Ryder Cup live – Europe fend off Team USA fightback to regain Ryder Cup in Rome

1636 – Johnson was asked how the US might look to rebound in two years’ time. “It is obviously very raw and fresh but there is motivation there for certain,” he said. “You learn a lot from weeks like this. You wish you could put in again a month from now but the special thing about the Ryder Cup is it’s once every two years. I am honoured to represent the country.”

1633 – US captain Johnson was in floods of tears after his side’s defeat. Struggling to get out his words, Johnson told NBC: “I think the Europeans played phenomenal golf. It really is that simple. My guys showed true heart and grit, a lot of character. They played for each other and I love them, but hats off to Luke.”

1631 – Lowry told Sky Sports: “It’s a dream come true for me, it’s something I’ve always wanted to achieve in this game. We didn’t get much confidence from Whistling Straits so I’m so proud of my team. It’s been the greatest week of my life. I’ve been so lucky to do what I have in the game but the last two hours have been the most stressful two hours of my life. I could see it wasn’t going too well for us. Thankfully Tommy did the business and the rest was just a celebration from there. It was disappointing not to win in my match but I don’t care.”

1624 – “I really didn’t want it it come down to one of us at the back,” said Fleetwood of his place at number 11 in the order. “It (the role he played) was a bit bigger than I thought it was when I saw the draw. This year has obviously been different and the landscape has changed a bit for Team Europe but I couldn’t wish for a better bunch of people to do this with. It’s been so amazing. We are just one gigantic family and the bonds you make last a lifetime.”

1623 – Asked where it ranked in his career, Donald added: “This is the best. This is why the Ryder Cup is so special to me and these guys because of these moments. We play for each other, we get to share in that success together and we get to spend this week together and we will have those memories forever. I gave them a good culture to succeed, hopefully I laid out a good plan in how I thought they were going to win and then it was staying out of the way. They had to play well and they did the job, I’m happy they trusted me. In historic Rome we made history today. Not many people gave us a chance after Whistling Straits. We were big underdogs, we started to show some form in the last six months and I couldn’t be happier with with the team I’ve got and I think these guys will be around for a long time.” Fleetwood closed out a 3&1 win on the 17th to officially confirm victory but the celebrations were already well under way.

1616 – The victorious captain speaks!

“Pretty emotional,” said Donald on the win as the tears began to flow. “It’s been a long process, it’s been an amazing journey and I enjoyed this one. It was stressful. The US put up a fight today and hats off to them. Unbelievable, but I’m so proud of my 12 guys. We formed a bond from day one and they gave me everything. They trusted me and they delivered for me. It started off great, we got off to great start, we needed some blue on the board early and a few matches changed to red and you kept looking at the board and thinking ‘Where are we going to find fourteen-and-a-half points?’ but we always had some guys at the back who looked good. Tommy, Shane and Bob are all up right now so maybe it’s not going to be as close as I thought it might be.”

1609 – Straka’s birdie putt at the last burned the edge and the Austrian conceded for a two-up defeat. Lowry missed the 17th green but chipped up and parred while Spieth bogeyed and the Irishman headed to the last one up.

1605 – Fowler carved his drive at the 16th into the water and Fleetwood, one up, found the back edge of the green. Although the American pitched his third to within 10 feet the Englishman had two putts to regain the Ryder Cup by guaranteeing half-a-point with two holes to play. He cosied his first attempt up to three feet and Fowler conceded, securing the Ryder Cup for Europe.

1604 Europe have done it!!

1558 – But Lowry showed his superb touch again – this time out of a bunker – to birdie the 16th and Spieth chunked his chip out of heavy rough and could not hole his second attempt as the match returned to all-square. MacIntyre’s three-footer for a half horseshoed out as he lost back-to-back holes to be all-square with four to play.

1544 – “We has a good match. I played pretty much perfect through 10 holes and then played a bit shaky. I convinced myself I was tired (and it was) not nerves,” Homa told Sky Sports. “I had an opportunity to have a putt to keep this thing going and I saw so much red on the board I knew my match would matter. I’m very proud of myself. We were in a massive hole and we are fighting ourselves out of it slowly but surely.” Lowry gave Europe renewed hope by getting his match against Spieth back to all-square – the first time he had not been behind – after the American bogeyed the 14th.

1537 –What a shot from Straka! Justin Thomas is now just 1UP in their match after a stunning chip from the Austrian.

1533 – Koepka, who was bogey-free all day, closed out a 3&2 victory having never been behind. But all the attention was on the last hole where Fitzpatrick chipped his third to 15ft and Homa had to take a penalty drop for an unplayable lie in heavy rough. After taking a long time to assess his shot options he flopped to six feet past the hole and when Fitzpatrick missed his birdie attempt the American held his nerve to keep the Ryder Cup alive.

