Ryder Cup: Awesome force some

Europe roar back to lead by 2 after the United States had gone ahead at half-way mark.

Europe’s Graeme McDowell celebrates putting out to win the match 3 and 2 to play during the foursomes match on the first day of the Ryder Cup golf tournament. (Source: AP)

Europe produced a stirring fightback to win three and halve one of their Ryder Cup foursomes matches against the United States and take a 5-3 lead after a typically tense, fluctuating and hugely entertaining first day on Friday.

Lee Westwood, playing his ninth Ryder Cup, and rookie Jamie Donaldson played some of the best golf of the day to beat Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar 2-up in the alternate shot format. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson got their second point with an impressive two-up victory over Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson having earlier hammered Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 5 & 4.

Victor Dubuisson, another debutant, and Graeme McDowell were too strong for Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, who had beaten world numbers one and three Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia on the last hole in the fourballs.

Europe’s strongest-looking team were off the pace almost all day but finished with two brilliant birdies on 17 and 18 to salvage a half against rookie Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler, who themselves came from three-down to halve with Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer in the morning.

The US, seeking a first win on foreign soil since 1993, had taken the morning fourballs 2-1/2 points to 1-1/2 after the gusting conditions left many players struggling. That group did not include American rookie duo Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, however, as they silenced Ian Poulter and Scottish new boy Stephen Gallacher with a crushing 5 & 4 win.

Rookies rock

Earlier in the day, United States, inspired by a brilliant display from rookies Reed and Spieth, led by 2-1/2 points to 1-1/2 after a topsy-turvy opening fourballs session. Holders Europe, helped by a magical stroke from Garcia who holed out from a greenside bunker at the fourth, held the upper hand early on but the visitors fought back strongly as the gusting winds picked up speed. Spieth, 21, and Reed, 24, forming the youngest partnership in the history of the biennial team event, crushed out-of-sorts Poulter and Gallacher in match three.

Reed and Spieth never looked back after they were gifted the opening hole when European talisman Poulter missed a par putt from three feet. The American tyros were never behind and a dazzling run of five birdies in six holes around the turn silenced a patriotic Gleneagles crowd.

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“It was very quiet around our group and that was a goal we had to achieve,” Spieth told reporters. “It was nice to have a partner who was making everything he looked at. We kind of convinced the captain that we were a great better-ball team, that is our strong format.”

Poulter, so often the cheerleader of Europe’s team, was strangely quiet and subdued and neither he nor Gallacher managed a single birdie. Home skipper Paul McGinley was also hoping for great things from McIlroy and Garcia in the final match of the morning but they narrowly lost out at the 18th.

It looked as though the crowd were going to be treated to some fireworks when Mickelson played a majestic approach to three feet at the first and McIlroy hit back by ramming in a 14-foot effort for a half.

Garcia’s holed bunker shot gave Europe the initiative but three birdies in four holes around the turn put Mickelson and Bradley two up. The Americans then threw their advantage away with some loose scoring, leaving the match all square going down the par-five 18th. This time it was Garcia and McIlroy’s turn to mess up and a three-foot par putt from Mickelson was enough to secure a one-hole win.

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The opening match proved a cakewalk for European anchormen Rose and Stenson as they brushed aside Watson and Simpson who also did not manage a single birdie between them. Rose shrugged off a bee sting on his thumb to roll in a seven-foot putt at the 14th that ended the challenge of the lacklustre American pair.

Mickelson’s record

Mickelson became the first American to play in 10 Ryder Cups and duly marked the occasion with a trademark flourish on the final hole to earn a one-up victory with Bradley against Europe’s strongest team. Before this week the five-time major champion had been on the losing side seven times in nine Cups, winning 14 matches but losing an American record 18 – including five in singles. He was below his best again on Friday as a gusting wind seemed to be effecting his distance judgement, but luckily for the Americans, Europe’s big two were not much better.

Friday’s results Foursomes

Jamie Donaldson/Lee Westwood (Europe) bt Jim Furyk/Matt Kuchar (US) 2 up; Justin Rose/ Henrik Stenson (Europe) bt Hunter Mahan/Zach Johnson (US) 2 & 1; Rory McIlroy/Sergio Garcia (Europe) halved with Jimmy Walker/Rickie Fowler (US); Victor Dubuisson/Graeme McDowell (Europe) bt Phil Mickelson/Keegan Bradley (US) 3 & 2; Fourballs: Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson (Europe) bt Bubba Watson/Webb Simpson (US) 5 & 4; Rickie Fowler/Jimmy Walker (US) halved with Thomas Bjorn/Martin Kaymer (Europe);Jordan Spieth/ Patrick Reed (US) bt Stephen Gallacher/Ian Poulter (Europe) 5 & 4; Keegan Bradley/Phil Mickelson (US) bt Sergio Garcia/Rory McIlroy (Europe) 1 up (Europe lead US 5 – 3)