United States edge ahead after morning fourballs

The United States snatched a late 2.5 to 1.5 lead from the morning fourballs at the Ryder Cup but more significant was the psychological advantage they gained from it.

Early on things appeared to be going the way of the hosts but once their talisman Ian Poulter, paired with debutant Stephen Gallacher on home soil, was destroyed 5&4 by rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed the tide turned as the US finished ahead by a point.

Poulter - Europe's leading points scorer for the last three Ryder Cups - had previously won seven matches in a row, with 11 victories in his last 12 outings, but his partnership with Gallacher always looked a gamble and it failed to come off as they managed just one birdie between them.

The short game of Jimmy Walker, who carried partner Rickie Fowler over the final 10 holes and twice chipped in to win a hole, allowed the Americans to then snatch half a point having recovered from an early blitz by their opponents.

It was a blow for Martin Kaymer, who holed the putt which retained the trophy for Europe in Medinah two years ago, and veteran Thomas Bjorn as they were three up after four and two up with three to play.

But worse was to follow as Europe's star pairing of world number one Rory McIlroy and number three-ranked Sergio Garcia lost to America's top two Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley at the 18th hole in a match which swung both ways but which the Europeans led with three holes to play.

It meant the point secured by Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, who led off the team and swept aside an out-of-sorts Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, seemed a very long time ago.

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McIlroy, whose match took almost five and a half hours and meant the final foursomes were put back by 36 minutes, said: "We're very disappointed, but (have) just got to pick ourselves up this afternoon and make up for it.

"It was a little scrappy at times but we fought until the end. Obviously (we're) a little disappointed that neither of us made birdie at the last."

Garcia added: "Probably the fairest thing would have been a draw, but you're not supposed to be fair here. They played the last two par fives well and they beat us."

McIlroy and Garcia at least had the opportunity to make amends against Fowler and Walker, but it was no surprise that Gallacher and Poulter were given the afternoon off.

"The first tee was magic, just exactly what I was expecting," Gallacher said. "The fans have been great all the way around. Just a shame we never really got the birdies today to compete with them."

Poulter, who also sat out the second session in Medinah despite winning his opening match on that occasion, added: "Clearly in this format you have to hole putts. We didn't do that. They did and obviously it's a point on the board for them."

Both captains did as they predicted and picked the four players who had sat out the morning for the afternoon foursomes, with Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson taking on Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk, Rose and Stenson staying together to face Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson and Graeme McDowell and Victor Dubuisson in the final match against Mickelson and Bradley.

US captain Tom Watson surprisingly left out Spieth and Reed after their comprehensive victory, admitting: "They were very upset with me for not playing them this afternoon. I said, I know you're going to be mad at me, but you'll be playing tomorrow for sure."

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