Europe have clawed their way back into Ryder Cup contention in Saturday morning's foursomes. Europe won the session 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 to leave them 7 - 5 behind the USA overall.
by Tadhg Peavoy
Session Four is now finished.Read Rory Houston describing the action.
Game 1: Cink/Campbell (USA) lost to Poulter/Rose (Eur) 4 and 3
Game 2: Leonard/Mahan (USA) v Jiminez/McDowell (Eur) Match Halved
Game 3: Mickelson/Kim (USA) lost to Stenson/Wilson (Eur) 2 & 1
Game 4: Furyk/Perry (USA) beat Harrington/Karlsson (Eur) 3 & 1
Match score: USA 7 - 5 Europe
5.42pm, Game Four: Harrington smacks an effort against the flag in an effort to save the tie but to no avail. Europe concede.
5.37pm, Game Four: Bad, bad lie for Karlsson, right in the grass. He manages to get it into the semi-rough but a lack of draw means it will be tough to chip into the green.
Perry smacks the second shot right onto the green, simple and effective from the local Kentuckian!
5.36pm, Game Four: Harrington pulls his tee-shot to the left while Furyk puts his down the centre. Not what we were hoping for!
5.33pm: Phew!!! Only one game left. Hope you've managed to keep up to date with us here on RTÉ.ie. Let's hope Harrington and Karlsson can produce some magic to pull Europe level.
5.30pm, Game Four: Harrington holes to share the 16th hole with a four.
5.23pm, Game Four: Harrington on 16 drives to the green but mis-hits it to the semi-rough.
5.23pm, Game Two: Leonard to win the match on the 18th. He misses.
McDowell attempts to put and tie the hole and match, he does it and Europe have won their first session and go to 6 - 5 behind.
5.19pm, Game Three: Wilson putts for birdie on 16...from left to right up the hill. Amazing putt from twenty yards.
5.21, Game Three: On Mickelson now to save the tie...its a little high on the right side. From four down the Europeans have come back to win 2 & 1. A superb win. Europe are on the charge!
5.17pm, Game Two: Leonard puts his green approach past the flag on to a drain. He'll get a drop.
5.15pm, Game Four: Harrington putts to win hole 15. He takes an age to be sure of the line. He makes it and the tie is still alive, just!
ON COURSE: 'Justin Leonard is matching Harrington in the clutch putting department. The American curled in an 18-footer for a birdie on the 17th and Leonard and Mahan are one up going to the final tee against the brilliant McDowell and Jimenez.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
5.05pm, Game Two: Leonard putts to take a one hole lead on the 17th for USA. He finds the line and the pace and it drops in with just enough power. U-S-A chants ring around the hole.
5.00pm, Game Three: Wilson approaches the green, excellent shot on the 16th tee-box; the ball drops to the side of the green.
4.55pm, Game Two: McDowell nails a putt for a half at 16.
4.53pm, Game Four: Harrington holes for a half on 13 and they are still in with a chance.
4.52pm, Game Three: Mickelson fails to make the green and they will loose the hole and trail. USA concede.
4.49pm, Game Three: Kim hits the water on his second and Mickelson now needs to save a four so that the Europeans need a birdie.
Stenson makes the green beautifully, finish the hole and they are one up with four to play.
4.45pm, Game Two: McDowell approaches the 16th green...on the putting surface but a tough two putt to come. Leonard overcooks the draw and end up in the bunker on the par four 16.
ON COURSE: 'At the 12th, Karlsson left a ht in the greenside bunker but to some extent made up for it by holing a 20-footer for bogey and a half. It keeps himself and Harrington in the match at two down with six to play.' RTÉ's Gary Moran
4.42pm, Game Three: Mickelson holes a twiddler to level the 14th hole.
4.37, Game Two: Jiminez hits the flag on 15, almost slam dunking it on his approach! Leonard and Jiminez putts to tie the hole.
4.37pm, Game Four: Harrington at 12, putts from the bunker on to teh green, too much pace for to lie close to the pin. Furky from 18-yards to win the hole..he misses. Europe to half hole puts from twelve feet.
4.35pm, Game Three: Mickelson for birdie on 14, totally under the distance.
