Thomas reaction to Koepka and Scheffler's massive Ryder Cup defeat says it all
Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka produced the worst performance in Ryder Cup history on Saturday, and American teammate Justin Thomas' reaction was caught on camera.
World number one Scheffler and the five-time major champion Koepka were seen as one of USA captain Zach Johnson's prime pairings at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome. But they suffered a humbling defeat in the foursomes to a rampant Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland.
The Scandinavian duo romped to a record-breaking 9&7 victory, going an incredible six-under-par in the alternate shot format. The Americans, meanwhile, were ragged from the very first tee shot, shooting a pair of double bogeys in the first three holes.
And Scheffler and Koepka finished an awful seven-over-par through 11 holes by the end of the match, and as news filtered around the course, Thomas' reaction summed up the mood of the American fans in the galleries.
"Nine and seven," Thomas appeared to say with a shocked and puzzled expression to his caddie Jim "Bones" MacKay during his match alongside Jordan Speith.
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And the two-time major champion's mood only worsened as he and Spieth let their match against Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood slip away in the closing holes, falling to a 2&1 defeat that extended Europe's massive advantage after a disastrous opening day for Johnson's charges.
Scheffler and Koepka's defeat surpassed the 7&6 beating suffered by Ken Brown and Des Smith to Hale Irwin and Tom Kite at the 1979 Ryder Cup, making it the worst defeat in the competition's history.
Justin Thomas' reaction spoke volumes after a massive loss for Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler. (Sky Sports)
Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka were a woeful seven-over-par by the end of their match. (Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images)Scheffler was reduced to tears as he reflected on the match with his loved ones watching from the other side of the ropes. The world number one and Koepka were dropped by Johnson for the afternoon fourballs session due to the thrashing.
Luke Donald's European team, meanwhile, is in dreamland after a scarcely believable opening three sessions at Marco Simone. A clean sweep in the Friday foursomes was followed by a gritty performance in the afternoon to deny any American resistance.
And on Saturday morning, the door was slammed on any realistic hopes of a comeback with a 3-1 foursomes win, with only rookie duo Brian Harman and Max Homa returning with a point to add to the tally.
With the Americans trailing 9.5-2.5 heading into the final fourballs session, talk of a "split" in the camp has emerged. According to Sky Sports, the American team room is "fractured", with Patrick Cantlay leading frustrations over players not being paid to take part in the Ryder Cup.
Johnson, however, told NBC his American team is "the closest team room I've ever been associated with" in response to suggestions of a rift in the camp.
Donald and his team, meanwhile, continue serenely on. He told Sky Sports: "What the US do is out of our control. For us, it is all about building team unity and working as a team."
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