RORY HAS A DAY TO FORGET

He’s blown away twice as fearless USA put huge dent in European pride

No Ryder Cup captain has ever resisted the temptation to select Rory McIlroy for any session, morning or afternoon, since his debut in 2010. It will be interesting to see if that survives this weekend at Whistling Straits.

Matchplay golf is all about momentum, we are often told. Yesterday it went against Europe and, rather specifically, McIlroy. Twice he suffered losing streaks leading to significant losses.

In the morning foursomes, he and Ian Poulter were five down after five holes, a setback that was always going to prove impossible

He could still make a positive impact but is it too late?

to reverse. Then, paired with Shane Lowry in the afternoon, the Irish pair lost control of what had been a tight game, losing holes eight, nine and 10 to surrender all hope of victory. It was the first time McIlroy had lost twice on the same day in a Ryder Cup.

This was, in many ways, like watching one of those Thursdays at a major tournament when McIlroy puts himself out of contention, before spending the next three days showing the world what might have been.

It could be like that here, too, of course. He has the game to make the positive impact that was missing yesterday. Yet is it already too late? This was a fabulous day for America. The first time since 2010 that they won both the opening foursome and fourball sessions.

America did not win that year, it can be argued. Yet, back then, the gap between the teams after eight games stood at two points. This was different. Significant damage was done to the European team’s pride and some important egos.

Poulter, the postman, did not deliver. Lowry, so keen to make an impression as a captain’s pick for his friend Padraig Harrington was trounced. And McIlroy, considered such an important player, suffered two of the heaviest reverses: 5&3 in the morning, 4&3 in the afternoon. He hasn’t made it past the 15th hole yet. It was a thoroughly miserable day. And, of course, it wasn’t just about Europe’s failings. McIlroy ran into two very good American pairings, too. In the morning, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were already five under par playing alternate shots when the match was curtailed with three holes to play. Later, Tony Finau’s putter suddenly caught fire in a way it singularly fails to do at major tournaments and neither McIlroy nor Lowry had an answer.

Finau took single putts to close out three consecutive holes — nine, 10 and 11 — and almost nothing within 15 feet was staying up as America’s lead increased down the back nine. When Finau finally missed a putt of that distance on 14, it was for the match.

The inevitable briefly delayed, McIlroy reached the 15th tee in exactly the same position as in the morning, with the Americans dormie four. His body language by this stage was familiar to those who have followed, with mounting sadness and frustration, his recent showings at major tournaments. Shoulders sagging, cheeks puffed out as another putt went awry.

The crowd wasn’t ugly, or greatly hostile, but it still wasn’t pleasant out there. A lot of crowing, a lot of U-S-A, and a lot of noise from elsewhere that would have suggested this wasn’t Europe’s day.

Earlier, Poulter and McIlroy — a dream team reunited from the Miracle of Medinah — had been ominously bested by a pair of rookies. A Ryder Cup legend and a four-time major winner.

Harrington had hoped that, together, they could get some of the old magic going. The key word in that sentence, sadly, is old.

Poulter’s age and experience is well-known, but at Whistling Straits yesterday McIlroy looked timeworn, too. older than this generation of young Americans