4.33pm: Rose and Poulter say there is no guarantee they will go out again this afternoon.
4.29, Game One: USA concede on 15, Poulter and Rose win 4 and 3.
ON COURSE: 'Cink in the drink for the third time this morning and Europe are about to claim the first point of the day.
Poulter and Rose are about to close it out 4&3 and will surely get another run together in the afternoon fourballs.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
4.26pm, Game Two: Game McDowell goes for bogey on 14, mahan goes for par to win, he makes it in confidence, all square.
ON COURSE: 'More news on selection-gate. It was one of Faldo's ex-wives (he has three of them and the most recent is here) who gave out the earlier line that Westwood and Garcia wanted to be left out. Definitely not in Westwood's case. He is clearly annoyed with his captain.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
4.22pm, Game Three: Wilson puts on 13 to win the hole. He takes his time but curls away at the end. The match is all square.
4.18pm, Game Four: Perry puts from twenty feet and give it too much welly.
4.16, Game Two: Jiminez on the tee...bunker baby! Downhill bunker shot, so difficltu to play out of. They will need a miraculous par.
4,14pm, Game One: Poulter to par on 14...ten feet...great putt!!! Faldo will be happy!
Cink puts to halve the hole. he goes from four feet and lips out! Hole Europe!
ON COURSE: Poulter and Rose may be wobbling in the top match but not as badly as Mickelson and Kim in match number three. Mickelson put Kim in tree trouble on the 12th and the youngster could only slash across to more trouble on the other side of the fairway. Wilson hit his second into the heart of the green and the match could soon be level. RTÉ's Gary Moran.
4.11pm, Game Two: Mahan for par on 13 makes it. McDowell however, sneaks a birdie and puts his partnership ahead.
4.10pm, Game Four: Harrington misses a putt to win on hole ten. Perry goes to halve the hole and makes it.
4.08pm, Game One: Poulter tees-off on 14, into the rough on the ledge of a bunker.
3.59pm, Game One: Rose chips to the green on twelve, great putt but it wouldn't slow down for him.
Poulter goes for par, if it doesn't go in Europe concede, he misses, now the USA are only two down.
3.58pm, Game Four: Harrington hits the bunker on nine.
3.56pm, Game Two: On the 12th Jiminez makes a shot from out of the bunker. He chops it out and it runs too far. McDowell tumbles the next shot onto the green. Europe concede. Game level
3.53, Game Two: Leonard hits a high fade on 12 to make the green. Great extension of his left arm to make the shot.
3.51pm, Game Three: Mickelson puts in a bunker shot from the tee on 11. Kim recovers and gets the green.
3.30pm, Game One: Cink/Campbell pull another back on 12. All the games are getting closer.
ON COURSE: 'Three wins in four holes for Stenson and Wilson and from four down after six, the Europeans are only one down now to Mickelson and Kim. If they can get a win or even a half out of the match, it will be a big boost to the visitors.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
3.48, Game Three: Mickelson goes to half the hole at 10 but it curls away. Three holes for Europe on sixm, seven and ten, game on.
Game One: Poulter pitches out of the rough onto the green to eight feet away from the green.
3.43pm, Game Three: Kim at tenth, strikes his approach to the green, bit it rolls past the pin.
3.39pm, Game One: On 12 Justin Rose hits a big left to right slice and over a hill near the green.
3.38pm, Game Four: A bit frenetic at the minute. Harrington and Karlsson share eight.
3.37pm, Game One: Poulter's tee-off is into the trees.
3.36pm, Game Four: Harrington to win third hole in a row, it curls around the side of the hole and out.
3.34, Game Two: Leonard on hole ten goes for the win. He has a twelve foot putt to make, he runs it seven feet by the hole
3.34, Game Two: McDowell goes for a birdie four on ten but undercooks it. America put to win the hole.
3.32, Game Three: Kim putts on nine to share the hole on eleven
3.29pm, Game One: Poulter goes for a putt to win the 11th, left to right but nowhere near enough pace. Rose goes to halve the hole with a tiddler, he does it.
