Ryder Cup gets underway amid an incredible atmosphere in Paris
Thunderclaps, huge opening tee shots, and a Rose birdie gets the first blue on the scoreboard at Le Golf National
By Keith Jackson at Le Golf National
Last Updated: 28/09/18 1:11pm
The 42nd Ryder Cup opened amid a cacophony of noise as almost 7,000 fans created a remarkable atmosphere around the first tee.
With an unprecedented number of spectators packing the huge grandstands and the surrounding areas on the opening hole at Le Golf National, Justin Rose and Jon Rahm arrived on the tee shortly before 8:05am local time and were greeted by a rousing Icelandic thunderclap.
Brooks Koepka and Tonu Finau led off for Team USA, and Finau's adrenaline was certainly pumping as he hit a three-iron off the tee which travelled over 300 yards and would have toppled into the water had it not been for the wooden sleeper surrounds on the left of the fairway.
Koepka, a double major winner this year, fared much better for the Ryder Cup holders as he found the short grass from the tee and hit a solid approach to eight feet, although his birdie putt shaved the right edge of the hole.
That opened the door for Rose to step up and strike the first blow for Europe, although it was the American pair who had the last laugh as they won three of the last six holes to snatch a one-up win in the top match.
The victory for Koepka and Finau was the second of the session for the visitors, and it was soon three when Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas won match three, but Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood put some blue on the board as they beat Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed in the final game of the morning.
Watch the videos in this article to see how the 42nd Ryder Cup got underway at Le Golf National, and follow comprehensive live coverage on our dedicated Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel right through to Sunday's conclusion.