1517 – Homa missed a three-footer at the 16th hole – at which both he and Fitzpatrick drove into the water – which would have put him two up with two to play. Hatton splashed out of a bunker to within a couple of feet for birdie at that hole and when Harman could not follow him in from 15ft Europe had 14 points and were within half-a-point of victory. But with the USA leading the next four matches and Fleetwood only one up and Robert MacIntyre two up in the the last two games it was looking at potentially being a long wait unless Fitzpatrick could win the 18th.

1515 – Europe are just half a point away!

Hatton makes it 14-7 with a 3&2 victory against Harman.

1509 – An emotional McIlroy, asked about the controversy he was involved in on Saturday night, told Sky Sports: “I needed that to fuel me today and not let it take away from what has been a great week. I felt like I used it to my advantage and came out with a different level of focus and determination and in a way it gave the whole team a bit of fire in our bellies. I just wanted to win another point for Europe. Ever since Whistling Straits, I was so disappointed in my performance there (so) to come here and get four points for the team means a lot to me. It’s a great bounce back after Whistling Straits. The team we have is incredible. It’s a young team I think will be around for a long time. It’s been a great week for me personally but need to follow them and get them in the house.”

1502 – Another point for Europe. One and a half to go. McIlroy hit his tee shot to 10 foot at the par-three 17th with Burns on the right fringe and when he did not hole his chip he conceded for a 3&1 win for the Northern Irishman. McIlroy was fighting back tears in his interview after his victory.

1455 – Rose’s comeback came up short as Cantlay birdied the 17th to secure a 2&1 triumph.

1436 – Fleetwood Mac! Fleetwood chips in from a bunker on the ninth to move one ahead against Rickie Fowler. McIlroy’s three up with three to play versus Burns. Another point heading to Europe?

1430 – Rahm and Scheffler finishes all square. Did the pressure get to Scheffler? He hit a chip through the green and when Rahm rolled a wonderfully-weighted putt the whole length of the green to the side of the hole, it left his opponent needing to chip in to secure the point. He could not manage that and that allowed Europe to secure a half-point to move to 12 and within two and a half of victory.

1403 – Rose is on the charge! The Englishman looked down and out three down after 11, but he’s responded with back-to-back holes to set up a dramatic finish with Cantlay.

1355 – Scheffler had no issue with his putting there to go one ahead of Rahm. A rollercoaster of a match.

1342 – In a fascinating opening match, Scheffler hit back to tie up against Rahm with four to play. And, in the final contest of the afternoon, Robert MacIntyre took a two-hole lead over Wyndham Clark.

1305 – McIlroy got out of a spot of bother on the eighth, producing a good save to par, while Rahm found himself in the long grass again on the 11th and could not recover this time to slip behind against Scheffler, who produced a fine putt to win the hole.

Spieth took off his imaginary cap and roared with delight after taking a two-hole lead after three.

1250 – After a strong start, Rahm’s standards slipped a touch from the fifth. He lost the sixth and ninth and was in the rough on the 10th with a bridge in front of him, but produced an astonishing baseball-like shot to get on the green and eventually half the hole. Phew!

But McIlroy continued to dominate Burns, who slipped three behind with 11 holes to play.

1220 – Burns’ momentum was soon quashed by McIlroy winning the next hole, moving two up like Hatton, while Homa tied up against Fitzpatrick.

Hovland’s putt up and down a slope at the seventh maintained his three-hole lead as Morikawa had just a couple of feet for his birdie.

1200 – Burns hit back against McIlroy, who had taken the third hole, by producing a fine putt to half the deficit on the next.

1150 – Tyrrell Hatton holed a great putt to move one up against Brian Harman as Europe continued to dominate, although Scheffler ended Rahm’s two-hole winning run to cut the Spaniard’s lead in half.

That left Europe leading four of the five matches, with Rahm and Hovland both two up. What a start!

1110 – Morikawa was not enjoying the tee so far today, hitting another that stops just short of the long grass. Scheffler almost levelled his match with Rahm, but his putt on the second is just short.

Europe captain Donald does not believe last night’s tension will hamper his side today, telling Sky Sports: “We are excited, today is a new day. We want to start strong.”

Morikawa recovered well from the rough, finding the green on the first before missing a putt to win the hole. Cantlay, without a cap again, walks out to the first tee to boos from the crowd.

1050 – Close to hitting a spectator! Collin Morikawa could not follow the first two on the tee, firing his effort way left and into the crowd. First blood goes to Europe as Rahm sinks a brilliant 15-foot putt to win the first hole after Scheffler came up way short.

1040 – Two good tee shots from Rahm and Scheffler to settle the nerves. The crowd loved them. We are under way in Italy.

1030 – Five minutes until Masters champion Jon Rahm takes on world number one Scottie Scheffler in the first match. The Spaniard looks in the zone out there today. The atmosphere is building on the first tee.