Europe routed to a 6.5-1.5 win on opening day as Johnson's team made history for all the wrong reasons in Rome.
Team USA failed to win a match on Day One at the Ryder Cup for the first time ever - and one decision in particular from captain Zach Johnson has been branded "a disgrace."
Johnson was seen texting for help after Friday's Foursomes headed towards a whitewash as Team Europe won four from four in Rome. Four Euro pairings including the 'Fleetwood Mac' duo of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood blew their adversaries across the Atlantic away. And that was followed up by a battling late afternoon session that saw Jon Rahm rescue a half point with the final put in the Fourballs, sending Europe into Day Two with five wins and a five-point lead.
While European skipper Luke Donald celebrated, Johnson was left with his head in his hands and perhaps rueing his decision to give his stars a long break before the action in Italy kicked off. That's the view of former European Tour golfer Andrew Coltart, anyway, as the Scot laid into Johnson live on Sky Sports.
He said: "The massive question I've got for Zach Johnson is who in the right mind thinks the right way to prepare for a Ryder Cup is to take five weeks off? Nine of the 12 American players took five weeks off. It's disgraceful." Johnson also got it in the neck on social media for his decision to leave a number of high-profile LIV golfers at home. Brooks Koepka was the only non-PGA player picked by Team USA with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson among those left out. And after the 6.5-1.5 result hit home, LIV Golf Nation wrote: "This is what happens when you leave 3 of the top 10 golfers in the world at home," with pictures of the three high-profile omissions.
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