we know in our years is how to win, both away and at home.

“Then all we’ve ever seen and watched is that we lose on the road for Ryder Cups and so I almost feel like we have a little added chip on our shoulder.

“A lot of us played other sports and we all love that it’s an away game. We feel like we can quiet the crowd and it would be even more fun and more enjoyable to win on the road.”

Clark also said he wants to face McIlroy in the singles to prove he is the better player and that Europe’s team could be “leaking oil” on the final day. Whether he is sipping champagne or eating humble pie on Sunday will be fascinating to see.

Novak Djokovic, Gareth Bale and Carlos Sainz were among the celebrities who turned out in a Ryder Cup ‘All Stars’ match ahead of the main event in Rome on Wednesday.

Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, opposing captains at Celtic Manor in 2010, reprised their rivalry in a contest between two teams of six over seven holes at Marco Simone.

The competition provided some additional entertainment for the crowd as players from the European and United States teams continued to practice ahead of the 44th Ryder Cup, which begins on Friday.

Djokovic, who won a record-extending 24th grand slam at the US Open earlier this month, and Wales record goalscorer Bale were members of the triumphant ‘Team Monty’, which won 7-4.

Djokovic, who partnered leading disability golfer Kipp Popert in his four-ball match, said: “It’s a great honour to be here. It was something I will marvel and cherish for a very long time.

“Obviously I am much more comfortable hitting a tennis ball with my racket but I don’t think I did too badly today, I hit some good shots and had some good holes.”

The Serb is expected to speak to the European team prior to the start of the Ryder Cup.

“Now I am staying for a few days,” he said. “I have to experience this unique atmosphere. At 7am on Friday, I hear it is this incredible noise.”

Former Real Madrid and Tottenham star Bale, who has become a regular on the pro-am golf circuit since retiring after last year’s World Cup, emphasised the importance of team play in what is normally an individual sport.

He said: “You aren’t playing just for yourself, you are playing for your country, your continent. You have to put your ego to one side and its all about the team, doing your best for the team, whether you win or lose.”

Ferrari Formula One driver Sainz, whose team-mates on the day included 2004 Ballon d’Or winner Andriy Shevchenko and Victor Cruz, a Super Bowl champion with New York Giants, said: “I had a lot of fun.

“It was an incredible feeling to play in front of so many people on such a cool golf course.”

Rory McIlroy believes the Ryder Cup absence of Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood will be felt more keenly by the LIV rebels than it will by the European team in Rome.

The trio have been stalwarts of the event for two decades but made themselves ineligible after joining the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway and resigning their tour memberships.

Despite Garcia, the Ryder Cup’s all-time leading points scorer, making a forlorn late attempt to find a way back into the reckoning, McIlroy said the current side would not be dwelling on former team-mates.

“I mean, it’s certainly a little strange not having them around,” said the Northern Irishman.

“But I think this week of all weeks it’s going to hit home with them that they are not here and I think they are going to miss being here more than we’re missing them.

“It’s just more this week is a realisation that the decision they made has led to not being a part of this week and that’s tough.

“The landscape in golf is ever-changing and more dynamic, and we’ll see what happens and whether they will be part of it in the future.”

This summer’s surprise decision to merge LIV Golf into the PGA Tour is likely to offer a way back for all those players who initially defected, but there is plenty of negotiation and trade-offs to be done before that picture becomes clear.

But, having probably seen their Ryder Cup playing careers ended, Justin Rose, back after missing the record defeat at Whistling Straits, admits his former team-mates still have something to offer as members of the backroom staff.

“Obviously Westy, Poults as captains or vice-captains or however they may or may not be involved in the future do have a lot to offer,” said the Englishman.

“But the more we can kind of blood the younger generation coming through, the quicker you’re going to kind of skip through that transition phase.

“Maybe the transition started last time around at Whistling Straits and now we’re coming through that already.”

McIlroy is making his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, the most of any player at Marco Simone, and will be viewed as Europe’s leader on and off the course.

However, the world number two is keen to be viewed as just another regular member of the team and no hero figure.

“I’m not there giving rallying cries and speeches. When we came on the practice trip I said to every guy – and some of these guys have watched me play on TV – I don’t want anyone looking up to me,” he added.

“I want them looking over to me. I want them to see me like I’m on their level and there’s no hierarchy on our team.

“I guess that’s the one message I’ve tried to relay to some of the younger guys on the team.”