ON COURSE: 'A ray of hope perhaps for Europe in the bottom two matches. Mickelson hit a wild tee shot on the par-five seventh and Wilson and Stenson got their first win to reduce the deficit to three. In the bottom match Furyk missed a tiddler which meant a win for Harrington and Karlsson who are also three down.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
'McDowell looks like being involved in the key match of the morning as it's the only close one at the moment. He has been the stronger partner in his pairing with Miguel Angel Jimenez but they're just hanging on to a one hole lead against Mahan and Leonard. The Americans have the better birdie chance on the ninth after the Spaniard's approach came up well short of the pin.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
3.26pm, Game Four: Karlsson putts to bring Europe within two.
3.23pm, Game One: USA have nearly a gimme on ten. Campbell makes it to win their first hole of the day.
3.21pm, Game Four: Harrington makes an approach to the green on his third shot on the par five. Great shot! He sets Karlsson up for a birdie. Perry goes to save the hole for par, but the putt is tough as it breaks quickly from right to left. He makes a superb putt. But will it matter or can Europe nail the birdie.
3.20pm, Game One: Game Cink on hole ten to win the hole, he puts it well wide. They are four-over-par and having a disaster.
3.17pm, Game Two: McDowell puts from thirty feet for a birdie on nine but misses. But its enough to win the hole.
3.16pm, Game Four: Europe have a ball on the edge of the water. The tee is in reach of a five iron...he decides to play safe to the right but he goes too far and its a bad shot.
3.15pm, Game Four: Perry goes for the green and makes the water. Is this a way back for Europe?
3.14pm, Game Three: Two putt to win for Europe. Kim misses and Europe are back in here.
3.12pm, Game Two: Jiminez takes an ppraoch to to the green, he's off the boil though and it way back from the pin.
3.12pm, Game One: Rose's second shot on ten fades and is around the out of bounds fence.
3.09pm, Game One: Stenson at eight plops a fine golf shot right over the flag from his tee, could have dropped back into the hole.
3.07pm, Game Four: Mickelson's water shot bounced off four rocks and into out of bounds, meaning that Harrington and Karlsson pull one back.
3.05pm, Game Four: Karlsson misses for a birdie and win on six. He can't hole a thing.
3.04, Game Two: McDowell misses for birdie at eight. Leonard putts to win at eight and makes the birdie. Only one between the teams.
3.02pm, Game Three: Mickeslson makes the water it would appear after three shots on hole six.
3.01pm, Game One: Campbell chips to the green from bunker to give a chance of a half. Rose misses the birdie putt and America take a half.
2.59pm, Game Four: Harrington can't make the green on six with his approach shot. Furyk does the same as Harrington, coming up short.
2.58pm, Game One: Poulter from the bunker makes a great shot into the green.
2.55pm, Game Two: Jiminez putts to win the hole on seven but lips out. He can't seem to hole anything at all. Leonard misses and Europe go two up despite Jiminez's miss.
ON COURSE: 'The Americans are turning the screw in the bottom two matches. Kim's bunker shot to gimme distance on the sixth puts himself and Mickelson four up against Stenson and Wilson who are two over for the holes played. Harrington found the fairway bunker off the fifth tee Europe bogied so Perry and Furyk are now also four up.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
2.52, Game Four: Karlsson misses for a par on five and Europe concede. Harrington's driving is wayward and costing Europe. It seems he is just exhausted out there.
2.50pm, Game Three: Kim pops a chip from the bunker to the green. Great partnership!
2.49p, Game One: Rose puts go go five up on seven, from twelve feet...he misses. Leonard scrambles a half for USA.
2.47pm, Game Four: Campbell tries to pitch in to the bank on seven, its so good. Hitting the flag. Would have been a life saving two for USA.
2.45pm, Game Three: Wilson play to the semi beside the green for a two putt.
2.43pm, Game One: Cink blasts it on seven, onto the fairway.
