Ryder Cup 2016 - as it happened: A look back at Europe's fight back in the fourballs

Follow the latest from the 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Course

Garcia celebrates as he Europe fights back (Getty)

The 2016 Ryder Cup pits the United States against Europe once again in golf’s greatest rivalry, with the hosts looking to avoid a record fourth consecutive defeat when they meet at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Minnesota. Follow all the live action here.

• Defending champions Europe face the United States in the 41st Rydr Cup
• US have not won the Ryder Cup since 2008
• European captain Darren Clarke drops Masters champion Danny Willett from Friday foursomes
• Willett’s brother in astonishing foul-mouthed outburst on US fans
• Team USA start as favourites to regain the trophy
• Afternoon fourball pairings will be announced later today

Follow the live action below...

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Read more Ryder Cup news:
Willett sorry as brother calls US fans ‘fat, stupid, greedy b*******’
Mickelson takes thinly-veiled swipe at former captain Watson
Eight things you didn’t know about Hazeltine Golf Course

Teams

Team USA: Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, JB Holmes, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Ryan Moore.

Team Europe: Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Chris Wood, Sergio Garcia, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Justin Rose, Andy Sullivan, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Thomas Pieters.

[1 October 2016 22:21 · Jack de Menezes]

Brooks Koepka & Dustin Johnson vs Rory McIlroy & Thomas Pieters

McIlroy isn't even needed to putt as Pieters takes full advantage of Johnson's and Koepka's misses to hit his birdie effort straight into the cup. Four up with four to play, so that's at least a half guaranteed for Europe.

[1 October 2016 22:25 · Jack de Menezes]

[1 October 2016 22:31 · Jack de Menezes]

Phil Mickelson & Matt Kuchar vs Martin Kaymer & Sergio Garcia

It finally comes good for Sergio Garcia! He holes out from over 30 feet, and he looks amazed that the ball has actually gone into the cup. Suddenly Mickelson needs a similarly long putt to half it, and he misses to see the lead reduced to 1 UP in the US team's favour.

[1 October 2016 23:02 · Jack de Menezes]

Brooks Koepka & Dustin Johnson vs Rory McIlroy & Thomas Pieters

Koepka finds the green with a nice tee shot on 17, but Johnson flirts with the water and might be on the hazard line there. Pieters sticks his ball even closer to the pin than Koepka's, and McIlroy is also safely on the green.

[1 October 2016 23:46 · Jack de Menezes]

Jordan Spieth & Patrick Reed vs Justin Rose & Henrik Stenson

Rose rolls his putt down the hill but he pushes it wide right. Spieth also misses the target with a pretty poor effort. Reed makes no mistake though, and he puts the US 3 UP with three to play.

JB Holmes & Ryan Moore vs Lee Westwood & Danny Willett

Willett has the chance to win the hole, but he can't make it with a deft chip out of the fringe coming up short. He needs to hole the par for the save, and misses it! Over to Westwood, but he misses it too! Holmes and Moore take a one-shot lead with one to go!

[2 October 2016 00:00 · Jack de Menezes]

JB Holmes & Ryan Moore vs Lee Westwood & Danny Willett

It goes down tot he 18th green. Westwood launches in a brilliant approach that gives Europe the advantage. Holmes pars the final hole, and with half a point on the line, Willett and Westwood will get a chance each to end the match all-square. Willett first, but he can't get it done. Over to Westwood, the veteran Briton, and he misses! JB Holmes and Ryan Moore beat Lee Westwood and Danny Willett 1 UP!

[2 October 2016 13:43 · Samuel Lovett]

Colin Montgomerie with some words of wisdom on the first tee. It's all very dramatic, but what else would you expect on the concluding day of the Ryder Cup?

Monty led the European team to victory 6 years ago, 14½ to 13½, at Celtic Manor, Wales. Victory that day brought the Ryder Cup back to Europe after USA had emerged triumphant at Valhalla two years before. His efforts were rewarded as the BBC named him the Sports Personality Coach of the Year. Impressive stuff, for sure, but I can't help but think of that KitKat advert when I think of Colin Montgomerie... 

[2 October 2016 13:45 · Samuel Lovett]

'KitKat advert? What KitKat advert?', I hear you say. Worry no more, folks...

[2 October 2016 15:11 · Samuel Lovett]

Will the hecklers be out in full force again today?

The Europeans took quite the barrage of abuse yesterday as a small number of American fans heckled players such as McIlroy and Willett throughout Saturday's afternoon session. It's turned into a significant talking point with a number of pundits suggesting it's proven detrimental to the Europeans.

Indeed, at the 17th hole, a loud spectator said "Miss" just as Lee Westwood was stroking a putt to halve the hole. He missed, providing the US pair of JB Holmes and Ryan Moore with their winning margin.

Ryder Cup veteran Sergio Garcia admitted that the behaviour of some fans at Hazeltine left him ashamed for his American girlfriend.

Sergio Garcia 

The Spaniard, who has been dating Golf Channel reporter Angela Akins for a year, said a rowdy crowd had made the atmosphere "quite poor".

"It has been quite poor, I am not going to lie," Garcia, playing in his eighth Ryder Cup, told the BBC. "It is unfortunate because I think 85 per cent of the people are great and I love playing in America - my girlfriend is American - but that 15 per cent is really bad and it makes them look bad.

"I feel ashamed for my girlfriend because I know how bad she feels when she hears all the things they tell us but it is what it is, simple as that."

[2 October 2016 17:43 · Samuel Lovett]

J.B. Holmes vs Thomas Pieters  

The Belgian finds the front left of the green with his approach and follows it up with a little dink that shoots way beyond the pin. The nerves are clearly kick in for the youngster, and understandably so. Holmes seizes the initiative and makes birdie to punish his opponent. The third match moves to 1UP.