McIlroy will feel like he has a debt to repay after a paltry one-point return from a singles victory over Xander Schauffele in 2021, but he admits his game is in a much better place than two years ago.

“I felt like I was searching a little bit. I didn’t feel in full control of my game,” he said.

“I got a lot of confidence and belief in myself that Sunday singles at Whistling Straits because I certainly wasn’t believing in myself at that time, but the rest of my team did believe in me and sent me out number one to go get a blue point on the board.

“I realised that just being myself is enough. I think for a good part of 2021, I was trying to be something that maybe wasn’t natural to me.

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“I think the last two years have sort of proved that’s the way I’m going to play my best golf so I certainly feel a lot better about things coming into this Ryder Cup and feel like I’m more than capable of contributing more than one point this time around.”

McIlroy was also asked about the behaviour of fans, particularly in the wake of Open champion and United States team member Brian Harmon being abused at Royal Liverpool this summer.

“There’s certainly a line. Most fans that come out to watch golf are very respectful and they know what that line is,” he added.

“Someone said to me once, ‘If you want to be part of the circus, you have to put up with the clowns’.”

Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has cranked up the emotion in the team room this week by bringing his players to tears but it is all part of the plan to get his stars ready to regain the trophy from the United States.

The tactic of having messages from family relayed in meetings during the build-up has been well used in the past by both sides and the Americans will have undoubtedly done the same at Marco Simone.

And while the videos tug at the heartstrings, they are used as a tool to help boost confidence and reinforce the reasons for their presence in Rome this week.

“It’s an emotional week and even some of the stuff that’s happened already this week would get you quite emotional,” said Irishman Shane Lowry, who famously said after the defeat in Whistling Straits two years ago he had cried then – but not for his 2019 Open win or the birth of his first child.

“There’s videos that are played in the team rooms in the evenings, motivational videos and it just kind of hits home a little bit.

“I’m not going to elaborate much further than that, but Luke and his team have done a great job already this week on Monday and Tuesday.”

World number three Jon Rahm did, however, expand a little further on what they have been viewing behind closed doors.

“I don’t know how much of that they’re going to post, so that’s kind of personal for us,” he added.

“There’s very few players not shedding a few tears yesterday afternoon. I can say that.

“It was a lot of family-related (content) and the reason why all of us are here. If you guys (the media) were to watch it, it would make you feel a lot of the same emotions we felt.”

While family are leant on heavily for such contributions, the players often seek out reassurance and advice from other sources and Rahm did not think twice about taking counsel from his good friend and record Ryder Cup points scorer Sergio Garcia.

His fellow Spaniard is ineligible to play having resigned his European Tour membership following his move to LIV Golf and despite Rahm campaigning for his inclusion, only a couple of weeks ago calling his omission “stupid” and even Garcia himself trying to negotiate a way in, there was no way back for the 43-year-old.

But that has not stopped Rahm consulting his countryman – and former Ryder Cup talisman Ian Poulter who was not considered for the same reasons – as late as Monday.

“I did talk to him (Garcia) and ask for advice. He did show me a lot of what to do at Whistling and obviously in Paris, as well,” added the Masters champion.

“But I did have a little bit of a chat with him, and with Poulter, as well.

“Poulter was a little bit longer than last week. Sergio as recently as yesterday.

“Not that it’s going to be easy to take on the role that those two had both on and off the golf course, but just to hear them talk about what they thought and what they felt is obviously invaluable information.”

The dynamic within the team room often plays a huge part in the overall success of the team and as Europe look to bounce back from their record defeat in Wisconsin, Lowry said fighting for a common cause was galvanising.

“I think being a part of something that is bigger than you or anything else is pretty cool,” he said.

“Whistling Straits (a 19-9 defeat) was hard to take but it was quite motivating for me coming away from that and it’s quite motivating for me this week.

“I’m looking forward to going out there and hopefully earning some points for Europe and hopefully we can all do a great job at trying to win the trophy back.”

Europe captain Luke Donald has no plans to follow the example of Thomas Bjorn and get a tattoo if his team regain the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Bjorn promised his players in 2018 he would get himself inked if they beat the United States at Le Golf National in Paris, which they comfortably did by seven points.

The Dane followed through on his word three months later, but Donald is not intending to follow suit if the result goes his side’s way at Marco Simone.

“No guarantees on the tattoo,” Donald said with a smile.

“I certainly don’t have any on my body, just to let you in. But I’m sure we can find a suitable way to celebrate if it goes our way on Sunday.”

