U.S. finally wins a full point at the 2023 Ryder Cup with rookies Homa and Harman
— Max Homa had already taken his hat off and was walking toward playing partner Brian Harman for a celebratory hug before his chip for eagle rolled in on the reachable par-4 16th.
Nearly 28 hours into the Ryder Cup, the two rookies clinched the Americans’ first full point by beating Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4 and 2 in morning foursomes Saturday at Marco Simone.
“We needed something to go our way,” Homa said. “Somebody had to start a spark, so I’m just glad it was us.”
The only problem was that was the only point the U.S. earned in the session, leaving Europe extending its advantage to 9½ to 2½.
“We obviously are in a big hole but we have the right guys to dig ourselves out of it,” Homa said.
Homa went 4-0 in his first team experience at the Presidents Cup last year and also earned a half point with Wyndham Clark in afternoon fourballs on Friday against Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose. But that felt like a loss after Homa missed a putt on 18 to win it — leaving him bent over in agony — and then Rose holed his putt to halve the match.
Homa and Harman were playing again in Saturday’s fourballs against Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard — meaning Homa will be the only American to play in all five sessions.
Homa and Harman never trailed against Lowry and Straka — also a first for the Americans at this Ryder Cup.
Harman, this year’s British Open champion, made a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-4 10th to put the Americans ahead and then Homa hit a beautiful draw with a long iron on the par-5 12th that was inches from going in — setting off chants of “USA, USA, USA” that have been rare over the opening two days.
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