USA go two points clear
The United States extended their lead in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor to 6-4 after a 3½-2½ win in the second series of fourballs.
Last Updated: 02/10/10 5:13pm
The United States extended their lead in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor to 6-4 after a 3½-2½ win in the second series of fourballs.
The holders took a 2½-1½ lead after the fourballs were completed on Saturday morning and built on that as the re-vamped format continued.
Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker claimed their second successive win and their sixth from as many starts as a partnership in Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup matches, with a 4&3 victory over veteran Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and Swedish rookie Peter Hanson.
The Molinari brothers' debut ended in anti-climax as the Italians - despite being clearly pumped up - went down by two holes to Hunter Mahon and Zach Johnson.
Jim Furyk and 21-year-old wildcard Rickie Fowler birdied the par five 18th to salvage a crucial half against Lee Westwood and USPGA champion Martin Kaymer, Fowler holing a clutch four-foot putt for the half.
Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher teamed up after earlier defeats to beat Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson 3&2, three-time major champioin Harrington claiming his first win since the singles in 2004.
Split up
But it was a second straight defeat for Mickelson and Johnson, who were unsurprisingly split up in the third series of matches.
Ian Poulter and Luke Donald were one down with four to play but bounced back to win 3&2 against rookies Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton, a superb three iron to two feet from Donald on the 17th securing the point.
But the sixth and final match between Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell and Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar may be a momentum-changer.
All square on the par three 17th, the Northern Irish pair were embracing each other in celebration after McDowell fired his tee shot to five feet.
But in a classic matchplay swing, Cink rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt and McIlroy tugged his birdie try left to hand the Americans the lead.
McIlroy then missed the green with his approach with a wedge to the 18th and the Americans were able to wrap up an unexpected two-hole victory.
