Europe and America are tied at 8-8 in the Ryder Cup after this afternoon's fourballs, leaving all to play for in tomorrow's singles matches. It was a thrilling afternoon with amazing highs and lows after Europe maintained their one-point lead in the morning's foursomes. History is against Sam Torrance's men because since 1957, 22 matches ago, the United States have only twice lost the concluding singles - and as the holders they need only to share them 6-6 tomorrow to retain the trophy.
However, Europe will surely be disappointed to be only level at the end of the day because it had looked so bright as the foursomes got underway. In the end, they won only one match of the afternoon, that involving Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington.
First out on the course this afternoon were the Swedish pair Niclas Fasth and Jesper Parnevik who were up against Mark Calcavecchia and David Duval. The Europeans found themselves three up after seven but then fell away to being one down with three to play. In the end, a birdie from Fasth on the 18th wasn't enough to square the match as Calcavechhia had birdied the 16th and the Americans were back level with Europe.
However, the next pairing of Dubliner Padraig Harrington and Scotland's Colin Montgomerie produced some amazing golf against America's most successful partnership so far, Phil Mickelson and David Toms. Montgomerie showed no signs of the bad back he is suffering from as he made it three-and-a-half points out of four with the help of the Irishman.
The Scot made three birdies in the first five holes to help his team to go three up but Mickelson's two at the seventh reduced the gap. However, it was back to three up when Monty birdied the eighth. Back came Mickelson with birdies at the ninth and 10th but Monty birdied the 11th before Mickelson birdied the 12th. The European pairing were back to two up when Monty birdied from 25 feet on the 14th. They parred the next three holes leaving them with a 2&1 victory after Mickelson missed a birdie putt on the 17th green to take the match to the last.
The third pairing saw Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood lose their 100% record by losing the last two holes to Tiger Woods and Davis Love III. The European pairing led by one hole when Garcia hit the 17th green in two but he then three-putted while Love chipped in for a birdie. Worse was to come on the 18th when Westwood three-putted after Garcia failed to get up and down.
The final pairing pitted the Irish duo of Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley against Scott Hoch and Jim Furyk. Hoch made a 14-foot putt on the 17th to snatch the lead, leaving Clarke and McGinley with the pressure of winning the last to keep the teams level going into the singles matches. Clarke drove his shot into the bunker and ended up bogeying but McGinley had a chance for a birdie with a 30-foot putt. He didn't make it but his par was enough as Hoch and Furyk failed to make long par putts.
Fourballs Results:
Niclas Fasth & Jesper Parnevik lost to Mark Calcavecchia & David Duval by 1 hole
Padraig Harrington & Colin Montgomerie beat Phil Mickelson and David Toms 2&1
Sergio Garcia & Lee Westwood lost to Tiger Woods and Davis Love III by 1 hole
Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley tied with Scott Hoch and Jim Furyk
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
