Hope might be too strong of a word, but Shane Lowry's final putt late on Saturday kept Europe alive in the Ryder Cup.
Lowry partnered with Tyrrell Hatton to defeat Tony Finau and Harris English.
The Clara man has been one of the few in the European team to match the intensity of the American side. Padraig Harrington needs a strong performance from his team on the final day just to avoid a historic loss.
After entering Saturday with a 6-2 lead, America enters today with an 11-5 lead. Not team has ever overcome such a deficit on the final day to win the Ryder Cup. Worryingly, no team has ever come close.
On two occasions, once in 1999 and once in 2012, a team overcame a four-point deficit on the final day. The Americans did it once and the Europeans did it once.
No team has ever overcome more than four points. In fact, only nine times more than 40 tournaments has a team ever come from behind on the final day to win. Padraig Harrington's men will make history if they manage it, but they'll need a good performance today just to avoid making history in the opposite direction.
Lowry has matched the intensity of the American team throughout.
It was incredible to learn of Ryder Cup pick alongside my dad | Shane Lowry.
This is what it means to me. Big day tomorrow 🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺 @RyderCupEurope pic.twitter.com/KhF05YnPUL
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) September 26, 2021
He will play second against Patrick Cantlay, teeing off at 5.15pm Irish time. Before Lowry takes to the course, Rory McIlroy will hope to reverse his fortunes at 5.04pm in the first matchup against Xander Schauffele.
5.04pm - Rory McIlroy v Xander Schauffele
5.15pm - Shane Lowry v Patrick Cantlay
5.26pm - Jon Rahm v Scottie Scheffler
5.37pm - Sergio Garcia v Bryson DeChambeau
5.48pm - Viktor Hovland v Collin Morikawa
5.59pm - Paul Casey v Dustin Johnson
6.10pm - Bernd Wiesberger v Brooks Koepka
6.21pm - Ian Poulter v Tony Finau
6.32pm - Tyrrell Hatton v Justin Thomas
6.43pm - Lee Westwood v Harris English
6.54pm - Tommy Fleetwood v Jordan Spieth
7.05pm - Matt Fitzpatrick v Daniel Berger
The American team requires just three and a half points to win. As such, it's vital that Lowry and McIlroy get off to winning starts.
Harrington has trusted his Irish teammates to set the tone. He isn't brimming in confidence but he hasn't accepted defeat just yet either.
"Six points is a tough one to make up tomorrow," he said.
"But I think we were a half-point short of that in the Miracle at Medinah on Sunday, so we're just going to have to push for that tomorrow. There's no doubt that's going to be very strong on our minds.
Even reversing it to Brookline. I know that was a four-point gap. These things can be done. But again, it is more of an individual game tomorrow and getting them to focus on winning their point.
I'm sure they know they have a very tall order ahead of them, but it's still possible."
Denis Kirwan live from Whistling Straights.
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