America maintained their two-point lead after a dramatic morning foursomes in the Walker Cup at Ganton were shared 2-2 today.
When Adam Rubinson missed from under three feet on the final green for only a half against Scots Stuart Wilson and David Inglis it looked as if Britain and Ireland might claw back some of their overnight deficit.
But when Welshmen Nigel Edwards and Stuart Manley bogeyed the last - Edwards went into a greenside bunker - they had to settle for a half with Lee Williams and George Zahringer.
Earlier Gary Wolstenholme, despite needing treatment for a neck strain, and Oliver Wilson had hammered top American pair Bill Haas and Trip Kuehne five and four, but Irish duo Noel Fox and Colm Moriarty were then trounced six and five by Brock Mackenzie and Matt Hendrix.
It all left the United States 9-7 in front and needing three and a half points from the eight afternoon singles - delayed following an 80-minute fog delay at the start - to regain the trophy.
Britain and Ireland required five points to keep a cup they won by emphatic 15-9 margins in 1999 and two years ago - and five and a half points for an historic third successive victory.