ON COURSE: 'Cink has sunk! For the second time this morning he's found the water, this time with his second to the 7th where he came up short with a 3-iron from 237. Bad choicce of club and Poulter and Rose look like going five-up. Could be an early lunch for the Englishmen.' RTÉ's Gary Moran
'Furyk opened the door for Europe with a clumsy chip at the fourth but Perry quickly closed it again by holing from 18 feet down the hill. It's been scrappy so far by Harrington and Karlsson and they're now three down after four. Europe need the bottom pair to make something happen fast.' RTÉ's Gary Moran
2.39pm, Game Two: Leonard holes from ten feet to halve Jiminez and McDowell's lead. It may be early days but this tie could be crucial, Europe need at least two points from this afternoon or heads might begin to drop. Leonard and Mahan were excellent on the back nine yesterday, if they repeat that that form Jiminez and McDowell will be in trouble.
2.36pm, Game Four: Karlsson goes for a birdie on four, he has putted on all the holes, he misses, maybe its time for Harrington to do it! Pery now putts for birdie to win. Furyk gives him lots of advice, they look like a real unit, good pairing; Perry makes a quick putt and the ball slips in. USA three up after four.
2.35pm, Game Three: Wilson misses a shot to win on five. Nearly but another lip out.
2.23, Game Four: Padraig goes for his second shot on four. He cathcew it thin and pitches to the green, the spin brings it back to to the edge of the green. Harringon is 'off' at the minute. Furyk punches for a birdie but all teh spin was lost and it pushed too far.
2.31pm, Game One: Poulter knocks to teh back of the green. Great shot. ANything over the water was satisfactory to be honest!
2.29pm, Game One: On the seventh Cink picks an iron and hopes to play it to the green, too much elevation leaves it in the water. This game is getting away from USA. He pushed it too far left and was a bad club selection.
ON COURSE: 'There's a clear divide on the leaderboard with the top two matches going very well for Europe and the bottom the USA dominating the bottom two. Mickelson and Kim are playing great stuff to be three up after four against Wilson and Stenson. Perry had a 12-footer to put himself and Furyk three up after three against Harrington and Karlsson. Fortunately for Europe he missed.' RTÉ's Gary Moran
2.27pm, Game Two: McDowell hits a great second on the sixth, he hooks it to the green.
2.25pm, Game Four: Karlsson biride puts well wide on three to give the USA a chance to go 3 up after 3. Perry eyes it up with an eagle eye for a birdie and with it the hole. Th line breaks from just outside the righ edge but he gets the line wrong. Hole shared.
2.24pm, Game One: Rose hits a huge tee on seven to give a sniff of the green to Poulter.
2.23pm, Game Three: Furyk makes a great tee-off for a birdie chance.
2.21pm, Game Four: Kim, wins the hole on 4 to go three up!
2.20pm, Game One: Cink goes to win hole six from four feet on hole six...It pushes off to the right at the last moment and teh ryhthm is off.
2.17pm, Game Three: Stenson goes for birdie on four. Pressure here, important to keep in touch, he pushes it wide.
2.17pm,, Game One: Campbell onto the green on six. Good response to a similar shot from Rose.
2.16pm, Game Four: Mickelson picks up Kim's drive and makes the green with his approach. Karlsson goes for birdie but it lips out. USA put for two up. Perry puts it the side of the cup and it nibbles in. The hole is won.
ON COURSE: 'Contrasting fortunes for the two Irishmen. McDowell looks like he is relishing every moment and his approach to within inches on the fourth set up a winning birdie. Harrington looked bunched after yesterday's action and started with a tee shot into the trees on the left of the first and Europe lost the hole. RTÉ Sport's Gary Moran
2.12pm, Game Four: Furyk approaches two and hits the green. Tough competitor and looks like he is on form. Harrington steps up, can he get it back together after a terrible first hole. His wedge comes out and he brings the ball right to left and a little short of the hole. Good line but well short.
2.10pm, Game Two: Mahan misses on four, to put Europe two up.
2.08pm, Game Four: Kim putts to win hole one after Europe were in the bunker. He takes a practice stroke and then taps in for the hole.
2.07pm, Game One: Cink slips three, four and five. Four down! Rose putts in and plays the hoel out.
2.06pm, Game Two: McDowell pithces up on the green for a birdie attempt on four.
ON COURSE: 'According to one of the European WAGS, Garcia and Westwood actually asked to be left out this morning. Either way it's going OK for Europe so far but remember they started well yesterday aswell before things went pear-shaped.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
2.03pm, Game One: Poulter from 176 yards hits the green on hoel five. Amazing shot! Faldo's pick looks justified.
