Shane Lowry in 18th green altercation with Team USA caddie after fraught finish

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Shane Lowry went from leading the charge to a Team Europe peacemaker.

It took until around 6:52pm on Day Two of the Ryder Cup for an actual contest to develop. Paul McGinley believes the horse may have already bolted while Shane Lowry trying to get his stallions back in the stable.

Team USA went from punching bags to counter-punchers, on Saturday evening, as they fought back from a seven-point deficit to win the fourballs 3-1 and give themselves an outside chance of victory. Rory McIlroy was irate at the crowd-baiting antics of Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava. Lowry went onto the green after Cantlay’s pairing won that match 1 Up to remonstrate with LaCava, with others like Tommy Fleetwood and US legend Fred Couples getting involved.

Shane Lowry of Team Europe interacts with caddie of Patrick Cantlay of Team United States (not pictured), Joe LaCava on the 18th green. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

“Guys it’s getting uglier out here. Shane Lowry and Joe LaCava were just screaming at each other,” NBC reporter Todd Wood said on their live broadcast.

“Shane was on the back of the green, Joe started shouting something and Shane started shouting something back. I don’t know what it was but it wasn’t ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ Getting pretty chippy.”

Later, Shane Lowry was in the peacekeeper role as he guided Rory McIlroy away from a heated argument with caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay of the US team.

A furious Rory McIlroy confronted a Team USA caddie in the car park, after he was spotted waving his cap in McIlroy's face when lining up his final putt on 18… 😳 pic.twitter.com/N0SaDg7AsS

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 30, 2023

For all the big Saturday foursomes and fourballs, we golf writer Paddy Morgan has you covered. Let’s dive in…

Europe dominate the foursomes but USA finish strong in the fourballs – By Paddy Morgan

FOURSOMES

Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood against Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth

Both teams missed the fairway at the first but USA could only lay up where as Fleetwood managed to advance the ball onto the green. Thomas chip shot came up short and a poor putt from Spieth put Europe 1up. Thomas used all his muscle out of the rough at the second but no advantage for USA as McIlroy hit his second shot pin high.

Fleetwood drained the birdie putt to go2up. At the third Spieth hit a poor iron shot, which missed the green and a par was enough for Europe to go 3up. USA managed to half the fourth and won the short fifth. The comeback continued as Thomas holed another putt to win the eight hole. The good work came to an end for USA as they lost the par five ninth.

McIlroy hit an incredible drive to 10 feet and Fleetwood holed the eagle putt at the drivable par four 11th . USA were one down with two holes to go. Thomas hit a poor shot at the par three and McIlroy holed a par putt to end the match . Europe won this match 2 &1.

Viktor Hovland & Ludvig Aberg against Brooks Koepka & Scottie Scheffler

USA got off to a shocking start as they played the first three holes in five over. Aberg hit an incredible shot to go 4up at the par three fourth. Hovland and Aberg were fantastic
as they were 6 Up after seven holes. The match eventually came to an end at the 10th hole as Europe won 9&7. The biggest ever winning score line for Europe in an 18-hole Ryder Cup match.

Shane Lowry & Sepp Straka against Brian Harman & Max Homa

USA went 1up after a great second shot by Homa at the second hole. Europe bounced back immediately as Straka holed a putt to win the third hole. This game was close as it
was all square heading into the back nine. Lowry gifted the 10 th hole to USA after putting his tee shot into the water. Harman’s putting started to come strong as he put USA 2up at the 11th .

Homa hit an exceptional second shot as USA went 3up after 12 holes. This match came to an end as Homa holed a putt from the edge of the green to give USA a 4&2 win.

Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton against Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele

Hatton holed a couple of fantastic putts on the front nine to give Europe a 2up lead. Hatton played a great chip shot and Rahm holed the putt to put Europe 3up after 11 holes.
The fightback from USA started as they won the 12th and 13th hole. Schauffele holed a great putt to bring the game back to all square after 14 holes. USA made a huge mistake as they lost the 15th hole.

Both teams went for the green at the reachable par four 16 th and the hole was halved. Rahm put a dagger to the hearts of the USA as he hit an incredible shot at the par three 17th. Cantlay replied with a great shot but Schauffele missed the putt Hatton stepped up to win the game 2&1.

Just LOOK at that reaction from Rory McIlroy 😍🇪🇺

"It's been a torturous Ryder Cup for Team America…" 😳 pic.twitter.com/oBBK5OCnXh

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 30, 2023

FOURBALLS

Viktor Hovland & Ludvig Aberg against Sam Burns & Collin Morikawa

Burns went out to prove a point and this started with a birdie on the first hole. Burns won the third with a par but Hovland reduced the deposit after winning the fourth. Hovland and Aberg failed to get up and down at the short par four fifth, Burns played a great chip to guarantee a birdie. USA response continued as Burns and Morikawa went three up
at the sixth. Morikawa finished the front nine in style as a birdie was good enough to go 4up.

Morikawa decided to lay up at the reachable par four 11 th and achieved a birdie after a great wedge shot. Morikawa hit an incredible iron shot as he eagled the 12 th to go
6up. Europe won 13th and 14th but the game came to an end as USA won 4&3.

Tommy Fleetwood & Nicolai Hojgaard against Max Homa & Brian Harman

Homa started in style with a birdie on the opening hole. Homa holed a fantastic long putt to go 2up at the par three fourth. Homa’s confidence continued to rise as he hit the
green in one at the short par four fifth but had to settle for a half. Homa holed a short-range putt for birdie to put USA 3up after six holes. Harman stepped up and hit
the green in two at the ninth as USA entered the back nine 4up.

Fleetwood he holed a great putt to win the 10th hole. Homa hit an extraordinary long iron from 246 yards to set up a kick in eagle at the par five 12th. Hojgaard holed a great putt to win the 14th . Homa chipped in to half 15th and Fleetwood done the same a hole later for eagle to reduce America’s lead to 2up. All four players missed the green at the 17th but Homa held a great putt to win the match 3&1.

Justin Rose & Robert MacIntyre against Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth

Thomas won the seventh and Rose brought the game back to all square with a great putt at the ninth. Rose continued to hole great putts as he put Europe ahead at the 10th. MacIntyre holed a great putt for birdie to go 2up at the 13th.

Rose played a great shot out of the bunker and made a clutch putt for par at the 14th to reach 3up . MacIntyre made an incredible up and down on 15th to secure an important
halved hole. All four missed the green at the 16 th but Rose stepped up and holed an amazing putt to win the match 4&2.

Rory McIlroy & Matt Fitzpatrick against Wyndham Clark & Patrick Cantlay

McIlroy hit a great tee shot and holed a putt to go 1up at the fourth hole. Cantlay holed a great putt to earn a half at the eight. Both Fitzpatrick & McIlroy missed the green at the reachable par four 11 th and a birdie from Cantlay was good enough to make the game all square. McIlroy hit a huge drive and holed a great putt for birdie to give
Europe a narrow lead after 14 holes.

McIlroy found the green with a three wood at the par four 16th . Cantlay played a great bunker shot and holed a great putt to half the hole. McIlroy & Fitzpatrick missed the
green at the par three 17th. Cantlay hit a great shot and holed a great putt to win the 17th .

Clark and Cantlay found the fairway at the 18 th but both failed to reach the green. Fitzpatrick was forced to lay up and McIlroy ended up in a bunker. Cantlay was aggressive and holed his putt for birdie. USA won this match on the 18th. The three putts that Cantlay holed on 16,17 and 18 were outstanding.

*The score is 10.5 Europe to 5.5 USA