So much for the momentum and the promises! During those “who might let down Team USA” conversations, Scottie Scheffler escaped scrutiny all along. Yes, he had a poor performance at Rome, but he was still the World No. 1, who won two majors this year. And ultimately because he is Scottie Freaking Scheffler.

But then came the Ryder Cup.

In the morning foursome, paired with Russell Henley against Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie birdied the second hole. It was a tie until the 3rd, but Aberg & Fitzy blistered the field after that. On the 15th, Henley bogeyed, handing Ludvig and Fitzy a cozy 5 & 3 victory.

In the fourballs, Scottie Scheffler, paired with J.J. Spaun, birdied the first hole to go 1-up. He also birdied three of the final four holes, draining a long putt on the 15th. Check out the rare glimpse of an emotionally charged Scottie.

But Rahm poured cold water on any hopes of a comeback. And by the 16th, the match was done. With that, Scheffler’s record went from poor to agonizing:

You might argue Keegan should bench him. But when you bench the team’s top dog, that’s a moral blow to the 11 others. So, Bradley’s hands are tied. What’s even more baffling is that Scheffler has three top-fives in three match-play events on the PGA Tour.

But at the Ryder Cup? He seems to be walking the same path as Tiger Woods (13-21-3). Not the record book Scottie wanted to enter.

Beyond Scottie’s historically disappointing Friday run, a lot of other important moments took place. We’ve listed three of the moments you (probably) missed.

Why so quiet? The American fans started the day with much vigor, but the European pros swiftly dimmed the lights. McIlroy, Fleetwood, Rahm, and Aberg took control, leaving Keegan’s men in the dust. Cue the eerie silence, and a group of European fans took full advantage of that. Listen to this mocking chant that earned a round of applause from Lowry & his teammates.

Great escape: Tyrrell Hatton's tee shot on the 6th veered left into trouble. The Englishman and foursome partner, Jon Rahm, had a hard time spotting the ball. Then Rahm conjured a stunning recovery from knee-length fescue, forcing a clap out of fans who were booing the Spaniard just moments before. We present to you the best shot of yesterday:

Rory roars: Rory McIlroy decided to turn up the heat yesterday amid constant booing and jeering from spectators. He sank back-to-back birdies on 6 and 7. And then unleashed this guttural roar that almost took the roof off the place. We bet you never heard him scream this loud!

Well, that pretty much sums up day one of the Ryder Cup for you. But before we move on to our prediction for today, we’ve a question for you…

Keegan Bradley is looking to flip the script on Saturday morning by pinning his hopes on the two best players: Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Against whom? Formidable duo of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. These two are yet to lose a foursome paired together (3-0-1). Yesterday, Rahm was on fire. And Hatton might have slipped under your radar, but watch this jaw-dropping recovery shot he pulled off between two trees and a fallen branch blocking his way.

So, Schauffele and Cantlay might just be the perfect pair to stop them. We’re not talking just about the chemistry, which was evident from their post-round interview as well. Hear what they had to say. But Cantlay and Schauffele are 3-2-0 in foursomes as pairs. On top of it, Schauffele averages 312.8 yards off the tee, while Cantlay ranks 13th in SG: Approach from 150-175 yards and 18th in scrambling from 30 yards.

So, Schauffele can leverage his length, while Cantlay's approach and short game will give the pairing an advantage. Additionally, both putted well yesterday. Schauffele sank a clutch 14-footer on 8, while Cantlay drained a clutch birdie on the 18th to rack one point in the foursomes. So, these two close friends are Bradley’s best hopes, and quite understandably so.

Our Prediction: Schauffele & Cantlay go 2-up against Hatton & Rahm.

With 50,000 fans expected daily at Bethpage, the energy on the first day was electric. For American fans, maybe not so much. After Bryson’s monster opening tee shot — and this rare Justin Thomas moment — the team gave little to celebrate. Meanwhile, the Europeans brought the noise.

By the end of the day, it must’ve been enervating. To offer some context: 3 a.m. wake-up calls, all-nighters, and camping out for prime seats. The 3,500-seat amphitheater was mobbed within minutes of the 5 a.m. gates opening, two hours before the first tee. And this picture of two diehard European fans says it all. Talk about dedication. Or insanity. Either way, it's impressive.