Ryder Cup records that could be broken this week

Europe triumphed in the afternoon Friday foursomes session at the Ryder Cup, winning all four points for the first time in the team’s history.

But it wasn’t the only record to be broken or matched on Friday. 

Sergio Garcia tied the record for the most foursomes points won in the Ryder Cup by any player after his win with Alex Noren, joining Bernhard Langer on 11.5. If he wins his match on Saturday afternoon, he would overtake him.  

> Saturday: Pairings & Tee Times
> Europe complete first ever foursomes whitewash
> USA Dominate Friday Fourballs

And the other two records are ones Phil Mickelson would likely rather not be associated with. Having lost his afternoon fourball match, Mickelson has now lost the highest number of Ryder Cup matches (21) by a US player, and has matched the highest number in history, with Neil Coles and Christy O’Connor Sr. He also tied the most foursome matches lost with Raymond Floyd, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods, on eight. He isn’t playing on Saturday afternoon, but if Tiger loses, he could own that accolade outright. 

But what other Ryder Cup records that could be broken this week? 

Ryder Cup points won
25: The record number of Ryder Cup Points won by Nick Faldo. With his win during both foursomes and fourball sessions Sergio Garcia moves to 24.5, and if he wins either his match with Noren on Saturday afternoon or his singles on Sunday, he has a chance to overtake him. 

Singles matches won
6: Phil Mickelson has the chance to match the highest number of singles matches won by a player in the Ryder Cup, joining four Americans (Casper, Palmer, Snead, Trevino) and three European’s (Faldo, Montgomerie, Oosterhuis). He’s currently on 5.

5 Career matches (in a row) unbeaten
Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood both have a chance to become the first European players to play in five matches in a row without being beaten, having won their first two matches. Molinari halved his match against Woods in 2012 (the last time he played Ryder Cup), meaning he needs to go just one more without losing, while Fleetwood would have to win or get a halve in his next two matches. American’s Jimmy Demaret and Bobby Nichols have both achieved it. 

Singles: Margin of victory
8&7: The largest margin of victory in a singles match has happened twice, once in 1989 when Tom Kite beat Howard Clark, and a second time in 1997 when Fred Couples beat Ian Woosnam. It’s a record that is up for grabs this week.

Foursomes: Margin of victory
7&6: The largest margin of victory in foursomes. Alex Noren and Sergio Garcia looked like they might break this on Friday afternoon having gone 7up through 9 holes, but would eventually win 5&4 against Mickelson & DeChambeau

Points scored in one Ryder Cup: 5
So far, two players have the chance to match the highest number of points earned by one player in a single Ryder Cup. Larry Nelson is the only player to have won 5 points from 5 available points (in 1979), with others achieving 5 from 6 available. Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari both have a chance this week, having won all three of their matches together. 

Points scored by a European Rookie
Thomas Pieters impressed on his 2016 debut, finishing as the top points scorer for Europe with 4/5. So far, Tommy Fleetwood is 3/3, and is the only player likely to challenge for this spot.