Europe with a mountain to climb as US open up three point lead in Ryder Cup

The heat of the battle out on the course is even more fraught. The Sunday singles promises to be an epic old affair as the USA finished day two of this transatlantic rammy with a significant 9 ½ - 6 ½ lead. It’s not the four points Europe needed to claw back en route to the Miracle of Medinah in 2012 but it’s still going to be a formidable task as they strive for an unprecedented fourth successive cup win.

“I don’t need to pick them up,” said European captain, Darren Clarke. “They know they have a big challenge ahead of them but teams have overcome bigger deficits.”

As the sun shone on a beautiful autumn day, the combatants sizzled with some spectacular golf. 96 birdies and three eagles? If they carry on at this rate, Hazeltine will be scorched to pieces this afternoon. The opening singles showdown between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed promises to be a quite explosive spectacle

Everywhere you turned yesterday there were folk punching the air with so much vigour you half expected that very air to have dents in it come tea time. Jack Nicklaus described the rip-roaring atmosphere as “wild” and the mobs from Minneapolis and beyond certainly made themselves heard in this bubbling golfing cauldron of bawls, boos, heckles, hisses and cans of Bud Lite.

“Go back to the European Tour,” barked one patriotic punter in close proximity to Rory McIlroy. “Nah, I’ll keep coming over here and taking your money,” responded the Northern Irishman with goading relish. That was one of the more nonchalant exchanges as the air became increasingly hostile. There was plenty of boorish nincompoopery going on and McIlroy was the target for much of it. A vulgar anatomical reference lobbed in his direction, and a subsequent exchange with the culprit between the seventh and eighth tees, led to the gurgling halfwit being ejected from the premises. He probably wasn’t the only one. All of a sudden, Pete Willett’s well-documented magazine article about US “imbeciles” and “cretins” didn’t look so inflammatory.

McIlroy had almost been cast in the role as the pantomime villain as those partisan cheerleaders on the other side of the ropes tried to throw a star spangled spanner in his works. The crass catcalls didn’t succeed. They merely galvanised the world No 3.

In partnership with the sensational Thomas Pieters, an alliance which could be a huge weapon in the European armoury for years, the duo reeled off their third win of the weekend as they followed up a 4&2 foursomes win over Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson in the morning with a lively 3&1 defeat of Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka in the fourballs. In the 49 holes they have played as a pairing, McIlroy and Pieters have been ahead for 45.

The American pair had knocked out five birdies in 10 holes but they were still four down. McIlroy and Pieters were on fire with the former finding a level of sporting engagement that almost bordered on the hysterical. If the loudmouths thought a few crude remarks about a former girlfriend was going to knock McIlroy off his majestic stride then they were pitifully mistaken. “It fuelled me a lot,” said McIlroy. “The more they shouted the better we played. I hope they keep shouting. It’s a tough environment and you have to keep your concentration. Emotions run high.”

They’ll certainly be running high today. Twenty four men, 12 points and a little gold chalice at stake. Team USA have the advantage. Europe had scrambled their way back to within a point after edging the second session of foursomes but the US took the fourballs 3-1 to edge clear again.

If McIlroy was the fiery leader of Europe, then Reed was the driving force for the US and his level of intensity was quite staggering. When he holed his approach for an eagle at the sixth in his fourballs match with Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, his face resembled a setting sun as he exploded into a maniacal celebration. Six birdies and that eagle were blasted by Reed over the course of the tie as the US claimed a vital 2&1 win, despite Stenson’s late chip-in for eagle on 16th which kept the match going. “He’s Captain America for us,” said Spieth of his inspired partner. In two Ryder Cups, this Texan twosome have now plundered five points, which equals the US record for a pairing held by Gardner Dickinson and the late, great Arnold Palmer.

Mickelson, who sat out the entire Saturday session in 2014, played twice here and despite the morning reversal the 46-year-old came out fighting in the fourballs in partnership with Matt Kuchar. The 2&1 win over Martin Kaymer and Sergio Garcia added to the US tally and it became clear that Europe would need something from Danny Willett and Lee Westwood against JB Holmes and Ryan Moore.

In a tussle they had led early, neither the Masters champion nor his veteran playing partner were able to produce the shots required as the pressure mounted. Both bogeyed 17, before Westwood missed a putt of no more than two and a half feet for birdie on the 18th which cost them a half point as the US claimed a hugely important one hole win. It was a sore one to stomach.

With Westwood and Kaymer, two of Clarke’s wild cards, both without a point from five matches between, the inevitable questions will arise. Too much faith in the old boys’ network? Inverness Russell Knox, who missed out on a captain’s pick amid much moaning and muttering in Scottish quarters, will probably be thinking ‘I could have done a job’ as he kicks back on a lounger while on holiday in Bermuda.

Chris Wood, who won in the morning with Justin Rose, was benched in the afternoon as was the unflappable Rafa Cabrera Bello, whose profitable partnership with Garcia was split up by Clarke as Kaymer came in. Hindsight is a great thing, of course. It will all be there to be raked over when it’s all said and done tonight.

From the debris of Friday’s 4-0 whitewash in the opening foursomes, the European salvage operation was looking good yesterday as they took the foursomes by 2 ½ points to 1 ½ to get to within a point.

Things were going Europe’s way particularly in the anchor match between Garcia and Cabrera Bello and Spieth and Reed. The Spaniards had been four down through 12 to the rampaging Americans but, against the odds, they plundered an unlikely half.

As Spieth and Reed wobbled, Garcia and Cabrero Bello upped the ante. Garcia coaxed in a 12-footer for birdie on 16 to reduce the leeway to just a hole before Cabrero Bello dunted another birdie in from the fringe of the green on 17 to square the match after Spieth’s own birdie attempt had teetered on the edge of the cup and stayed out. “It’s the Ryder Cup, it’s as simple as that,” said Garcia, when asked to explain that head-spinning turnaround.

As things unravelled in the afternoon, however, Europe now find themselves needing yet another sizeable turnaround. It should be quite a final day.

Ryder Cup, USA 9 1/2 Europe 6 1/2

Final day singles draw (US names first)

P Reed v R McIlroy

J Spieth v H Stenson

JB Holmes v T Pieters

R Fowler v J Rose

J Walker v R Cabrero Bello

P Mickelson v S Garcia

R Moore v L Westwood

B Snedeker v A Sullivan

D Johnson v C Wood

B Koepka v D Willett

M Kuchar v M Kaymer

Z Johnson v M Fitzpatrick