ROME – More history was made Saturday morning at the Ryder Cup.
Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg recorded a dominating 9-and-7 victory over the American duo of Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler in Saturday morning foursomes at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, marking the largest margin of victory for an 18-hole match, foursomes or otherwise, in the history of the Ryder Cup.
Hovland and Åberg won nine of the 11 holes while carding seven birdies in their final eight holes. Koepka and Scheffler shot 7 over as a partnership.
“We make a strong team,” Hovland said. “Regardless, I think we could’ve met a lot of guys and we would’ve been tough to beat today.”
Added Åberg: "Today was quite surreal at times. I had to almost pinch myself a little bit."
There were a pair of 10-and-9 foursomes wins recorded, in 1931 and 1947, but that was when 36-hole matches were played.
The European rout, at the time, pushed the home side's lead to 7½-1½.
Largest margins of victory in 18-hole foursomes matches
- 9 and 7 – Ludvig Aberg/Viktor Hovland (EUR) def. Brooks Koepka/Scottie Scheffler (USA), foursomes, 2023
- 7 and 6 – Hale Irwin/Tom Kite (USA) def. Ken Brown/Des Smyth (EUR), foursomes, 1979
- 7 and 6 – Paul Azinger/Mark O’Meara (USA) def. Nick Faldo/David Gilford (EUR), foursomes, 1991
- 7 and 6 – Keegan Bradley/Phil Mickelson (USA) def. Lee Westwood/Luke Donald (EUR), foursomes, 2012
- 7 and 5 – Jose Maria Canizares/Jose Rivero (EUR) def. Tom Kite/Calvin Peete (USA), foursomes, 1985
- 7 and 5 – Ian Woosnam/Bernhard Langer (EUR) def. Paul Azinger/Payne Stewart (USA), foursomes, 1993
