Europe fight back after USA draw first blood

Golf writer Derek Clements reports from Gleneages on day 1 of the 2014 Ryder Cup

After losing the morning fourballs, Europe needed to make up ground in a hurry. The last thing you can do is allow any American team to build up a head of steam and find some confidence.

And there is no doubt that Paul McGinley will sleep easier than his American rival, Tom Watson, after Europe finished the first day of the 40th Ryder Cup with a 5-3 lead after winning the afternoon foursomes 3-1.

Lee Westwood was given the task of shepherding rookie Welshman Jamie Donaldson around Gleneagles in the afternoon foursomes. Both players sat out the morning fourballs and opened their account against Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk, who were also in action for the first time.

There has been much talk of redemption from Tom Watson and for Hunter Mahan that resonates more than for any other player at Gleneagles. He partnered the redoubtable  Zach Johnson against Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, winners of their morning fourballs match.

Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, who would have been seething after losing to Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradlkey, were quickly in action again, this time against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler.

Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley took almost five and a half hours to complete their fourball match against Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy and were last out against Graeme McDowell and Victor Dubuisson. Having spent so long on the course, why on earth did they feel it necessary to head out to the range to warm up again? Bizarre, man. Truly bizarre.

In case you were wondering, the players had been told that they were expected to complete their foursomes matches in no longer than four hours and nine minutes. It is not known if it was explained to Bradley that this was for 18 holes, not nine.

It also has to be said that Mickelson and Bradley, who sprayed the ball all over Gleneagles in the fourballs, seemed an unlikely foursomes combination. Bradley proved the point immediately when he hooked his opening drive.

At least both captains had kept to their game plans and managed to give all 12 of their players a taste of the action on the opening day.

Westwood and Donaldson went one down on the third but squared matters at the par-three sixth after a beautiful tee shot from Donaldson. They won the seventh with a par and went two up with a birdie at the 11th. The 12th and 13th were halved in par and the 14th was shared with a birdie. The European pair were two up with four to play but they dropped a shot at the 16th. The 17th was halved and so it was all down to the final hole. Europe needed to ensure that they didn't lose it to put another point on the board. In the event, they won it, and the match. Europe 2.5 USA 2.,5.

Rose and Stenson continued where they left off in the morning, winning the first with a birdie. They halved the second with a birdie, won the sixth with a two to go two up, but then lost the seventh and eighth. The ninth was halved in birdie before they went ahead again with a birdie at the 11th.The 14th was lost to a birdie but a par was good enough to nose them ahead again at the 15th. The 16th was halved in birdie four.

Mahan rolled a long putt at the 17th fully five feet beyond the hole and when Johnson missed the return, Rose was left with the simple task of hole a two-footer for a 2&1 victory. Europe 3.5 USA 2.5

McIlroy and Garcia had struggled in their fourball match - one they should have won. They were still short of their best but took advantage of scrappy play by Walker and Fowler to win the third with a par. They lost the fifth even though the Americans could only bogey the hole but nosed ahead at the sixth when they became the third European pair to birdie the par three.

A dropped shot cost them the seventh, they halved the eighth with a birdie and were all square after nine holes. A birdie for Walker and Fowler at the 11th and a European bogey at the next turned the match however and, all of a sudden, the Americans were two up. But back came the European pair to win the 13th and reduce the deficit to one. The next hole was halved in par, but the World No 1 and 3 gave themselves a mountain to climb when they lost the 15th to a par. They were two down with three to play, and on the brink of their second defeat on the opening day.

Garcia missed the green with his approach to the 16th, and although McIlroy played a delightful chip, Walker was left with a 12-foot putt to win the match. It narrowly missed the hole, but the Americans were now dormie two. That became one when McIlroy produced the loudest cheer of the day after holing a massive birdie putt at the par-three 17th.

Could they win the 18th and get out of this match with half a point? McIlroy, one of the best drivers of a golf ball on the planet, went for a big one and immediately wished he hadn't after slicing it horribly. He was lucky to leave Garcia a decent lie and the Spaniard produced a stunning three wood to the heart of the green. With the Americans bunkered in two, there was still hope.

McIlroy's eagle putt hung on the lip. It meant that Fowler faced a putt of fully 15 feet to win the match, but he couldn't make it. All square. Europe 4 USA 3.

As expected, Bradley and Mickelson struggled from the off and found themselves three down after six holes. Dubuisson and McDowell had only required a solitary birdie to establish their lead and they moved along steadily enough until a bogey at the eighth saw them lose their first hole. But they were still two up.

They lost the ninth to a Mickelson-Bradley birdie but went two up again at the next when the Americans dropped another shot. If Dubuisson was nervous, he wasn't showing it, and a great bunker shot at the 12th put Europe firmly in control at three up. That was reduced to two at the 13th and when Dubuisson hit a wild drive at the 14th things were beginning to look a bit shaky, but the Europeans escaped with a half. The 15th was halved so Europe came to the 16th two up with three to play.

And when McDowell a 20-foot putt it was all over, 3&2.

What a fightback we had witnessed.

Image Credit - Rory - PGA Tour Twitter

Derek Clements is a sports journalist with a particular passion for golf with over 12 years of experience covering golf and other sports including Chief Sub-Editor on the sports desk of The Sunday Times. To contact Derek email direct via [email protected]