It was a morning to savour for Europe
n RORY McILROY & SERGIO GARCIA beat BROOKS KOEPKA & TONY FINAU 2&1
There was relief all round when Sergio Garcia holed a match-winning 20-foot putt on the penultimate green to secure the first point of day two.
Whenheand McIlroy were four-up with five to play, an early lunch looked on the cards only to lose three holes in a row.
But the Spaniard stepped up to make a superb birdie and spark jubilant scenes.
The damage had been done early on as the Europeans dovetailed beautifully as five birdies had them four-up after eight.
From there, it always looked to be a home victory, even if it took nine more holes to secure it. n PAUL CASEY & TYRRELL HATTON beat DUSTIN JOHNSON & RICKIE FOWLER 3&2
The returning veteran and the rookie combined superbly to take down this stellar American pairing.
It was a first Ryder Cup point for 10 years for Casey and a first overall for Hatton in a match they controlled throughout.
From the moment Johnson and Fowler found the water on the first, they were up against it.
Casey made five birdies in his first six holes before two more from his younger partner saw them turn three up, with no sign of an American comeback in the back nine. FRANCESCO MOLINARI & TOMMY FLEETWOOD beat TIGER WOODS & PATRICK REED 4&3
Europe’s dynamic duo chalked up a third successive point and claimed the scalp of this American pair for the second time in the fourballs.
Their teamwork and consistency was far too much for Woods and Reed, andtheywerenever behind at any stage.
Nicknamed ‘Moliwood’, the Anglo-Italian pair went two up after six. Some fine play from Tiger had the match all-square after 10, but it was temporary.
Molinari nearly holed his tee shot at the 11th and more magic at the next had restored the twohole lead.
Both Americans found the water at the 13th and when they encountered trouble at the 15th, they were soon shaking hands. IAN POULTER & JON RAHM lost to JUSTIN THOMAS & JORDAN SPIETH 2&1
America’s young guns saved face for their team on what threatened to be another session whitewash.
When Poulter’s birdie at the seventh put his pair one up, the Europeans were up in all four games.
But Thomas and Spieth dug deep to birdie seven of the next 10 holes and put some red on the board.
The Englishman was in full Ryder Cup mode with a number of fine putts, but with Rahm off colour, he couldn’t hold off the USA duo.