BLOOMFIELD HILLS, 19 September 2004 — The US Ryder Cup team, wounded after a first day mauling, launched a fierce fightback yesterday to keep their hopes alive with two wins and a halved fourball rubber.
But a brave recovery by European rookies Paul Casey and David Howell, who beat Jim Furyk and Chad Campbell by one hole, ensured their team led going into the yesterday afternoon foursomes by 8-4.
The Americans were trailing 6 1/2-1 1/2 points overnight but Tiger Woods and rookie Chris Riley answered US skipper Hal Sutton’s call for more aggression with a crushing 4&3 win over out-of-sorts Darren Clarke and Ian Poulter.
The Europeans had the chance to restore their five-point advantage shortly afterward but Lee Westwood, paired with Sergio Garcia, missed an eight-footer for victory over Jay Haas and Chris DiMarco.
Behind them, Europe’s Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie, twice winners in Friday’s play, never rediscovered their touch on the greens and were defeated by Stewart Cink and Davis Love 3&2.
The remaining match was delicately poised with former US Open champion Furyk and Campbell one-up on rookies Casey and Howell with two to play but the Americans lost the final holes.
Casey, who spends much of his time playing in the US, wrapped up a vital victory for Europe with a nerve-wracking three-footer on the slick 18th green.
European captain Bernhard Langer said: “From losing a point after 16 to winning 17 with a birdie and 18 with a par, two of the most difficult, dramatic holes out here, by two rookies was just unbelievable.”
The results meant the US still had plenty of ground to make up with 16 points remaining up for grabs. Europe need 14 to retain the trophy and the Americans 14 1/2 to win it.
World No. 2 Woods was badly criticized after losing twice on Friday with US Masters holder Phil Mickelson, who paid for his poor performance by being dropped by Sutton.
He seemed far happier playing with his former college rival Riley but their European rivals never gelled and a first-hole miss of three feet by Clarke set the tone.
A majestic mid-iron for birdie at the short 13th left Woods and Riley four-up and they closed out at the 15th. “We got it going today,” said Woods. “We made a few birdies early and the Europeans made a couple of mistakes which gave us a little bit of an edge. From there we played real solid golf.”
Westwood, who had never previously halved a Ryder Cup match in three appearances, was still exhilarated after his match despite missed putts for victory at the last two holes.
In the afternoon foursomes, Clarke and Westwood were to face Haas and DiMarco, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet were paired with Mickelson and David Toms, Garcia and Luke Donald had to take on Furyk and Fred Funk and Harrington and Paul McGinley were to play Love and Woods.
Montgomerie, a first-day hero for the Europeans, asked to be rested after his morning’s exertions. In the foursomes format, the players hit alternate shots with one ball per team rather than two each in fourball play.
Woods and Mickelson, beaten 2&1 in the morning fourballs by Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington, wasted an early advantage before going down by a hole to Europeans Clarke and Westwood in the afternoon foursomes.
Although the U.S. clinched their only match of the day when Cup rookie Chris DiMarco and veteran Jay Haas beat Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet 3&2, Europe followed up with a 4&2 win by Montgomerie and Harrington over Davis Love and Fred Funk.
“We got a great start and we just kept going,” Irishman Harrington told reporters at an overcast and breezy Oakland Hills. “I think a lot of this afternoon was momentum, carrying on maybe from this morning.”
Holders Europe completed a memorable day when Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Briton Luke Donald beat Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink 2&1.
Playing the alternate-shot format, eight-times major winner Woods and U.S. Masters champion Mickelson had dovetailed superbly early on, reeling off birdies at the second, third and fourth to take control.
They lost momentum, though, with a bogey-five at the 356-yard sixth before the Europeans forged ahead after winning the seventh, 10th and 11th holes.
Woods and Mickelson levelled the match at the par-three 17th, where Westwood failed to escape from a greenside bunker, but a wayward drive by Mickelson at the last allowed the Europeans to seal the win with a bogey-five.
In front of subdued American galleries, DiMarco and 50-year-old Haas at least gave the US team some inspiration. Inspired by a brilliant display of putting, Europe came close to 4-0 clean sweep in the morning foursomes. Clarke and Jimenez drew first blood, beating Love and Chad Campbell 5&4, before Montgomerie and Harrington outplayed Woods and Mickelson.
Garcia and Westwood, a successful combination for Europe at The Belfry in 2002, then grabbed their team’s third point with a 5&3 victory over former major winners David Toms and Jim Furyk.