Padraig Harrington had pledged to get a tattoo in 2021, but was spared the task after his side suffered a record defeat at Whistling Straits.

“If my team produce a winning week I will be getting a tattoo to mark the occasion, and I’m very comfortable that they only asked that much of me because I would have given more,” Harrington said at the time.

“I think it’s an unwritten rule, so it has come up in conversation. But definitely, it’s a given now in Europe: captain has to get a tattoo.”

Donald was speaking on the first official day of practice after sending his 12 players out in groups of four which offered a hint at several potential pairings.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were in the first group alongside Sepp Straka and Tommy Fleetwood, with Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in group two.

Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre and Nicolai Hojgaard made up the final group.

“In terms of the pairings, some of that is determined on media rotations,” Donald said. “Six of the guys today will be doing media, so you send those off in the early groups. So I wouldn’t read too much into it.

“Obviously we do have a plan in place and that plan can be adjusted throughout the next few days. The vice-captains are out there watching the players and seeing how they look and how they feel and all that goes into it.

“But yeah, there’s certainly a plan that is in place.”

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald admits his team “have their work cut out” as they seek to wrest the trophy back from the United States.

After a record 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021, Donald has the unenviable task of trying to maintain the hosts’ 30-year unbeaten record on home soil.

On paper the Americans have the superior team, with 10 of their 12 players currently in the world’s top 20, and even though Europe have three of the top four, Donald is aware of the challenge which awaits in Italy .

“I know it’s going to be a difficult next few days, it really is. The US are very strong. We know that,” he said at a press conference at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.

“We are coming off our worst defeat ever in a Ryder Cup. US players are strong, high up in the world rankings and they have some great partnerships and have had a lot of success.

“We have our work cut out but as captain you have to be confident. I certainly have a lot of belief in my team and you have to have belief that you’re going to get them into a place where they are going to be successful.”

Marco Simone is likely to prove a testing layout for both teams due to the weather forecast for the week – temperatures are expected to hit 29 degrees Celsius over the three days – and the undulations and big elevation changes around the course.

Donald has not ruled out some of his players featuring in all five sessions but is more confident that no-one, not even rookies Ludvig Aberg, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and Nicolai Hojgaard, will be left on the bench until Sunday’s singles.

“In terms of playing five, I think there’s some guys that certainly could do that, and we have done that in the past. This is a very tiring, taxing golf course,” he added.

“It’s a long build-up so I’m wary of some of that. I’ll certainly be considering that but it’s not out of the question that some people might play five.

“I very much doubt that someone wouldn’t play until the Sunday singles.”

Unusually Donald has opted to begin the first two days with the foursomes format and leave the fourballs until the afternoon.

While the Americans traditionally pick that option when it is their honour, it is the first time since 1993, the last time Europe lost on home soil, that it will be played that way on this side of the Atlantic.

“It’s pretty simple really. We feel like as a team, statistically we are stronger in foursomes within our team than we would be in fourballs,” said Donald.

“Why not get off to a fast start? That’s it.”

USA captain Zach Johnson was asked whether he had second thoughts about his captain’s picks after the overlooked Bryson DeChambeau won his second LIV event in successive months on Sunday.

Brooks Koepka is the only player from the Saudi breakaway league to feature in the team having qualified by virtue of his performances in majors after winning the US PGA Championship and finishing second in the Masters.

On Sunday DeChambeau said it would have been “nice to have a call” but Johnson has freely admitted he paid no attention to the LIV Golf tour and so the 30-year-old was never on his radar, finishing 54th on USA’s qualifying list.

“We have a points system within the PGA of America, within the Ryder Cup USA. It’s pretty evident how you garner points and which tournaments can accumulate points,” said Johnson.

“When it got down towards the end of the process, it was the top 20, the top 25 guys in that point system that I felt like had the merit and should have my full attention.”

Johnson also confirmed there would be no morale-boosting last-minute visit from Tiger Woods, who is still recovering from ankle surgery, despite him being part of the process this year and the 15-time major winner would be relegated to the role of cheerleader from back home.

“No, Tiger will not be joining us in Italy. He’s got a lot on his plate. As far as communicating with him, we have up to this point but he understands that now that our feet are on the ground, it’s probably kind of best that we navigate this ourselves,” said the USA captain.

“At this point it’s more encouragement on his side, whether he’s texting the guys or texting the vice-captains and captains, he’s there to encourage because he’s very invested in what we do year-in and year-out with Team USA.