2.02, Game Three: Wilson putts from twenty feet and goes too long, the hole is conceded.
1.57pm, Game Two: Jiminez wins three for Europe with a birdie.
1.55pm, Game Four: Karlssson has to play from the trees, he hooks the ball right and into a TV aerial stand. Perry's approach misses the green but should be good for a simple up and down.
1.52pm, Game One: Rose's second shot is on the green. Campbell goes too far behind the pin and it is advantage Europe. Cink goes for a birdie...and misses by a whisker. Rose putts to win the hole.
1.51pm, Game Four: It looks like Harrington has smahed his tee-shot into the trees, USA hit the spectators.
1.50pm, Game Two: McDowell's approach on three sets up for a birdie putt. Leonard goes off into the woods.
ON COURSE: 'McDowell played well on his debut yesterday afternoon and he's back in the groove today. But so is opponent Justin Leonard who hist his approach to the second even close than McDowell. Both sides will have birdie chances from inside ten feet.' RTÉ's Gary Moran
1.48, Game Two: Jiminez holes to put the pressure on America to Putt. They do and the hole is shared.
1.46pm Game One: Poulter tees-off the short par four fourth. Great shot, on the fairway, safety first.
1.45pm, Game Three: Mickelson misses a putt for eagle. Wilson shoots to win the hole but it lips out.
1.43, Game Two: McDowell goes from left rough to the hole location. Leonard replies with a great approach.
1.42, Game One: Poulter out of the bunker sets up a par. Cink goes for a birdie to win hole three; he misses, too conscience of the speed. Rose hits par and the hole is shared, moral victory for Europe to recover.
1.39pm, Game Three: Stenson lays-up on the green, exact same shot as Jiminez played. Kim hits it too well and past the tee.
ON THE COURSE: 'Back on the first tee and what a moment for Oliver Wilson. He looked a little jittery before hitting the opening tee shot against Kim and Mickelson but Wilson has hit a good one, just off the right edge of the fairway. Mickelson is just beyond him and on the shorter grass.' RTÉ's Gary Moran.
1.37pm, Game One: Six iron for Rose and in the bunker on hole three. Campbell uses a six too. Much better shot, chance for the USA.
1.35pm, Game Three: Oliver Wilson tees off for Europe. The Ryder Cup rookie hits it sweet as a nut, too sweet into the semi-rough. Big Phil Mickelson and his farmer walk steps up. Great shot, good bounce, on the fairway.
1.34pm, Game One: Double bogey six for USA on hole two. 2-0 Europe.
1.32pm, Game Two: McDowell goes down the line on the green and nearly get an eagle. Mahan puts to half and makes it.
1.31pm, Game One: Cink onto teh green for four. If Rose and Poulter go down in two they have the hole. Poulter undercooks it, had the line though.
1.30, Game Two: Leonard chips into the green and it's great, nicely on the green.
1.29pm, Game Two: Jiminez does better and puts it on the green. Just needs to putt through a canyon and they're in.
1.28pm: Game Two: Mahan puts the lay-up ontwo past the green.
1.26pm, Game One: Campbell eyes up his third shot, Cink's tee-shot went aquaman. He's got a long way to go, over 200 yards. Campbell goes for a two iron and no miracle shot, in the rough beside the green.
1.24pm: Not a breath of wind out there and the sun is out. Perfect for golf!
ON THE COURSE: 'There's plenty of support for Graeme McDowell out here on the first tee and he's hit a cracker, cutting off the corner and finding the middle of the fairway. Go GMAC!' RTÉ's Gary Moran
1.20pm, Game Two: Portrush's McDowell hits his first tee-shot perfectly, over the trees and plonk in the middle of the fairway. Leonard hasn't got the distance to go over the trees, he puts it out into the hay on the right.
1.18pm, Game One: Poulter tees off and lands in the semi to the left of the fairway but that's okay as the green is on the right. Cink is way, way off into Middle Earth, some boggy area with a pond. Good for Europe.
