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Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley stun Europe as USA lead Ryder Cup Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley stun Europe as USA lead Ryder Cup
(35 minutes later)
In the end it came down to a three-footer for Phil Mickelson for a birdie, after he splashed out of a greenside bunker with aplomb for USA and won their match against Rory McIlroy and Sergio García one-up. With it, the USA took the morning fourballs session 2½-1½ McIlroy had produced a poor shot from the same trap and, after the Northern Irishman missed his par putt and Keegan Bradley another for his birdie and the match, García sank his to force Mickelson to make his and win the point. The American pair had been one down until Bradley hit an eagle on the 16th. In the end it came down to a three-footer for Phil Mickelson for a birdie, after he splashed out of a greenside bunker with aplomb for the USA and won their match against Rory McIlroy and Sergio García one-up. With it, the USA took the morning fourballs session 2½-1½. McIlroy had produced a poor shot from the same trap and, after the Northern Irishman missed his par putt and Keegan Bradley another for his birdie and the match, García sank his to force Mickelson to make his and win the point. The American pair had been one down until Bradley hit an eagle on the 16th.
“We were really struggling there for a while,” Mickelson said afterwards, “but what Keegan did there at 16 gave me a huge adrenaline boost but it’s only one point amongst many.”“We were really struggling there for a while,” Mickelson said afterwards, “but what Keegan did there at 16 gave me a huge adrenaline boost but it’s only one point amongst many.”
The marquee fourball had gone up the 18th as many thought it would after the 1st was halved in birdie, and after around five and a half hours of play there was still little between the teams as the lead changed hands four times over the 18 holes.The marquee fourball had gone up the 18th as many thought it would after the 1st was halved in birdie, and after around five and a half hours of play there was still little between the teams as the lead changed hands four times over the 18 holes.
The game had stayed level until García chipped in from the sand for birdie two at the 4th, the ball hitting the pin and dropping when it would probably have finished a long way past it, and though Mickelson had a 30-footer for a half his ball pulled up short and the USA slipped to one-down and with it the live match score went to 3-1 for Europe.The game had stayed level until García chipped in from the sand for birdie two at the 4th, the ball hitting the pin and dropping when it would probably have finished a long way past it, and though Mickelson had a 30-footer for a half his ball pulled up short and the USA slipped to one-down and with it the live match score went to 3-1 for Europe.
García missed a par putt on the 7th and Bradley holed his to level the game, McIlroy missed his birdie putt at the long 9th and Bradley made his to put USA ahead for the first time, and the same happened at the par-three 10th where Bradley drained the longer one and the world No1 again missed. García missed a par putt on the 7th and Bradley holed his to level the game, McIlroy missed his birdie putt at the long 9th and Bradley made his to put the USA ahead for the first time, and the same happened at the par-three 10th where Bradley drained the longer one and the world No1 again missed.
Garcia won the 11th in par. McIlroy doing the same at the 13th and, after Mickelson missed a tiddler at the 15th, another par from McIlroy’s put Europe into a one-shot lead but Bradley again squared it with that eagle at the 16th to level the match. After sharing the 17th in par, USA got the job done at the last. Garcia won the 11th in par. McIlroy doing the same at the 13th and, after Mickelson missed a tiddler at the 15th, another par from McIlroy’s put Europe into a one-shot lead but Bradley again squared it with that eagle at the 16th to level the match. After sharing the 17th in par, the USA got the job done at the last.
Earlier, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson had finished off the USA pairing of Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 5&4 and with very little to concern them to put the first point of the day on the board for Europe in the lead-off game.Earlier, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson had finished off the USA pairing of Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 5&4 and with very little to concern them to put the first point of the day on the board for Europe in the lead-off game.
Watson and Simpson won both their fourballs 5&4 at Medinah in 2012, and it was the latter’s track record with the Masters champion that helped secure him a wildcard from the captain, Tom Watson, but they took a real hiding on a fine autumnal morning which turned grey, windy and a little damp as the round wore on.Watson and Simpson won both their fourballs 5&4 at Medinah in 2012, and it was the latter’s track record with the Masters champion that helped secure him a wildcard from the captain, Tom Watson, but they took a real hiding on a fine autumnal morning which turned grey, windy and a little damp as the round wore on.
“That’s the job, that’s the role, when you go out one that’s the position obviously the captain put you into to go deliver a point,” Rose said afterwards. “That’s what me and the Ice Man [Stenson] came to do today. We got off to a good start and we know how key that was. The course was playing hard early and we managed to steal a few birdies when we could.” “That’s the job, that’s the role, when you go out, that’s the position obviously the captain put you into to go deliver a point,” Rose said afterwards. “That’s what me and the Ice Man [Stenson] came to do today. We got off to a good start and we know how key that was. The course was playing hard early and we managed to steal a few birdies when we could.”
