Ryder Cup: Viktor Hovland aces practice hole as Europe win Junior Cup in style

Hovland warmed up for Friday's start of the tournament by holing his tee shot at the par-four fifth hole at Marco Simone.

Unfortunately for the world number four it was only a practice round and it was his second attempt at going for the green on the 300-plus yard hole which is guarded by water.

The 24-year-old had fanned his first attempt pin-high into the right rough and reloaded with his three-wood and landed the ball on the green.

He turned away to walk back to his bag only to see the ball roll into the hole followed by loud cheers, him tossing his club away, playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick jumping on his back and fellow team-mate Tyrrell Hatton struggling to contain his laughter.

Meanwhile, Europe ended a run of six straight defeats in emphatic fashion as they thrashed the United States by 11 points in the Junior Ryder Cup.

Captained by former Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher, the home side had opened up a 12-6 lead over the first two days at Golf Nazionale in Rome.

And when the action switched to the Ryder Cup venue of Marco Simone on Thursday the European side won seven of the 12 singles matches and halved three to complete a 20.5 to 9.5 rout.

Scotland's Connor Graham and England's Kris Kim both won their singles matches, with Spain's Andrea Revuelta also beating Ryleigh Knaub 8&6.

“The first two days set us up and the only thing they had to do here today was try and overcome the occasion as they were all playing great and I'm chuffed to bits as they actually thrived,” Gallacher said.

"We're going to look back and there's going to be Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup players and maybe even world number ones who will come from this event and I feel blessed to have had a front-row seat watching them this week."

Europe's most recent victory in the event had come in 2004 when a side featuring Rory McIlroy and Carlota Ciganda won in Ohio.

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