Wilson seals dramatic debut

European duo fight back from four down to emerge triumphant

Last updated: 20th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Wilson seals dramatic debut

Wilson: Sinks winning putt at 17

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Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson fought back in superb fashion to secure a memorable 2 and 1 victory over Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim in the Saturday morning foursomes.

The European duo endured a dreadful start as they fell four behind after just six holes, but maintained their composure to launch a thrilling fightback.

Having chipped away at the lead on the back nine, they finally moved ahead on the 15th as Mickelson and Kim, so productive for the Americans on Friday, began to falter.

In the end it was rookie Wilson who delivered the killer blow as he sunk a 20 foot birdie putt on the 17th to close out the match.

Having sat out the first day of action, the Englishman produced a composed start to his Ryder Cup career as a booming drive and solid first putt set up a par as the first hole was halved, but the US pairing then seized control.

They won the second, third and fourth holes with Mickelson producing some delightful iron shots.

With Europe able to do no better than a bogey at six, they moved four clear and the match looked heading for an early finish.

But Mickelson found water at the seventh to gift one back and another bogey at the next, as Kim missed from eight feet, saw the deficit halved.

Mickelson was wayward again with his second to ten and a neat chip from Stenson brought the Europeans to within one and it was back to all square as they headed to the 13th tee with the US duo having made an almighty hash of the 12th.

The inconsistency continued with another poor Mickelson drive followed by a terrible second from Kim that found water at the 15th. It resulted in another bogey to allow Europe to edge ahead and meant the Americans had played the eight holes from the eighth to the 15th in five-over-par.

With the 16th halved, it was Wilson who took centre stage at 17, putting a series of near misses on the greens behind him to hole the decisive putt as Mickelson's response slipped past to condemn the Americans.