“We are going to utilise his knowledge and his wisdom, his candour and his passion the best we can but when it comes to the week of the tournament, if you’re not in on it and inside the team room, inside the ropes, shoulder-to-shoulder with these guys, it’s not fair to ask him questions.

“At the same time, I don’t know if that’s proper and I think he would understand completely.”

Home favourite Carlota Ciganda played a starring role as Europe retained the Solheim Cup after a thrilling 14-14 draw with the United States, the first in the biennial contest’s history.

Trailing 4-0 after the opening foursomes, Suzann Pettersen’s side rallied magnificently at Finca Cortesin and it fittingly fell to Spanish star Ciganda to ensure the trophy would remain in Europe with her fourth win from four matches.

With Ciganda pegged back to all square on the 15th against Nelly Korda, the United States were briefly on course for an outright win due to the status of the remaining matches.

However, Ciganda then hit a stunning approach to the 16th to set up a winning birdie and, after Maja Stark had beaten US Open champion Allisen Corpuz to make it 13-13, repeated the feat on the 17th to ensure Europe would at least retain the trophy.

Emily Pedersen still had an outside chance to halve her match with Lexi Thompson and secure outright victory, but Thompson calmly holed from 10 feet for par on the 17th to close out a 2&1 win.

“I’m so happy just to do this for Suzann, for Spain, I’m just so proud,” Ciganda told Sky Sports.

“When I saw Suzann on 16 she told me a couple of things and I was like, ‘I’m just going to do this for her’, because I love her and she deserves this. I love my team, I love Europe, I love Spain, I love Solheim Cups.

“It’s been a great week and I’m just so happy to be here right now.”

His accent is as American as his caddie, but Sepp Straka believes he has gone the extra mile – thousands of them in fact – to prove his dedication to Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Straka was asked to compete in the Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi in January, a team event between Continental Europe and Great Britain and Ireland which it was felt necessary to revive in the wake of 2021’s record Ryder Cup defeat.

The only problem was that the Austrian was contesting the Sentry Tournament of Champions the week beforehand in Hawaii, which meant undertaking an epic journey across 14 time zones.

“Francesco (Molinari, captain of Continental Europe) was the first person to talk to me about the trip,” Straka told the PA news agency.

“My first reaction was that I don’t know if I’ll make it because I don’t think that I can get there.

“Then I looked into the flights a little deeper and realised that I could make it for the Tuesday and it didn’t start until the Friday.

“Once I realised I could get there in time to prepare then I wanted to make the trip because it was huge in terms of getting to Rome and also getting comfortable playing team golf. I think that is something we don’t get to do a lot.

“I’ve always wanted to be a part of it. I kind of put myself in a place last year for consideration for the team and I knew that would show my commitment.

“From there on, I could focus on just trying to play my best golf and put my name out there.”

Straka won two points from his four matches in the Hero Cup, including a foursomes victory over Ryder Cup team-mates Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton, but then missed the cut in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic.

However, he claimed his second PGA Tour title in the John Deere Classic in July and two weeks later finished joint second in the Open at Royal Liverpool, his second top 10 in a major in 2023.

Such performances meant Europe captain Luke Donald felt he “couldn’t leave” Straka off his team and duly gave him a wild card, making Straka the second Austrian after Bernd Wiesberger to play in the contest.

“It’s been an incredible ride,” said Straka, whose family moved from Vienna to Georgia when he was 14  – he went on to play on the University of Georgia with twin brother Sam.

“Kind of all started by winning the Honda (Classic) last season and thankfully I was able to ride that and gain confidence and just keep improving my golf game.

“I feel like it’s in a place where I give myself a lot more chances now than did I early in my career and yeah, it’s been an incredible ride the last few years.”

As for having a southern accent and an American caddie in Duane “Dewey” Bock, Straka joked: “I was thinking about maybe getting a translator. Maybe my brother can translate for me for the week just so we don’t have to hear it.

“Dewey is a great caddie. He’s been awesome to have on the bag and it’s helped me so much over the last few months.

“He is definitely red, white and blue. A bunch of the European caddies have been giving him crap about having a US yardage book cover but he’s already changed that. We’re working on him.

“He’s a professional. He’ll do his best job that he can and it will be great.”

Captain Suzann Pettersen was almost lost for words after Europe maintained a brilliant fightback to head into the final day of the 18th Solheim Cup needing six points to retain the trophy.

