SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — There was nothing tense about the afternoon session in the 42nd Ryder Cup.

Now the U.S. is in a tight spot at Le Golf National. And in desperate need of an elixir to overcome its ills in foursomes play.

A wave of blue swept over this massive expanse in foursomes (alternate shot) on Friday as Europe took control of the Ryder Cup with an afternoon sweep to the delight of more than 50,000 fans. It wasn’t just that the U.S. got whitewashed; it was the scale of the beatdown after the Americans got off to a perfect start to retaining the little gold trophy by taking a 3-1 lead in the morning’s fourballs session.

The numbers were staggering as Europe swept a session for the first time since 1989 and took a 5-3 lead into Saturday. The U.S. led just one match in foursomes and that was for the first six holes. The U.S. won two, yes two, of the 36 holes played on the front nine. In all, the U.S. won just 10 of the 60 holes played in the afternoon, made 19 bogeys and just eight birdies.

More:Tiger plays poorly in fourballs as his day ends in defeat

More:Woods remains with Reed in Team USA's Saturday fourball lineup

The USA’s play in foursomes is a recurring nightmare in Europe. No matter the country, the U.S. gets trounced in foursomes. It did in Ireland in 2006, in Wales in 2010, in Scotland in 2014, and so far, in France in 2018. All told, the U.S. has won just 7½ of a possible 28 points in foursomes in Europe, dating to the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club.

On the flip side, the Americans won 15 of a possible 24 points in foursomes in the last three Ryder Cups on U.S. soil. Maybe captain Jim Furyk needs to bring into the team room a magician to hypnotize the Americans into thinking they’re back in the states. Or shake up the dinner menu. Whatever Furyk does, he needs to regroup a squad that left the course dazed and confused and looking like it was psychologically bruised.

But what he won’t do is panic.

“I’m sure we’ll shake things up for the afternoon and we’ve already talked about it,” Furyk said. “It left a bad taste in their mouths, but I’m confident the guys will rebound. We have a lot of experience in the format, and I have a lot of confidence in the guys.”

Making the foursomes flops even more painful is there really are no explanations. Yes, the Euros play foursomes far more frequently growing up than the Americans do, but that doesn’t explain the USA’s success in the format in the states.

The rhythm of playing alternate shot is difficult to master, but that’s the case for the Europeans, too. And it’s certainly not a result of the lack of talent. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and No. 9 Rickie Fowler, who steamrolled Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen 4 and 2 in the morning, were no match in the afternoon for the juggernaut of Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose, who improved to 5-2-0 as a team with a 3-and-2 win.

McIlroy, who was the only player not to make a birdie in the morning, regained his swagger in the afternoon alongside Ian Poulter as the two routed major champions Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson, 4 and 2. Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson and No. 7 Bryson DeChambeau had zero swagger in a 5-and-4 drubbing administered by Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren.

And major champions Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, after a solid performance in a 1-up victory in the morning over Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton, were whipped, 5 and 4, in the afternoon by Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood.

“Give credit to the Europeans. They played very well,” Furyk said. “It was only four of 28 points we play for. It was significant. But we’ll use it to motivate us.”

And one would expect Tiger Woods to bounce back. Playing in the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2012, he got off to a good start before he and Patrick Reed withered late and lost in the morning to Molinari and Fleetwood, 3 and 1.

It gave Europe a boost to see Woods and Reed, aka Captain America, fall. It would be a psychological boost for the Americans to see them win Saturday morning.

“I'm not going to work on anything. My game is fine,” Woods said after his match. “My cut really wasn't cutting off the tee today. I was hammering it. The ball was going far. It was going straight, but it was not cutting. I can accept that. That's no big deal. My putting feels solid. I'll be ready come tomorrow whenever captain puts me out.”