Donaldson and Westwood proving too solid for Furyk and Kuchar at the moment, they've halved 13. For all his glories as a strokeplay golfer, Furyk has a pretty average record in Ryder Cups with nine wins and 17 losses in 30 matches.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Gleneagles

Image source, Getty Images

I was just typing about what a quiet afternoon it's been on the course when two bombs go off in quick succession. First from somewhere on the front nine (McIlroy, it turns out) and then Rose drains one on 11. "Typical," says one bloke. "We've waited there for an hour and a half and the minute we leave something happens."

McIlroy drains a longun at eight, only for Walker to hold his nerve and sink his birdie putt - that match rocking and rolling towards a conclusion.

Kuchar parachuting into 13, all over the flag. Johnson for birdie on 11 and if he'd hit that a little bit harder it would have dropped. Rose, on the other hand, hits his and it disappears, Europe nip ahead again.

BBC Radio 5 live

US vice-captain Andy North: "I think you're going to see a lot of weird things happen because the course is playing so hard. If you don't drive the ball straight anything can happen."

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Gleneagles

Thousands of people enjoy the September sunshine and glorious views of the Ochil Hills on the vast banks to the left of the ninth as Rose/Stenson and Johnson/Mahan play through. There are troops of Minnesota Vikings (with horns), face painted Euros, crazy hats, Stars and Stripes jeans, natty blazers. And lots of golf casual. When the crowd concertinas at a pinch point by the 10th tee, a temporary thicket of periscopes pokes into the Perth sky.

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Stenson with that whippy swing of his and he finds the 11th green safely enough. Mahan was in a better position and that's no great shakes from there. Garcia with a wedge into eight after a pearling drive from McIlroy. Finds the heart, McIlroy with a birdie chance. Fowler takes aim and he's all over the stick, Walker will have a putt hitting through a valley.

Westwood and Donaldson halve the 12th to remain two up against Furyk and Kuchar and here's Westwood missing the fairway off the tee at 13. Not that Donaldson looks bothered, here's the Welshman getting stuck into a sandwich while leaning on his bag. Furyk safely away...

USA up
Ryder Cup latest

Walker pops in to win the hole and he and Fowler regain parity with McIlroy and Garcia, who are howling hot and cold out there.

Mickelson follows Dubuisson on at six. McIlroy for a four at seven and he doesn't give it enough, that match back to all square, by the looks of things. Stenson made that four-footer, that match remains all square.

As it stands Europe are up in three foursomes, the US up in one. Johnson for birdie at the par-three 10th... long way out and that's a pretty good effort. Westwood with his second into 12, from bang-middle, leaks it right. Dubuisson on tee at six, safely onto the short stuff. Rose at 10, for the win... over the cellophane bridge, leaves Stenson with a knee-knocker.

Donald Draper:, external V Dub starting to edge ahead of Thierry Henry in the coolest man on the planet stakes

Brian: , external Westy putting well today, a shot directly at his critics (myself included) who say he can't putt.

Europe up

McIlroy catches his second thin at seven, the Americans look like getting back to all square. Mahan on tee at the par-three 10th, playing 211 yards. Right into the guts of the green. Mickelson for a half at five, from about 12 feet, and another one lips out, Europe opening up a sizable gap down the back straight.

Friday's foursomes: Projected overall score - Europe 5-3 USA

Donaldson & Westwood (Europe) v Furyk & Kuchar (USA) - Europe 2UP after 11

Rose & Stenson (Europe) v Mahan & Johnson (USA) - All Square after 9

McIlroy & Garcia (Europe) v Walker & Fowler (USA) - Europe 1UP after 6

Dubuisson & McDowell (Europe) v Mickelson & Bradley (USA) - Europe 3UP after 5

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Gleneagles

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"Fist bumps and steely looks between Maverick Frenchman (TM) Victor Dubuisson and his partner/minder Graeme McDowell as they wriggle two up. Mickelson's missed putt from four feet on the fourth is greeted with a raised eyebrow and half-hidden grin from watching vice-captain Padraig Harrington. Vive la entente cordiale."

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Bradley stalking his ball at five before popping on his chip, but that's a bit heavy-handed. Johnson with a putt for eagle at nine and he, too, has failed to give it the hammer. A half in birdies, that match remains all square.

Europe up

Furyk for birdie at 11, from about 12 feet... right on target but comes up short, not for the first time today. Mickelson with his second at five, over-cooks it slightly. Westwood to win the hole at 11, from about 15 feet - NAILED IT! Europe have got this afternoon by the lapels at the moment.

Thanks Steph. You join me and I join you as Garcia over-compensates for that horror hook on five with a slice at seven. Here's Fowler on tee and he nails his tee shot. McIlroy with work to do. Dubuisson into the fifth and that's a pretty good effort.

That board is changing rapidly, but blue is the colour once again. Europe up in three, but that was the case this morning. I'm done, here's Ben Dirs.

Europe up

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Sergio! All is forgiven after that awful drive on the fifth. On the sixth green, a moment of brilliance. Thirty feet, right to left, in the left of the cup for a birdie. Rickie Fowler for a half, never looks like going in. Europe back up.