After losing the opening foursomes 4-0 on Friday, Pettersen’s side rallied to win eight of the 12 points available to level the scores at 8-8 and keep alive their hopes of an unprecedented third straight win in the biennial contest.

“I’m out of words, but we have to remember we’re not there (yet),” Pettersen told Sky Sports.

“There’s still 12 points up for grabs tomorrow but we made quite a comeback, now we’re tied and now we just put it into fifth gear and we keep going.”

Both sides won two of the Saturday morning foursomes before the home side took the fourballs session 3-1 for the second day running, home favourite Carlota Ciganda delighting the large crowds with her third win from three matches.

Ciganda partnered Swedish rookie Linn Grant to a 2&1 victory over Danielle Kang and two-time major winner Lilia Vu, the European pair covering the front nine in eight under par with Grant being an incredible six under on her own ball.

Leona Maguire and Charley Hull had earlier combined to beat Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing 4&3, while Madelene Sagstrom and Emily Pedersen defeated Rose Zhang and Andrea Lee 2&1.

The only win for the United States came courtesy of Cheyenne Knight and Angel Yin, who defeated Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall – who had sat out the first three sessions – on the 18th.

Maguire, who will be one of three European players to contest all five sessions, said: “One more day to give it our best shot and I think that’s the great thing about this team, there’s so much fight. We’ve never given up.

“I said to Suzann I needed someone with energy for this afternoon and Charley has lots of it. We had a lot of fun, lots of chats, lots of good times with the caddies, and so it was just a really enjoyable walk out there.”

Hull, who has played just twice as she nurses a neck injury, added: “I sprained my neck earlier in the week, sort of a facet sprain, and still hurts a little bit, but it’s gotten a lot better.

“But playing with Leona today was great fun. She’s always in the game and she played unbelievable.”

Grant and fellow Swede Maja Stark had earlier secured a vital win in the foursomes to keep their side just two points adrift of the United States after the third session.

Ciganda had led from the front as she partnered Pedersen to victory over Vu and Jennifer Kupcho, but defeats for Maguire and Anna Nordqvist and Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier gave the visitors a 7-4 lead until Grant and Stark closed out their match with Kang and Lee in brilliant fashion.

Stark holed from 25 feet for birdie on the 17th to move one up and, with their opponents in close on the par-five 18th, Grant holed from 10 feet for birdie to seal the win.

Grant told Sky Sports: “It’s amazing. The last two holes gives us so much momentum. We’re on such a high right now, it feels great.”

The close friends had lost the opening foursomes on Friday and were split up for the afternoon fourballs, but repaid the faith of Europe captain Pettersen on Saturday.

“It’s so much fun, especially getting that confidence from Suzann putting us together,” Stark said. “Two rookies has got to be a little hard for her to put out in the first group yesterday.

“I think there were a lot of nerves involved on the first few holes yesterday and getting to play with her (Grant) again is just amazing and I knew that we could do it. It was just about letting loose and just doing it.”

Nordqvist and Maguire had been two up after eight holes against Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang, but bogeyed the ninth, 10th and 11th to fall behind.

A birdie on the 15th got the European pair back on level terms, only for them to bogey the 17th as Nordqvist appeared to choose the wrong club and fired her tee shot into a bunker at the back of the green.

Hall and Boutier, who had surrendered their unbeaten record on day one, never recovered from losing the first two holes to Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz and were unsurprisingly left out of the afternoon fourballs.

Rory McIlroy believes Europe’s preparations for the Ryder Cup could give them an edge over a “well rested” American side.

All 12 members of Luke Donald’s team made the cut in the BMW PGA Championship last week and seven finished in the top 10, with Tyrrell Hatton second, Jon Rahm fourth, Viktor Hovland fifth and Tommy Fleetwood sixth.

McIlroy, who only made the weekend thanks to a birdie on the 18th in round two, carded closing scores of 67 and 65 to climb into a tie for seventh, with 54-hole leader Ludvig Aberg and Sepp Straka part of a tie for 10th.

In stark contrast, only three Americans will have played competitively since the end of August when they tee it up in Rome a month later, with Justin Thomas and Max Homa playing the Fortinet Championship and LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka in action in Chicago.

“The Americans will certainly be well rested,” McIlroy said.

“I don’t think there’s any substitute for being sharp and playing tournaments. The only thing is it’s match play and not stroke play so it’s a little bit different, but I don’t think us playing a little bit more over these last few weeks is going to hurt us at all.

