Poulter leads late European fightback

Golf:As the airplanes overhead puffed out their messages of support to the Europeans here at Medinah Country Club, a classic ambush marketing campaign by bookmakers Paddy Power, something closer to reality took place on terra firma: the United States strengthened its grip in the attempt to wrest back the Ryder Cup, establishing a 10-6 heading into the final day's singles.

And yet, and yet! There was no white flag of surrender thrown in, even if – in this pressure cooker environment, with the home crowds raucously roaring every good deed from an American player – it seemed as if Europe’s goose was half-cooked. Davis Love III’s men will seek to apply the finishing touches to their work in this 39th edition of the biennial match but a rear-guard action that secured winning points in the final two fourballs offered a glimmer of hope.

The USA established an 8-4 lead after the second day’s foursomes and had moved, rather ominously, in to a 10-4 lead when taking the top two fourballs with Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar beating Nicolas Colsaerts and Paul Lawrie by one hole and Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson defeating Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari by 5 and 4.

Then, we discovered why the Ryder Cup is so special. Nobody throws in the towel, nobody ever accepts defeat. And as the skies darkened and the home crowd threw the love at the home players and increased the decibels to get under the skins of the European players, something happened: Luke Donald rose to the challenge, and Ian Poulter – finally discovering a hot putter – left his mark.

Donald teamed-up with Sergio Garcia to secure a one hole win over Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, winless in three matches over the opening two days; and, in the bottom fourballs, Poulter reeled off five birdies on the trot from the 14th to claim a one hole win over Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson that offered Europe some hope heading into the final day of 12 singles.

With shades of Brookline in ’99 to stir thoughts of revenge, when the Americans staged the biggest comeback from a similar position, José Maria Olazabal’s men will head into the singles wearing the traditional navy blue colours that were the trademark of the legendary Seve Ballesteros.

Poulter, his eyes bulging after making one birdie putt after another over the closing stretch of holes, became the on-course talisman for Europe. Why oh why was he omitted from Friday’s session of fourballs? Or, for that matter, why were Garcia and Donald also omitted?

Rather than any recriminations, Poulter simply got on with the job. Having partnered Rose to a foursomes win over Watson and Simpson in the morning, Poulter was energised for a fourballs encounter that was in the hands of the Americans Dufner and Zach Johnson for most of the way. Standing on the 13th tee, two down at the time, Poulter and McIlroy had a mini-conclave. “It was brutal (the noise from the US fans), I kept saying, ‘the only thing we can do is make a birdie to try and keep them a little quiet’,” recalled Poulter.

McIlroy concurred. “We needed a spark, a chip-in, a holed putt or even a missed putt by them,” conceded McIlroy. “Then, I got that (birdie) putt on 13.” That left-to-right breaking putt from 18-feet by McIlroy to reduce the deficit to one had a mesmerising effect on Poulter, who was transformed for the run home and birdied the remaining five holes to claim the win and provide some ray of light for the Europeans going into the final 12 singles. Europe need to win eight of those to retain the trophy.

“Those last two matches were massive,” said Europe’s captain Olazabal. “Huge. That keeps us (in), gives us a chance. It’s been done before in the past. It’s going to be a big day. . .I have to say, things have not gone our way, especially on the greens. I believe momentum will come our way. Why not?”

For his part, Love remarked: “We haven’t lost a segment yet (in four sessions), we’re just going to try to keep that string going.”

Woods, meanwhile, despite losing three from three so far, birdied five holes on the back nine without reward. “I’ve played well the last two afternoons (in fourballs) and didn’t get a point. It’s tough. . .(but) we’re in a great spot right now to win the Cup. We want to get off to a quick start and get as many points as you can out of the get-go.”

Meanwhile, McIlroy and Tiger Woods will not face each other for the second Ryder Cup in a row.

American captain Davis Love has put Woods out last in Sunday’s singles, while world number one McIlroy is out third against unbeaten Keegan Bradley as Europe try to claw back the four-point deficit.

Donald leads things off for Olazabal’s side and will play Watson. Poulter, who like Bradley has won his first three games, follows against US Open champion Webb Simpson.

Woods faces Francesco Molinari just as he did at Celtic Manor two years ago.The Italian lost 4&3 in Wales.

Graeme McDowell, whose putt retained the cup for Europe two years’ ago, takes on Zach Johnson.

Speaking about the draw, Olazabal added: “Obviously we could not hide anything. We are trailing by four points and we have to put the players that are playing well up there.

“We knew they (the Americans) would know that but if we want to win this match at the end of the day we have to take the big guys down.

“I believe that it’s not over. That’s what I learned from Seve and what I tried to pass to the players. It’s not over until it’s over.”

Singles draw (all times Irish)

17:03Bubba Watson v Luke Donald

17:14Webb Simpson v Ian Poulter

17:25Keegan Bradley v Rory McIlroy

17:36Phil Mickelson v Justin Rose

17:47Brandt Snedeker v Paul Lawrie

17:58Dustin Johnson v Nicolas Colsaerts

18:09Zach Johnson v Graeme McDowell

18:20Jim Furyk v Sergio Garcia

18:31Jason Dufner v Peter Hanson

18:42Matt Kuchar v Lee Westwood

18:53Steve Stricker v Martin Kaymer

19:04Tiger Woods v Francesco Molinari