2014 Ryder Cup: Europe take four-point lead against USA ahead of Sunday's singles matches
Sunday 28 September 2014 09:38, UK
Europe are well on track to retain the Ryder Cup after taking a 10-6 lead after the Saturday foursomes matches at Gleneagles.
After losing the fourballs 2½-1½ for the second straight day, Paul McGinley’s side hit back to win three of the foursome clashes and halve the other.
The pairings of Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood, Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy all clinched victory in their matches.
The USA looked like they would take at least a point from the afternoon session but the rookie partnership of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed blew a last-hole lead and had to settle for a half against Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer.
Europe need only four points from Sunday's 12 singles matches to retain the trophy, although the USA will still have hopes of a comeback given the fact they surrendered an identical lead two years ago at Medinah.
"We are not finished. We have a lot of work to do and we have to be on it in the morning," Europe captain paul McGinley insisted at the end of the day's play.
Westwood and Donaldson were the first pair to get a point on the board in Saturday’s alternate shot contests as they clinched a 2&1 success against Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar.
The victory means Westwood moves ahead of Seve Ballesteros and into fourth place on Europe’s all-time Ryder Cup point-scoring list with 23.
Shortly afterwards, Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell wrapped up a 5&4 win against the flagging duo of Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler.
Dubuisson and McDowell, who have won two points from two matches at the event, were left out of the morning fourballs but once again proved a formidable pairing in the afternoon, going 5up after just eight holes and never looking back.
USA hope
The USA had more hope of victory in the other two contests, but McIlroy and Garcia moved clear of their opponents Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan over the back nine to grab the win.
Rose and world No 1 McIlroy were the only European players to be picked for every fourball and foursome session but the latter had not registered a match win heading into Saturday afternoon.
He put that right alongside Garcia, however, holing a birdie putt at the 14th which put the duo 2up with four holes to play and effectively decided the contest.
The two pairs had previously halved 10 holes in succession after Europe had won the first two and then lost the third, but Furyk and Mahan were unable to complete a comeback.
A whitewash in the foursomes was on the cards at one point as the final clash pitting Rose and Kaymer against Spieth and Reed was all square after 15 holes.
Reed incredibly missed a two-foot putt to win the 16th but the USA did go ahead at the par three 17th as the American duo, who were going for a third win from three matches, combined for a birdie.
Their good work was squandered at the last, though, Kaymer playing out to five feet from a bunker before Rose held his nerve to sink a birdie putt to halve the match.
Watch all the final day's action live on Sky Ryder Cup - channel 405 - from 10am on Sunday.