Simpson, who hit the first shot of the match, and Watson halved the 1st in par but went one down at the 2nd, where Stenson made birdie and Watson missed a six-footer. Rose made a slightly longer putt to put Europe two ahead at the par-three 4th and they had chance after chance to increase the lead to three before finally doing so at the 9th, where Simpson missed a birdie chance from 10 feet and Stenson stood over a seven-footer and sank it.Simpson, who hit the first shot of the match, and Watson halved the 1st in par but went one down at the 2nd, where Stenson made birdie and Watson missed a six-footer. Rose made a slightly longer putt to put Europe two ahead at the par-three 4th and they had chance after chance to increase the lead to three before finally doing so at the 9th, where Simpson missed a birdie chance from 10 feet and Stenson stood over a seven-footer and sank it.
USA dropped another at the 10th, Rose again making birdie, and when the Englishman dropped another one in at the 14th it was all over for the Americans. After shaking hands they went into a group huddle with their caddies while the European pair contemplated an extra few minutes for lunch before their reappearance in the foursomes against Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson. The USA dropped another at the 10th, Rose again making birdie, and when the Englishman dropped another one in at the 14th it was all over for the Americans. After shaking hands they went into a group huddle with their caddies while the European pair contemplated an extra few minutes for lunch before their reappearance in the foursomes against Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson.
Europe offered surprisingly little resistance in the third game, however, and the USA had it won 5&4 just past midday as the Texan rookie pairing of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, who have played together countless times in junior amateur events, won the 1st in par and never looked back.Europe offered surprisingly little resistance in the third game, however, and the USA had it won 5&4 just past midday as the Texan rookie pairing of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, who have played together countless times in junior amateur events, won the 1st in par and never looked back.
Ian Poulter of all people splashed out of a bunker but then missed his three-footer for a half and that set the tone as Europe’s talisman and his rookie partner, Stephen Gallacher, who found a bunker with his first drive, got off to a shaky start and struggled to cope from there on in.Ian Poulter of all people splashed out of a bunker but then missed his three-footer for a half and that set the tone as Europe’s talisman and his rookie partner, Stephen Gallacher, who found a bunker with his first drive, got off to a shaky start and struggled to cope from there on in.
Gallacher did hole a 15-footer to halve the 2nd in birdie but the Texans went two up at the 6th as Reed made birdie and Spieth repeated the feat on the 7th and the gap went to three.Gallacher did hole a 15-footer to halve the 2nd in birdie but the Texans went two up at the 6th as Reed made birdie and Spieth repeated the feat on the 7th and the gap went to three.
The Europeans were five down by the 10th, birdies for Reed at the 9th and Spieth at the next putting them in uncharted waters for a rookie pairing at a Ryder Cup, five ahead and with holes running out. That was soon to become six as Reed won the 11th and, though Gallacher got one back at the 12th, it was only a matter of time before USA completed their win, although surprisingly the Texan pair were not required for service in the afternoon foursomes.The Europeans were five down by the 10th, birdies for Reed at the 9th and Spieth at the next putting them in uncharted waters for a rookie pairing at a Ryder Cup, five ahead and with holes running out. That was soon to become six as Reed won the 11th and, though Gallacher got one back at the 12th, it was only a matter of time before USA completed their win, although surprisingly the Texan pair were not required for service in the afternoon foursomes.
Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker were called up, however, despite finishing almost an hour later and with a half point. They had trailed from the 1st, where Martin Kaymer made birdie before Thomas Bjorn followed it up with another at the 2nd.Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker were called up, however, despite finishing almost an hour later and with a half point. They had trailed from the 1st, where Martin Kaymer made birdie before Thomas Bjorn followed it up with another at the 2nd.
Kaymer produced another with a two at the 4th to put Europe three ahead but Fowler immediately got one back and Walker holed from the sand for eagle at the 9th to get the USA back to one down and back in the game.Kaymer produced another with a two at the 4th to put Europe three ahead but Fowler immediately got one back and Walker holed from the sand for eagle at the 9th to get the USA back to one down and back in the game.
Bjorn made birdie at the 13th to restore the two-hole advantage but after Walker, who until the 18th did not make a significant putt all day, again chipped in, this time for birdie, at the par-five 16th , pars at the 17th sent the match went down the 18th. Bjorn and Kaymer missed difficult birdie putts for the match but Walker still had his six-footer for a half, and he duly made it. Bjorn made birdie at the 13th to restore the two-hole advantage but after Walker, who until the 18th did not make a significant putt all day, again chipped in, this time for birdie, at the par-five 16th, pars at the 17th sent the match went down the 18th. Bjorn and Kaymer missed difficult birdie putts for the match but Walker still had his six-footer for a half, and he duly made it.