Ryder Cup 2014: Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan lead USA fightback

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/27/ryder-cup-furyk-mahan-fourballs

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Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson were involved in one of the great Ryder Cup fourballs when they recovered from one down after one hole and two down after six against Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar to take a two-hole lead on the 13th and finish it 3&2 on the 16th green. Their combined score was a Ryder Cup record of 12-under.

The duo set the tone for a morning that began with Europe sitting on a 5-3 lead, the four players in the lead-off match producing a record 21 birdies between them with Rose responsible for seven of them and the European pair making birdie on the final 10 holes. At the end of a tremendous session of fourballs the overall score was 6½-5½ in Europe’s favour.

Only the difficult long par-three 4th was halved in par in the Rose and Stenson match with Kuchar recording birdies on the 1st and 6th to move USA two ahead before the Europeans peeled off birdie after birdie to finish it before noon.

The Swede, who has taken three points from three with Rose, was then given the afternoon off from foursomes as a precaution against a minor back problem.

Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed of the USA completed a 5&3 victory over Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer to make it two points from two for the rookie Texan pairing who trailed by two after four holes but recovered to level with a 15-footer at the par-three 6th from Spieth, or ‘Baby Jordan’ as the American around the green persisted in calling him.

Benign, still conditions and slightly faster greens were appreciated after the difficulty of the first day – when there had been overnight rain and in the afternoon the wind got up to three-club strength in places – and the USA’s Jim Furyk finally got the better of Lee Westwood in fourballs having picked up two halves in his seven previous matches against the Englishman.

He and Hunter Mahan, Furyk’s 16th partner in his ninth Ryder Cup, defeated Westwood and Jamie Donaldson 4&3. Mahan’s birdie at the 1st meant the USA were never behind and it was the Californian who was the dominant partner, making five birdies and driving the 320-yard 14th to make eagle to take the hole from Westwood, who had just completed his third birdie of the round.

The session all went down the fourth and final game with Rory McIlory reunited with Ian Poulter, the partnership that began the Miracle of Medinah last time out from 10-4 down. Poulter made birdie at the 1st to give Europe the early lead, Jimmy Walker levelled it at the 5th and McIlroy holed from 12-feet for birdie at the 6th only for Fowler to follow him for a high-quality half.

Europe were two up at the turn, level at the 12th and one down at the 13th although Poulter completed a miraculous chip from off the green at the 15th and although it only yielded a half, his celebrations completely changed the mood, not least among the galleries, and Poulter promptly made a birdie putt to again level the match at 16.

It all came too late for him, however, as the foursome pairings had to be submitted by 12.30 and after a scratchy morning Poulter was left on the sidelines as McIlory was sent out with Sergio García once again.

Fowler made a brave putt for a half in par at the 17th to send the match up the 18th and from the rough on the right of the fairway he was the only one of the four to reach the green in two and had a 20-footer for eagle and the match, but he left it slightly short and left. The young American is undefeated at Gleneagles but has still to win.