Up ahead, Jamie Donaldson is approaching the par-four fifth, finding the dancefloor. Almost time for McIlroy and Garcia to re-appear.

Rose has left Stenson at least 10 feet for birdie. The surly Swede looks at it from both sides of the hole, then settles over the ball. Silence... ball breaking left to right... just passing by the left. Hunter Mahan for the win, but he creeps by too. Halved in fours.

The Garcia/McIlroy, Mickelson/Bradley delay means there's more hanging about for Jimmy Walker, Rickie Fowler, Graeme McDowell and Victor Dubuisson. McDowell, white beanie on his head, is spending some extra time on the range. It's very windy out there, the flag fluttering with gusto as Justin Rose chips in to the third green. Both teams have work to do there.

US captain Tom Watson: "This whole early morning was pretty much an ebb from the US standpoint, and then we got some flow going. Fortunately we're a couple of paces ahead at the moment but it's a marathon."

And asked about the decision to stand down rookies Spieth and Reed for the fourballs, a smiling Watson added: "They were very upset with me for not playing them in the afternoon - but they'll play again tomorrow."

USA up
Ryder Cup latest

For all the good work that Rose and Stenson are doing, they need some help. After three holes, Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson are one down against Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar. Donaldson, remember, is playing in his first Ryder Cup match.

Image source, Reuters

"We didn't have our best stuff, it was tough conditions," says Phil Mickelson after his dramatic fourballs win with Keegan Bradley. "The eagle that Keegan made on 16 was huge because it gave us huge momentum coming down the stretch."

Bradley adds: "You can't explain it - it's like you've drunk 500 cups of coffee at once. It's just a blast, I'm having the time of my life again."

Europe up

Boom! Europe need a good start to the afternoon after that disappointing end to the morning and, their pair of the day so far, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, are one up after two. Rose with the putter, rolling it in from 10 feet. Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson go behind.

Thanks, Ben. I think it's right to say those morning fourballs were "fluctuating". At one point, Europe were up in three of them, only to end the session a point down. The afternoon is already under way, but Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy must have 30 minutes off before they head back out. What do you do in those 30 minutes? What do Ryder Cup golfers have for lunch?

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 live

That is a huge win for the Americans because not only does it give them the point advantage but also it reinforces the legend of Bradley and Mickelson. The Americans' other strong partnership was blown away so Tom Watson needed them to pull through. It's so, so tight and I expect it to continue in the same vein until Sunday.

Friday's fourballs results

Rose & Stenson (Europe) beat Watson & Simpson (USA) 5&4

Bjorn & Kaymer (Europe) halved with Fowler & Walker (USA)

Gallacher & Poulter (Europe) lost to Spieth & Reed (USA) 5&4

Garcia & McIlroy (Europe) lost to Bradley & Mickelson (USA) 1 up

Righto, that's me for a bit, here's Stephan Shemilt for a bit. Remember, we have a break as McIlroy and Garcia have to put their feet up before they are sent out again for the foursomes.

USA up
Ryder Cup latest

Mickelson has got a two-footer for the match after Garcia sinks his par putt... no mistakes, Europe have been mugged in that one, rather sauntering down a dark alley which they mistakenly thought was safe.

McIlroy with a 10-footer for par and he slides it by. Bradley has a five-footer for the hole and the match... squeezes it by!

McIlroy with a great escape but he's now played four. Garcia really could do with making his escape disappear but while it's good, it's not good enough. Mickelson stiffs his escape, his third, to within a few feet, advantage Americans...

McIlroy's third at 18, from the middle of the fairway. That's poor, right into the bunker guarding the green. Not sure how hard it's blowing out there but they're making it look like hurricane conditions. Bradley's third is a goodun, Garcia's finds the lip of the bunker and rolls back in.

Image source, Getty Images

News reaches me that McIlroy and Garcia are entitled to a half-hour break before they go out for their foursomes match, which will rather cleave the afternoon in two. Sorry about that.

Karen Stupples
Solheim Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 live

Foursomes you really want to pair players who have really similar games. If you're a short hitter you'd hit a different club for approaches to a longer player. So it's very difficult.

Bradley comes up short with his second, here's Garcia, with 218 yards uphill. He's left that well short, some of these players aren't adapting very well to this breeze. Mickelson with a chance... big chats with caddie Mackay and now he's down to it... bunker...

Zach Johnson hits his first shot of the event and it's pretty neat. Rose with a liquid swing and that's about as good as it gets with the big stick.

Westwood for a winning birdie at the first and it's another putt that runs out of puff. Hole halved. Back on 18, Bradley has found Ireland with his tee shot, that's not very good. Mickelson has to nail his and he does so, right in the middle of the fairway. McIlroy tugs his tee shot left as well, pressure on Sergio... what pressure?