“If anything I would say it’s certainly better for me. I wouldn’t have liked to go into the Ryder Cup with my last start being the Tour Championship but that’s personal preference. I like to play my way into the big events.”

McIlroy felt Donald would have viewed the Wentworth leaderboard as “awesome” and was full of praise for the former world number one’s captaincy since succeeding Henrik Stenson after he was sacked for joining LIV Golf.

“I think he’s been fantastic,” the four-time major winner added. “He took the job in very weird circumstances I guess but he’s taken it in his stride and he’s been fantastic with me.

“I’m sure he’s had a lot more interaction with some of the rookies and the new guys that are on the team. I feel at this point I can take care of myself a little bit.

“If you speak to everyone we’ve all been really pleased with the job him and all of his team have done so far; the vice-captains are a big part of it and Ryder Cup Europe with all the backroom staff and everyone involved. It’s been great so far.”

McIlroy is the most experienced player on the European team and will be making his seventh Ryder Cup appearance in Rome, but Donald has made it clear where the Northern Irishman’s priorities will lie.

“Yeah, he doesn’t expect me to stand up there and make big speeches or say a lot of things,” said McIlroy, who was reduced to tears by winning just one point from four matches in the record defeat at Whistling Straits.

“But if I can lead by example and be the first one to the team room if there is a meeting, first one on the bus on the way to the course; anything like that where I’m still doing all the things that you should do and not getting complacent, that’s the way I would like to lead.

“And, as Luke said, lead with my clubs and making birdies and getting blue on the board.”

Swedish rookies Linn Grant and Maja Stark secured a vital win as Europe remained two points behind the United States at 7-5 after the third session of the Solheim Cup.

Home favourite Carlota Ciganda had led from the front as she partnered Emily Pedersen to victory over Lilia Vu and Jennifer Kupcho in the opening foursomes at Finca Cortesin.

However, defeats for Anna Nordqvist and Leona Maguire, and Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier gave the visitors a 7-4 lead until Grant and Stark closed out their match with Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee in brilliant fashion.

Stark holed from 25 feet for birdie on the 17th to move one up and, with their opponents in close on the par-five 18th, Grant holed from 10 feet for birdie to seal the win.

Grant told Sky Sports: “It’s amazing. The last two holes gives us so much momentum. We’re on such a high right now, it feels great.”

The close friends had lost the opening foursomes on Friday and were split up for the afternoon fourballs, but repaid the faith of Europe captain Suzann Pettersen on Saturday.

“It’s so much fun, especially getting that confidence from Suzann putting us together,” Stark said. “Two rookies has got to be a little hard for her to put out in the first group yesterday.

“I think there were a lot of nerves involved on the first few holes yesterday and getting to play with her (Grant) again is just amazing and I knew that we could do it. It was just about letting loose and just doing it.”

Nordqvist and Maguire had been two up after eight holes against Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang, but bogeyed the ninth, 10th and 11th to fall behind.

A birdie on the 15th got the European pair back on level terms, only for them to bogey the 17th as Nordqvist appeared to choose the wrong club and fired her tee shot into a bunker at the back of the green.

Hall and Boutier, who had surrendered their unbeaten record on day one, never recovered from losing the first two holes to Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz and were unsurprisingly left out of the afternoon fourballs, with Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall making her first appearance alongside Nordqvist.

Emily Kristine Pedersen and Leona Maguire produced much-needed moments of magic as Europe dramatically kept their hopes of an unprecedented third straight Solheim Cup victory alive at Finca Cortesin in Spain.

After the United States won a foursomes session 4-0 for the first time ever, Suzann Pettersen’s side rallied superbly to win three points from the afternoon fourballs to trail just 5-3 heading into the second day.

Pedersen made the second hole-in-one in the history of the biennial contest on the 12th hole as she and team-mate Maja Stark halved a high-quality contest with Jennifer Kupcho and Allisen Corpuz.

And Maguire then chipped in for a birdie on the 18th to give her and Georgia Hall what looked like a good chance of halving their match with Lexi Thompson and Lilia Vu, only for Thompson to crack under the pressure and shank a simple chip shot from the edge of the green.

To her credit, Thompson hit a superb fourth shot from a far more difficult position, but Vu was unable to hole her long birdie attempt and Europe could celebrate a most unlikely victory.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Sweden’s Linn Grant enjoyed a comfortable 4&2 win over Angel Yin and Ally Ewing, while Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom halved their match with Megan Khang and Rose Zhang.

