Europe in driving seat at Ryder Cup (Roundup)

By Peter Auf der Heyde Oct 2, 2010, 19:15 GMT

Newport, Wales - Although the US take a two-point lead into the final day of the Ryder Cup, Europe are well on course to change that after dominating the late session on Saturday.

Europe were leading in all six matches on the course when play ended on Saturday, leaving the team in a very strong position to claw their way back in the competition, which sees teams of 12 American golfers take on their European counterparts.

The Americans won only four of the 39 holes played in Saturday's third session, during which two foursome and four fourballs are being played.

Possibly the most surprising score was in one of the foursomes in which Steve Stricker and world number one Tiger Woods were down 4 through 9 against Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.

Woods and Stricker had earlier beaten Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson 4&3 to take their run of wins in international competition to six.

In the other foursome, during which golfers from one team play alternate shots and whichever team has the better score wins the hole, the Irish duo of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell were 3-up through 7 against Zach Johnson and Hunter Maher.

McIlroy, who earlier in the day had missed a simple six foot putt which saw the team lose their foursome to Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, said that they had played much better.

'The secret in foursomes is not to give away too many holes and we have managed to do that.'

McDowell said that he was disappointed that play was suspended because of the darkness. 'It was a shame it got dark, we would have loved to keep going. Seeing all the blue for Europe on the scoreboard was very motivating for us.'

Hanson and Jimenez were 2-up through 6 against Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton, while the PGA champion Martin Kaymer and Ian Poulter were also 2-up against Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson. They had completed four holes.

PGA champion Kaymer, who - with Westwood - gave away two match- winning putts against Furyk and Fowler in the second session, admitted that he was mentally tired after playing so much golf. 'Physically, I am fine, but mentally I realize that I have played a lot.'

The two other fourballs, during which each golfer plays his own ball and the player with the lowest score on a hole wins the hole for his team, saw Europe 1-up.

The Molinari brothers Francesco and Eduardo had played five holes against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, while Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher had completed eight holes against Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson.

American captain Corey Pavin did not want to accept fatigue as a reason why his team was not doing as well in the session as they had done earlier.

'I think the Europeans are playing the same amount of golf as we are, so that can't be the reason.

'I just want the guys to play the best they can and compete out there and do the best they can in their matches and hopefully win them, and just see what they add up to when the day is over and the session is over,' Pavin said.

The unusual situation of playing fourballs and foursomes at the same time 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.

Organizers are hoping that they will be able to finish the competition on Sunday, but as rain is predicted, it could well be that play will go into Monday for the first time in Ryder Cup history.

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