America lead 10-6 going into Sunday’s Singles
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Europe go into tomorrow’s singles 6-10, and so four points down, needing to win eight matches tomorrow for a draw, to retain the Cup. In other words the Americans just need four and a half points tomorrow to retain the Cup.
It’s a very tough ask for the Europeans, but definitely possible; not something you would have thought halfway through the afternoon.
In an incredible late afternoon, Europe eventually halved the afternoon fourballs 2-2, when first Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia hung on to beat Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker on the last hole; and then moments later Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy repeated the feat against Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson.
Make no mistake, it still leaves the Europeans a huge hill to climb tomorrow. But the heart is still beating.
Poulter was extraordinary. How do you make five birdies in a row, when it matters, and you know you have to; and your partner (who just so happens to be the number one player in the world) looks like he’s given up? His teammate,
Justin Rose said: “Rory may be number one in the world; but Poults is number one when it comes to matchplay.”
“I have never felt so excited in my life,” said Poulter afterwards. “I had all my teammates around the green on that last one; so of course I knew I was going to make it. I wasn’t going to let them down.”
“We have a lot of work to do in the singles,” said his captain Olazabal, “but that point was huge. Those last two matches were massive. That keeps us in with a chance. It’s been done before in the past. Tomorrow is going to be a very big day. Things have not gone our way when it comes to momentum, so far this week. Let’s hope it will tomorrow!”
The order for the singles is:
11.03 Bubba Watson v Luke Donald
11.14 Webb Simpson v Ian Poulter
11.25 Keegan Bradley v Rory McIlroy
11.36 Phil Mickelson v Justin Rose
11.47 Brandt Snedeker v Paul Lawrie
11.58 Dustin Johnson v Nicolas Colsaerts
12.09 Zach Johnson v Graeme McDowell
12.20 Jim Furyk v Sergio Garcia
12.31 Jason Dufner v Peter Hanson
12.42 Matt Kuchar v Lee Westwood
12.53 Steve Stricker v Martin Kaymer
1.04 Tiger Woods v Francesco Molinari
