“Well, I think it's a little unfair to say he hasn't won a championship since a month ago. He's a world-class player that's won a bunch around the world.

“Yeah, it took him a little time and had to go through a few opportunities that let slip for sure, but I think that, you know, for Tommy, he reframes it in such a positive way. I think that if you see it in a positive way, the ones that get away, it only makes you stronger.

“You know, I think Tommy, he's a guy that just loves being around the team. He loves contributing to that team. Yeah, he's a nice player to play with. I think he's at the top of the list of a lot of guys on the team that people want to play with.”

“Well, I learned that Patrick Cantlay is a tough dude. I watched him out there, hit a lot of great shots, make a lot of incredible putts. Proud of the way the guys fought. It not easy when you are down in matches in a Ryder Cup and trying to fight back.

“You know, that was a really important halve we had on the last hole. That was a really important win that X and Patrick had in the morning session. I'm really proud of them for doing that. That kept us in this firmly.

“I think it's difficult to watch from -- it's more difficult to watch than actually play because you want them to play well so bad, and you don't have control over it. But it was fun watching them play. I look forward to celebrating tomorrow, seeing them make more putts and winning more holes.”

“Well, we have a plan of what we're going to do. They beat us today, but you know, we're really comfortable with our plan. We're really comfortable with those two players. Excited who they are playing tomorrow,” Bradley said after Data Golf placed Morikawa and English 132nd out of 132 possible pairings the USA could make.

“Be an exciting match, and we're sticking to our plan. We're not going to panic. We're not going to panic and make those sort of mistakes. We're going to stick to what we know.

“We have a lot of confidence in them. I would say it's a little bit of both [data and gut instinct]. They were really bummed out that they lost their match today. They were eager to get back out on the course, and that's why we did that.”

The Northern Irishman helped inspire Europe to a 5.5-2.5 advantage after two sessions but after being heckled during his fourballs match alongside Shane Lowry, McIlroy could be seen raising a finger on his left hand as he walked off the 11th green.

McIlroy and Lowry had just gone two up against the American pair of Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay when a video circulating on social media showed him gesturing in the direction of the crowd.

“In Donald we trust” read the flag hanging from a hospitality balcony along the 18th fairway as Air Force One flew overhead.

But as with much of the golf on this curious, topsy-turvy day on Long Island, things were not as they seemed.

The Donald flag was a European one, mid-blue was its backdrop and punctuated by a circle of yellowy-gold stars.

Donald Trump hailed Luke Donald as “a great leader” after visiting Bethpage Black on Day 1 of the Ryder Cup.

After arriving before the afternoon fourballs on Friday, the President had a brief interaction with Europe captain Luke Donald.

“He said to me, ‘you're becoming a great leader’, it was nice of him to say that and to support this event.”

• 7:10am ET (12:10pm BST): Bryson DeChambeau (2-5-1)/Cameron Young (1-0-0) v Matt Fitzpatrick (2-7-0)/Ludvig Aberg (3-3-0)
• 7:26am ET (12:26pm BST): Collin Morikawa (4-4-1)/Harris English (1-3-0) v Rory McIlroy (17-13-5)/Tommy Fleetwood (9-3-2)
• 7:42am ET (12:42pm BST): Xander Schauffele (5-4-0)/Patrick Cantlay (6-2-2) v Jon Rahm (8-3-3)/Tyrrell Hatton (6-4-2)
• 7:58am ET (12:58pm BST): Scottie Scheffler (2-4-3)/Russell Henley (0-1-0) v Bob MacIntyre (2-1-1)/Viktor Hovland (3-5-3)

Rory McIlroy didn’t look. As Tommy Fleetwood lined up the winning putt on the 14th green, McIlroy turned his back on his playing partner and faced the blue and yellow pocket of European supporters in a stand behind the green. The ball dropped into the cup, the fans leapt to their feet and McIlroy pumped his giant forearms with delight.

Fleetwood’s putt sealed a dominant 5&4 win in the first morning’s foursomes here at Bethpage Black. Fleetwood was excellent and McIlroy was sensational, delivering a putting masterclass to race away from Harris English and Collin Morikawa, going five up through eight holes. A brief embrace between the two teams on the last green was about the closest the Americans ever got.

Donald Trump gripped Bryson DeChambeau’s hand firmly. The American golfer was grinning again after the misery of a 4&3 beatdown from Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in Ryder Cup foursomes an hour earlier.

The President’s demeanour then turned serious though. DeChambeau, partnering Ben Griffin in the first fourball match after a damaging and stunning 3-1 defeat in the morning session, is a good friend of Trump, and holds a government role as the chair of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, a role confirmed by Trump at the White House.

Europe are now strong favourites to win, and retain, the Ryder Cup after a 5.5-2.5 advantage following Day 1 at Bethpage Black.

Betfair has Europe as a 8/15 favourite to win the match, while USA are 2/1 to win and a tie is 12/1.

USA is EVENS to win Day 2, Europe is 6/4.