It is bubbling on seven as well where Patrick Reed's dead-eyed approach is matched by Thomas Bjorn's gossamer chip to the pin.

All square still and the standard of play reaching stratospheric.

Bernard Gallacher
Three-time European Ryder Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live

I think he (Fowler) heard me say left edge because that's exactly where he hit it.

Rory McIlroy gets the nod from Ian Poulter to take his putt first on the sixth green and the world number one does the disappearing trick, making the little white pill vanish down the drain.

That has put the thumbscrews on Rickie Fowler. The American, jittery on recent putts, is back in the groove though. Smooth as silk for 15ft, the ball drops and the hole is halved.

High-octane stuff out there.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Gleneagles

"The joint is jumping around the seventh green. Drumming of feet in the two stands and "Europe" chants from the massed crowd on the banks greet a hole back for Rose and Stenson in the first group before Americans Mahan and Furyk hit it close in the next. A sizeable US contingent here, too, some in tall Stars and Stripes hats.

"As Westwood settles over his putt for a half, a flight of geese in v-formation fly overhead, their squawks sounding like a tape player on fast forward. A roar comes from the eighth, another European putt drops. Westwood misses, the circus moves on, and the stands and the hillsides return to idle chatter."

Rory McIlroy, welcome to the party. The Northern Irishman arrows one straight at the flag and is up to within eight feet for a pot-shot at a birdie. He strides down the fairway with a Cheshire Cat grin.

Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are both safe and sound on the ninth fairway, