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Europe stormed into a first-day 5-3 lead over the United States at the Ryder Cup yesterday after three out of four wins and a late comeback from Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia in the foursomes. |
World number one McIlroy and number three Garcia rescued a half point against Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker after closing with three birdies when trailing 2-0 at the 16th.
The United States took a 2.5-1.5 lead after the morning’s four fourball matches at Gleneagles, but the Europeans ran away with the points in the afternoon.
Wildcard pick Lee Westwood and 38-year-old Welsh rookie Jamie Donaldson were the first of the foursome winners after getting the better of Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar by two holes.
“I love it, kind of watching somebody take to it like a duck to water,” Westwood said of his partner’s game.
“There was no doubt in my mind that Jamie was up to the task. He just played great out there, never missed a shot. Between us, we were around about four under and that was a high quality match in these kind of conditions.”
Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson followed up a win in fourball by defeating Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson, while the pairing of French rookie Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell upset Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.
As in the morning fourball defeat over the last three holes by Mickelson and Bradley, McIlroy and Garcia again saw a lead slip away and they seemed to be heading for a second disappointment after Fowler and Walker also birdied the 16th to stay two up.
But the Europeans rallied, thanks to a 40-foot putt from McIlroy on the 17th and a superb second shot from the rough onto the 18th green by Garcia to finish with three successive birdies.
“We were three-under for the last three holes. We just wanted to ask them a question and get them going and we were able to do that,” McIlroy said.
“And Sergio had the shot of the day at the last. It was big, and at least we get something out of the day. We played two really tough matches and we have half a point to show for it.”
Fowler said: “Half point is still a half point. It’s puts a half point on the board for us. Unfortunately, it hurts a little bit because we were up and we had control of the match coming in. Rory made an awesome putt on 17, and that’s out of our control.”
It was the second halved match for Fowler and 35-year-old Walker, who had snatched a late half point from Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjoern in the fourball.
Rose and Stenson delivered twice for captain Paul McGinley after defeating Masters winner Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 2&1.
US captain Tom Watson’s gamble of fielding two rookies together paid off when Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed won 5&4 against Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter.
Poulter, Europe’s top point scorer at the last three Ryder Cups, was a target for Watson who will be hoping his defeat could yet prove pyschologically crucial.
The Englishman never recovered after missing a short putt on the first green and Scotland’s rookie Gallacher was also unable to fire up the local crowd. “I think everybody on the team wants Poulter and we were able to have him first,” Spieth said.
Spieth, 21, and 24-year-old Reed - the youngest pairing in Ryder Cup history - were six up after 11 holes before winning 5&4. Watson may be ruing the fact he did not pair them up again for the afternoon.
Mickelson and Bradley enjoyed a ding-dong battle against McIlroy and Garcia in the morning. They were two up by the 10th but then went behind until Bradley squared it again with an eagle on the 16th.
Mickelson completed the victory by holing from two feet on the last hole.
“You can’t explain it,” Bradley said of his eagle. “It’s like you’re drinking 500 cups of coffee at once. It’s just a blast. I’m having the time of my life again.”
However the US duo were unable to raise their game in the afternoon against a solid Dubuisson and McDowell and five-time Major winner Mickelson missed two short putts on the fourth and fifth on the way to a 3&2 defeat.
Huge crowds packed the tees and fairways of the course in a boisterous start on a cold but generally bright and blustery day, with the first players entering the arena to a football-like chorus of chants.
Today will see a repeat of fourball and foursomes before tomorrow’s all singles.