Ryder Cup: Spanish switcheroo caps European comeback on Saturday

The Spanish pairing of Sergio Garcia and Rafael Cabrera-Bello staged a remarkable comeback in the final foursomes match on Ryder Cup Saturday, claiming a vital half point against the heralded US pairing of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. In doing so they cut the US overnight lead to leave the tournament poised at US 6½ to Europe's 5½ ahead of the afternoon fourballs.

A US victory seemed a nailed on certainty for much of the round, with the Texan duo four up with just six to play. But a combination of stellar Spanish play and some surprisingly nervous moments for Spieth/Reed turned the match on its head to take the match all-square to a final hole.

Garcia and Cabrera-Bello, evoking memories of the seminal Spanish partnership of Ballesteros/Olzabal, won four of the last five holes to claw back almost all of the ground lost by the Europeans in the foursomes yesterday when USA had stormed to a 4-0 early lead.

The drama continued on the final green with a putt-off required to decide the tie. Patrick Reed rolled in from six feet before Sergio Garcia showed steel to seal a par and a vital half point for Europe.

Earlier, opening partnership McIlroy and Pieters claimed a symbolically significant first point of the day for Europe, winning 4&2 in a captivating tussle with Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson of frequent momentum shifts.

“You want to set the tone for the rest of the team… get blue on the board. Darren [Clarke] had faith to get us out first and we delivered for him” said McIlroy after his round, a player who once decried the Ryder cup now a totem for his team.

Continuing his form from yesterday’s matches Justin Rose, alongside rookie Chris Wood, saw off a late challenge from Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker to earn Europe another vital point, as match was the first to go down to the 18th hole in this year’s cup.

The all-English pair were were three up with five to play. But Wood’s birdie putt on the 14th lipped the cup to concede the hole. Europe’s lead was cut to one point after Johnson was unerring with a tricky three-footer.

There had been nothing between the all-English pairing and their American counterparts through several of the first holes, Jimmy Walker having to make two par putts to keep the US in contention with a scrappy display of golf.

Neither of the partnerships appeared able to profit from each other’s mistakes, Wood missing a chance at the 6th to take Europe one up.

Justin Rose added a crucial splash of blue to the scoreboard, holing a 12-footer to give Europe a slender lead, before Wood helped win the 10th to take Europe two up.

The third European pair, marrying the choirboy-featured 22-year-old debutant Matthew Fitzpatrick with Henrik Stenson, was the only European foursomes pair not to enjoy success in the morning’s action.

Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka broke the European back on the back nine with an inspired run of three birdies in consecutive holes to win 3&2, despite riding their luck on several occasions.

Fitzpatrick, who performed admirably on his first Ryder cup outing, found water on the 16th to hand the match to the US, though he and Swedish partner Henrik Stenson had enjoyed something of a fightback earlier in the round.

Captain Darren Clarke had decided to split the Stenson/ Rose ticket, pairing the two vastly experienced golfers with Fitzpatrick and the long-limbed Bristolian Chris Wood, this year’s BMW PGA champion, respectively.

But Open Champion Stenson couldn’t reprise his stellar 2016 form in the early holes, missing an eight footer on the first to leave Europe trailing, before missing a birdie putt on the second after a solid approach from Fitzpatrick which would have restored parity.

Snedeker/Koepka, a pairing which had performed so impressively yesterday afternoon in the fourballs, thrashing Willett/Kaymer 5&4, continued to do the business, as Stenson faltered with a five-footer which lipped out of the cup at a right angle to take the US two-up.

The Europeans cut the deficit to one point at the 7th, Fitzpatrick showing an assurance to belie his tender years with a birdie. Europe stayed in contention on the 8th, Stenson holing a putt for a half after Snedeker failed to restore a two-point lead.

Europe’s profligacy on the greens had left them unable to profit from errant US strokeplay from tee to green, though Fitzpatrick essayed a beautiful chip on the 11th to set up a tap-in birdie and move Europe all square.