Despite Luke Donald losing his unbeaten record, Britain and Ireland's amateurs took the opening foursomes of the Walker Cup match against America at Sea Island in Georgia today.
The 23-year-old from High Wycombe, who won all his four games in the victory at Nairn two years ago and who will make his professional debut on the US Tour in 12 days' time, teamed up with 19-year-old Nick Dougherty.
But they were behind from the moment they bogeyed the 340-yard first hole and eventually went down four and three to Nick Cassini and Lucas Glover.
It was to prove the only morning defeat for Peter McEvoy's side as they took a one-point lead into the eight afternoon singles, however.
Forty-year-old Gary Wolstenholme, the only other survivor from 1999, partnered Scot Steven O'Hara to a five-and-three victory in the lead-off match against Danny Green and DJ Trahan.
Irish pair Michael Hoey and Graeme McDowell then had a notable three-and-one success over Jeff Quinney and James Driscoll - respectively the winner and runner-up of last year's US Amateur Championship.
And that left the stage to Jamie Elson and Richard McEvoy - no relation to the captain - to mount a fighting comeback from three down with six to play to halve with arguably America's top pair, David Eger and Bryce Molder.
The United States have never lost two matches in a row in a series going back to 1922 which they lead 31-5. But the last six have been shared 3-3 and Peter McEvoy rated this as Britain and Ireland's best-ever chance to make a successful defence.
British champion Hoey and McDowell were five up with six to play on Driscoll and Quinney, but had to work for far longer than they would have wanted to clinch the point.
The Americans birdied the 13th, Hoey had to make a 12-footer on the next to preserve the four-hole lead, but the Irish pair then bogeyed the 15th and 16th, Hoey missing from three feet at the second of those.
To their immense relief, however, Quinney failed to find the green at the 17th and when he missed his eight-foot par putt Britain and Ireland had two putts from three feet for the match.
The match finishes with four more foursomes and eight more singles tomorrow.
Foursomes results:
D Green and DJ Trahan
lost5 and 3 to S O'Hara and G Wolstenholme
N Cassini and L Glover
beatL Donald and N Dougherty 4 and 3
D Eger and B Molder
halvedwith J Elson and R McEvoy
J Driscoll and J Quinney
lost3 and 1 to G McDowell and M Hoey
PA