Unstoppable Europe seize control at Ryder Cup

NEWPORT, Wales, (Reuters) – Lee Westwood and Luke  Donald set the tone as Europe charged 9-1/2 points to 6-1/2  ahead of the United States with an inspirational display in the  third session of the weather-hit Ryder Cup yesterday.

Leading in all six unfinished matches overnight, the  unstoppable Europeans won five of them and halved the sixth and  now need only five more points to wrest the trophy away from the  holders in the concluding 12 singles.

With the biennial team competition heading into its first  Monday finish due to torrential rain earlier in the week and a  further delay yesterday, the stage is set for a compelling final  day as Europe seek a fourth victory in five editions.

For their part, the Americans face a tall order in their bid  to win on European soil for the first time in 17 years, although  they can reflect back to Brookline in 1999 when they triumphed  after trailing 10-6 going into the singles.

“Brookline was mentioned in the locker room tonight,”  European captain Colin Montgomerie said after describing  yesterday’s display as one Europe’s best ever.

“We were 10-6 up at Brookline; we lost. This isn’t as good  of a position as them. So there is no mention of that word  (complacency) in our locker rooms, never. We respect the  American team fully.”

Montgomerie had given his team a fiery pep talk on Saturday  before the start of the weather-delayed third session, and he  was delighted that they carried their form into yesterday.

“That was one of the greatest days for European golf that we  have had,” the 47-year-old Scot said. “To turn a two-point  deficit into a three-point lead was quite amazing. To stop  America winning a match, fantastic.”

Westwood and Donald earned the first point of the day by  crushing American heavyweights Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker  6&5 in foursomes, the world number one’s heaviest Ryder Cup  defeat.

The talismanic Westwood gave the British partnership a major  lift when he started the day by draining a 40-foot birdie putt  at the 10th and they also birdied the next two holes before  Woods and Stricker ended the match a collective three over par.

“That putt Westy holed on 10 was just magnificent,” Donald  said. “I can’t even put it into words. It was amazing to see  that go in and to go five up there just gave us a huge boost.”

Woods’s previous worst result at the Ryder Cup was a 5&3  defeat by Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer at Valderrama in 1997  when Mark O’Meara was his partner.

As roars of “Europe, Europe” began to echo around the  course, Northern Irishmen Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy  followed suit by beating Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan 3&1 in  their foursomes encounter to level the overall score at 6-6.

Britain’s Ross Fisher produced some of the best golf of the  week as he and Padraig Harrington won their fourball against Jim  Furyk and Dustin Johnson 2&1 but the Europeans had to fend off a  spirited American fightback late in the day.

At one point Europe trailed in one match and were all square  in two but a flurry of sparkling approach shots and ice-cool  clutch putts in early evening sunshine at Celtic Manor kept red  U.S. numbers off the board.

Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez squandered a two-up  lead after seven holes to be level after 14 before they rallied  to beat Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton two up.

Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer led by three after eight holes  against Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler but were pegged back to  all square before winning 2&1.

It was Mickelson’s third defeat of the week, taking his  overall tally to 17 – the most defeats by any American.

In the final twist of the day, Francesco Molinari sank a  three-foot birdie putt at the last to steal a valuable half with  his brother Edoardo after they had been dormie one down to  Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.

“We have to mention the Molinaris,” Montgomerie said. “They  knew they needed at worst a birdie, and… to do what they did  at the last hole, two rookies, two brothers coming down that  last hole with everybody that plays golf in Europe watching  them. Big, big difference.”

The Europeans narrowly failed to complete the first clean  sweep in a session at the biennial team event since the home  side won all four fourballs at The Belfry in 1989.
“I was really proud of my guys,” U.S. captain Corey Pavin  said. “We went to sleep last night down in every match and I  watched 12 men out there who fought hard and held their heads  high. We got a couple of matches to 18.

“They know what they have to do and they will go out and  play hard again tomorrow. They are going to come out fighting.”