Europe have gotten off to a fantastic start in the 2004 Ryder Cup in The Belfry having raced into a 6.5 to 1.5 early lead against the USA.
Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie were the heroes of the European team as they added a four and two foursomes victory over Davis Love III and Fred Funk to their fourballs win over the heavyweight team of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Conversely, Mickelson and Woods continued their nightmare day as Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood staged a superb fightback in the foursomes to condemn Woods to the third Ryder Cup in which he has lost both matches on the opening day.
Meanwhile Donald and Garcia put Perry and Cink to the sword. Chris DiMarco and Jay Haas's win gave the USA a point with a 3 & 2 victory over Jimenez and Levet to give Europe a record 6.5 to 1.5 first day lead.
Earlier in the day Europe fell just one putt short of their first-ever clean sweep of the opening session in the Ryder Cup.
Bernhard Langer's side took a 3 1/2 to 1/2 lead into lunch after a phenomenal performance in the morning fourballs. The United States were never ahead in any of the four games.
New boy Chris Riley saved Hal Sutton's star-studded line-up from being whitewashed. He grabbed a half with 2002 match-winner Paul McGinley and English debutant Luke Donald when he holed from seven feet after Donald had missed from 20.
USA 1.5 - Europe 6.5
Friday evening's foursomes results:
Match 1: DiMarco/Haas -v- Jiminez/Levet
DiMarco and Haas win 3 and 2.
Match 2: Love III/Funk -v- Montomerie/Harrington
Montgomerie and Harrington win 4 and 2.
Match 3: Mickelson/Woods -v- Clarke/Westwood
Clarke and Westwood win 1 up.
Match 4: Perry Cink -v- Garcia/Donald
Garcia and Donald win 2 and 1.
Fourball results from Friday morning:
Match 1: Mickelson/Woods -v- Montgomerie/Harrington
Montgomerie and Harrington win 2 and 1.
Match 2: Love/Campbell -v- Clarke/Jiminez
Clarke and Jiminez win 5 and 4.
Match 3: Riley/Cink -v-McGinley/Donald
Finished all-square.
Match 4: Toms/Furyk -v- Garcia/Westwood
Garcia and Westwood won 5 and 3.
Filed by Barry J Whyte