1.16pm, Game Two: McDowell and Jiminez step up to the tee. Chants of 'you'll never beat the Irish' go around the tee, a few liquid breakfasts may have been had by some of the fans in Kentucky.
ON COURSE: 'What a start by Poulter. There's a great sense of anticipation among the American crowd around the first but much more of that by Poulter and they'll be kept quiet. A brilliant approach to a foot and Europe are on the board straight away.' RTÉ Sport's Gary Moran.
1.15pm, Game One: Campbell goes left to right all the way down to the hole but he misses. 1-0 Europe thanks to wildcard Poulter.
1.14pm, Game One: Stewart Cink plays a lay-up into the tufts past the green. Not great, but shoudl be okay for an up-and-down. Poulter's approach hits the flag and so close to an eagle. Just the start for Europe!
1.09pm: Ad break after two shots! Ah here, you'd never have this with RTÉ! Eamonn Dunphy wouldn't stand for it!
1.05pm, Game One: Rose starts the day's action with a fine drive, perfectly driven onto the fairway. Chad Campbell follows suit, but is a little unlucky to land in the semi-rough.
1.02pm, Game One: Faldo is out on hole one as the day's events are about to start. The crowd are up for it and the atmosphere is great. Europe to tee-off first. U-S-A chants ring around the hole!
12.57pm: Under ten minutes minutes to go. Fact for you. Europe's Oliver Wilson is the first player to compete in the Ryder Cup without ever winning a Tour event.
12.40pm: About 26 minutes left to tee-off on day two. What are your predictions, comments and thoughts on today's action? Get your thoughts in to us on sportonline@rte.ie.
ON COURSE: 'Insane or inspired? That's the question that most people have been asking here since Nick Faldo omitted Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood from this morning's foursomes. Faldo has been cut plenty of slack on the basis that he might actually deliver but if it goes pear-shaped for Europe today, the criticism will be savage.' RTÉ Sport's Gary Moran.
12.23pm, Philip Brady from Navan: Up to yesterday, I always regarded Golf as the last bastion of sportsmanship.
After watching the atrocious behavior of some members of the USA team (Boo Weekley in particular) during the Ryder Cup yesterday, it now seems the 'win at all costs' attitude of Paul Azinger has put paid to that.
Its all very well pumping up the crowd but to do it before your opponent has taken his putt is unforgiveable.
Brookline 99 is going to pale into insignificance if this goes on.
12.18pm: The weather in Valhalla is great for golf; dry and with a little cloud-cover, similar conditons to Friday.
12.15pm: 'Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, we are tonight's entertainment,' was how Heath Ledger's joker greeted his guests. Nick Faldo might be going a little crazy himself after Friday's tough afternoon, however, he will hope his Saturday pairings will produce an excellent European magic trick.
E-mail us at sportonline@rte.ie with your predictions and comments.
RYDER CUP: DAY TWO FOURSOMES (alternate shot):
Game One:
Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell (USA)
v Ian Poulter and Justin Rose (Europe)
Game Two:
Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan (USA)
v Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell (Europe)
Game Three:
Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim (USA)
v Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson (Europe)
Game Four:
Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry (USA)
v Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson (Europe)
Preview:
Nick Faldo on Friday reacted to Europe's bad first day at the Ryder Cup by dropping Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia for the first time in their Ryder Cup careers.
Westwood had just equalled Arnold Palmer's 12-match unbeaten cup record with two stirring comebacks, while Garcia's half with him in the morning had taken his unbeaten record in foursomes to nine matches.
America lead 5 1/2-2 1/2 overnight and must have been jumping with joy when the shock line-up for the second series of foursomes was announced.
Oliver Wilson comes in for his first game, replacing Paul Casey as Henrik Stenson's partner.
Wild card Casey remains a spectator after sitting out the fourballs as well.
They take on Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim, who took 1 1/2 points out of two, while Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, Europe's only winners on the opening day, go out first after Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell.
Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson go into the anchor role against Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry, while in the second game Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan play Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell, who both played only fourballs on the first day.
Soren Hansen is left out as well despite helping Westwood match Palmer's record, while American captain Paul Azinger has simply stuck with the same four pairs as on Friday and just shuffled the order of two of them.
