Rory McIlroy puts first singles point on the board

Seven birdies and an eagle helped Rory McIlroy to record an emphatic 5&4 victory over Rickie Fowler in the Ryder Cup singles this afternoon.

A birdie-eagle-birdie combination on the opening three holes put the Northern Irishman 3 Up and while Fowler was able to stem the tide with a birdie to halve the fourth hole, it only halted McIlroy momentarily as further birdies arrived at five and six.

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On the seventh, though, there was a lapse from McIlroy as he failed to get on the green in two and Fowler took full advantage to claw back a hole, but he could not repeat that on the eighth as he missed a birdie opportunity.

Fowler then matched McIlroy stroke for stroke for the next four holes, but it was events on the 13th that all but ended the contest. Fowler had a two-putt to halve the hole, but he failed to sink his ball on both occasions, which putt McIlroy 5 Up with five to play.

Needing to win every remaining hole for a share of the spoils, Fowler could only halve the 14th, meaning that McIlroy had won with four to spare.