Sensational Europe build 8-4 lead with superb showing in Saturday fourballs

Updated 29/09/2018 at 16:28 GMT

Europe’s Ryder Cup momentum continued on Saturday as they took the morning fourballs 3-1 over a shaken American side.

Sergio Garcia et Rory McIlroy - Ryder Cup 2018

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Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy set the standard in Match, beating Tony Finau and Brooks Koepka 2&1, fighting off a three-hole fightback from the Americans to hold on for the point.

But it was Paul Casey and Tyrell Hatton who sprung the big surprise, putting in a consistently strong performance to beat Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler 3&2.

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Tiger Woods’ tricky weekend continued as he and Patrick Reed were thumped 4&3 Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood.

And the only respite for the Americans game in Match 4, where Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth came out on top in a high-drama match to take it 2&1 against Jon Rahm and Ian Poulter and half a winning streak by the European team.

Speaking after the morning session, European captain Thomas Bjorn said:

We keep going, we keep going until the end. This is the way the morning session finished yesterday and we've got an afternoon session ahead of us that's going to be tough - there are going to be 16 really good golfers out there on the course. We'll keep pushing. Nothing's won, we're just over the halfway stage. There's no bit happiness yet, there's still a determination and work to be done.

Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton - Ryder Cup 2018

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FRIDAY AFTERNOON

Europe's strong start to Saturday built on their incredible comeback on Friday afternoon.

The hosts had trailed 3-1 after the opening Friday fourballs, but the second session saw an unlikely comeback as the leaderboard lit up blue.

First, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose combined to beat Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler 3&2, before Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter downed Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 4&2.

It got worse for the Americans. Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren inflicted a 5&4 defeat on Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, with a miserable session completed when Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood – the only Europeans to score a point in the morning – beating Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth by the same margin.

Alex Noren celebrates with Sergio Garcia during the afternoon foursome matches

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The golf course changed in the afternoon with the wind picking up, and with it the momentum swung in Europe's favour.

It was a barnstorming comeback, the like not seen by a European team in a foursome before. Indeed, it was the first time that Team Europe completed a whitewash in any session since 1989.

They suffered a 4-0 reverse in the format en route to defeat in Hazeltine two years ago, but the nature of the victories will have sent European captain Thomas Bjorn off into the evening feeling confident that the momentum is now strongly on his side.

The Swede told Sky Sports: "We are one team and we did it with all 12 today. That was the plan. Those guys that sat out this morning I’m very proud of what they did because they came out and showed quality, class and this was a wonderful afternoon.

Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy helped swing the balance in Europe's favour

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"There's a long way to go in this but we go home with a good taste now and then we regroup for tomorrow."

Among the highlights was the success of Poulter and McIlroy, who was badly off form in the morning. The duo from two-down to triumph 4&2 over Simpson and Watson in a game that had the massive crowds finally roaring after they had little to shout about in the morning.

FRIDAY MORNING

Jordan Spieth of the United States celebrates during the morning fourball matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on September 28, 2018 in Paris, France.

Image credit: Eurosport

The US made an impressive start to their defence as they produced a rousing finish to claim a 3-1 lead after the Friday morning fourballs.

Jim Furyk's side always looked the team more in touch with their game as only a 3&1 defeat for Patrick Reed and a toiling Tour champion Tiger Woods – struggling with a stiff back – to Open champion Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood in the bottom match prevented a whitewash.

Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau held out for a 1up victory over Justin Rose and Jon Rahm - who were two up with six holes remaining - while Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler were utterly dominated in a 4&2 victory over a poor Rory McIlroy and Thorbjørn Olesen.

Paul Casey and Tyrell Hatton battled back from three down against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas after seven holes only for Thomas to birdie the 15th to apply the pressure.

Hatton missed a birdie attempt at the 18th to halve the match as the USA ended the session well in control of their own destiny with a two-point lead.