Golf:The Ryder Cup scoreboard shows America 6-4 ahead overnight, but Europe were the ones with the clear momentum when play ended at Celtic Manor tonight. Incredibly, Colin Montgomerie's side lead in all six games of the third session - two foursomes and four fourballs.
It was still the early stages in some of them, but the first point of the fightback will surely come in the morning from Lee Westwood and Luke Donald. Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker may have won their opening two games, making it six out of six when you add in last year’s Presidents Cup, but they trailed by four after going to the turn in a sorry 40.
Having won the long ninth with a birdie, the American stars will cling to the hope that they can still get something out of it.
But if the home pair win it would be Donald’s sixth win out of six in Ryder Cup foursomes and, almost unbelievably, Westwood’s sixth in seven games against Woods at the event.
Behind them Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher stood one up after eight against Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson, Harrington having earlier ended a horror run of 10 cup games without a win.
Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are three up on Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan - a real confidence-booster for McIlroy after a day of real highs and lows — and Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez will resume two ahead of Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton.
Francesco Molinari chipped in just before the close to put himself and brother Edoardo two up on Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, while Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer have a two-hole advantage over Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler after four holes of the bottom game.
Montgomerie said: “None of these games are finished, but we are in a very, very strong position suddenly. It was not going well at lunchtime to be honest with you. It was a bit stale, but I asked for more passion and they showed it.”
By then the Scot had added Jose Maria Olazabal — his likely successor as captain — as a fifth vice-captain and if the cup is regained an experienced backroom team that also includes Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Sergio Garcia and Thomas Bjorn will will have played their part, as will the crowd.
But in the end it comes down to the players and if Montgomerie was to single anybody out it would probably be his most controversial wild card Harrington. Under intense pressure after being preferred to Paul Casey and Justin Rose and then playing poorly in his opening game, Harrington finally tasted victory with Ross Fisher in the foursomes.
They beat Mickelson and Dustin Johnson 3&2 — Harrington’s first point since the 2004 singles in Detroit and a result which gave Mickelson the 16th defeat of his cup career, matching the American record of Ray Floyd.
Harrington praised Montgomerie for putting him with Fisher.
“He made a great decision,” he said. “He gave me the responsibility to look after Ross and it made me step up a bit. The atmosphere is electric. The supporters realise things are very tight — they all are, but this looks particularly tight.”
Europe 4 USA 6
Session Three
Foursomes
Luke Donald/ Lee Westwood 4 up Steve Stricker/Tiger Woods after 9 holes
Rory McIlroy/Graeme McDowell 3 up Zach Johnson/Hunter Mahan after 7
Fourballs
Pádraig Harrington/Ross Fisher 1 up Jim Furyk/Dustin Johnson after 8
Peter Hanson/Miguel Angel Jimenez 2 up Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton after 6
Edoardo Molinari/Francesco Molinari 1 up Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar after 5
Ian Poulter/Martin Kaymer 2 up Phil Mickelson/Rickie Fowler after 4
Session Two Foursomes results
Europe 2.5 USA 3.5
Miguel Angel Jimenez/Peter Hanson lost to Tiger Woods/ Steve Stricker 4 and 3
Edoardo Molinari/Francesco Molinari lost to Zach Johnson/Hunter Mahan 2 holes
Lee Westwood/Martin Kaymer halved with Jim Furyk/Rickie Fowler
Pádraig Harrington/Ross Fisher defeated Phil Mickelson/Dustin Johnson 3 and 2
Ian Poulter/Luke Donald defeated Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton 2 and 1
Rory McIlroy/Graeme McDowell lost to Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar 1 hole
Session One Fourball results
Europe 1.5 USA 2.5
Lee Westwood/Martin Kaymer defeated Phil Mickelson/Dustin Johnson 3 and 2
Rory McIlroy/Graeme McDowell halved with Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar
Ian Poulter/Ross Fisher lost to Steve Stricker /Tiger Woods 2 holes
Luke Donald/ Pádraig Harrington lost to Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton 3 and 2