Cink the hero as US keep two-point lead into third series (2nd Lead)

By Peter Auf der Heyde Oct 2, 2010, 16:58 GMT

Newport, Wales - The US Ryder Cup team have Stewart Cink to thank for a two-point lead over their European counterparts going into the third series of matches.

With the score all square in the match between Cink and playing- partner Matt Kuchar against the Irish combination of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, Kuchar left the American ball on the par-three 17th some 30 feet from the pin. McDowell gave Europe a real birdie chance as he placed the European ball six feet from the flag.

But with all the pressure on him, the 37-year-old Cink sunk the monster putt to keep his team in the match, while McIlroy failed to find the hole with his much shorter putt, giving the Americans the upper-hand going into the last hole and they made no mistake as they finished - as did the Europeans - on par-five.

Cink said that he was concerned they had thrown the game on the 15th, when he put the ball into the rough. 'On the 17th, it was just amazing. We are just tickled that we got the point.

Asked if he was feeling tired ahead of starting another match later on Saturday, Cink said he did not think he would feel tired until play ended for the day. 'We are all just riding the wave.'

The US victory in the match took the score in the competition which sees teams of 12 American golfers take on their European counterparts and is being played on the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales to 6-4 in their favour.

Ian Poulter and Luke Donald had taken Europe back into striking range of the US when they won the 16th and 17th holes to take the match 3&2.

'Keeping the ball in play was the key for us. We made four or five birdies but didn't give too many holes away. We made them work for the holes they won, that's key to foursomes,' Donald said.

Earlier, the US took two of the four foursome, while the other two were halved.

Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan dominated play against Francesco Molinari and his brother Edoardo, but then allowed the Europeans to come back on the 16th as they bogeyed the par-4 hole.

But the Americans bounced right back to birdie the next two holes to win the match 2-up after 18 holes.

The next pair in were Ross Fisher and Padraig Harrington, who managed to win their match against Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson 3&2.

Fisher, who is playing in his first Ryder Cup and holed the winning putt said he was delighted to have won. 'It feels awesome to win with a putt like that. We played solid golf.'

Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker proved far too strong for Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez as they won their match 4&3.

PGA champion Martin Kaymer and his playing partner Lee Westwood both had putts to win their match for Europe, but both failed, allowing American rookie Rickie Fowler a simple six foot putt to halve a match in which they were behind from the second hole.

Later Saturday two foursomes, as well as four fourballs will start, though they will not finish before play ends for the day.

In fourball matches, each golfer plays his own ball and the player with the lowest score on a hole wins the hole for his team. If two or more players are equal the hole is halved.

In foursomes matches the golfers from one team play alternate shots and whichever team has the better score wins the hole.

The changed format was made necessary after organizers were forced to re-schedule the format in an attempt to catch up some time after more than seven hours was lost on Friday due to a lengthy rain interruption.