Maguire told Sky Sports: “I feel like we played great all day and it would have been really annoying not to come away with a point.

“Georgia kept it together on the front nine and I holed a couple on the back and it’s nice to finish off in style.

“I think the Americans played incredible this morning. I think we played well as well, there was no bad golf out there and you have to play some really good golf to win a point, even a half point in these matches.

“We’ll never give up and I think we showed that today.”

Hall, who admitted she was feeling the effects of playing 36 holes on a very hilly course, added: “Leona’s shot on the last was phenomenal and just what we needed.

“That’s why she’s such a great player at the Solheim.”

Europe’s campaign for a third straight win had earlier got off to a nightmare start, with Pedersen and Charley Hull thrashed 5&4 by Ewing and Cheyenne Knight and the rookie pair of Grant and Stark losing 2&1 to Thompson and Khang.

Hall and Celine Boutier then surrendered their unbeaten record to Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee, while Maguire and Nordqvist lost on the 18th to Corpuz and Nelly Korda.

United States captain Stacy Lewis had seen her selections questioned after picking an out-of-form Thompson and leaving two-time major winner Vu and rising star Zhang out, but was totally vindicated by the scoreline.

Lewis told Sky Sports: “You could not ask for much more. We knew those middle two matches were going to be tough and just saw a tonne of fight in our girls and fortunately we were on the right side of it.”

Asked about picking Thompson, Lewis added: “I had a feeling yesterday.

“She wasn’t in my line-up that I’ve had for a couple of weeks. The way the last four days have gone, just the way she seemed mentally I had a good feeling about it and Meghan’s been playing amazing the last month or so.

“I literally went to them with about three holes left in their practice round and said, ‘hey can you figure out some golf balls’ and fortunately they managed it and got the win.”

Former Europe captain Catriona Matthew, who led the side to victories in 2019 and 2021, admitted she was surprised by the outcome of the session.

“I don’t think anyone saw this coming,” Matthew said on Sky Sports. “I think it’s deflating for everyone. The Americans have done what they wanted to do, they’ve quietened the crowd.

“The Europeans just looked edgy this morning, we got off to a very poor start, were down in all the games, barely ever actually saw any blue on the board so I think this afternoon they’re going to have to go out there strong, try and get some blue on the board and get the crowd into this.”

Europe’s bid for an unprecedented third straight Solheim Cup victory got off to a nightmare start as they were whitewashed in the opening foursomes at Finca Cortesin.

Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen were an estimated eight over par for the front nine on their way to a 5&4 thrashing by Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight in the bottom match, which was so one-sided it finished first.

The rookie Swedish pairing of Linn Grant and Maja Stark, who had fought back from three down after three, then lost 2&1 to Lexi Thompson and Meghan Khang before Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall surrendered their unbeaten record to Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee.

Leona Maguire and Anna Nordqvist birdied the 16th and 17th to keep their match against Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz alive, but they were unable to birdie the par-five 18th as the visitors won a foursomes session 4-0 for the first time in the event’s history.

United States captain Stacy Lewis had seen her selections questioned after picking an out-of-form Thompson and leaving two-time major winner Lilia Vu and rising star Rose Zhang out, but was totally vindicated by the scoreline.

Lewis told Sky Sports: “You could not ask for much more. We knew those middle two matches were going to be tough and just saw a tonne of fight in our girls and fortunately we were on the right side of it.”

Asked about picking Thompson, Lewis added: “I had a feeling yesterday.

“She wasn’t in my line-up that I’ve had for a couple of weeks. The way the last four days have gone, just the way she seemed mentally I had a good feeling about it and Meghan’s been playing amazing the last month or so.

“I literally went to them with about three holes left in their practice round and said, ‘hey can you figure out some golf balls’ and fortunately they managed it and got the win.”

Former Europe captain Catriona Matthew, who led the side to victories in 2019 and 2021, admitted she was surprised by the outcome of the session.

“I don’t think anyone saw this coming,” Matthew said on Sky Sports. “I think it’s deflating for everyone. The Americans have done what they wanted to do, they’ve quietened the crowd.

“The Europeans just looked edgy this morning, we got off to a very poor start, were down in all the games, barely ever actually saw any blue on the board so I think this afternoon they’re going to have to go out there strong, try and get some blue on the board and get the crowd into this.”

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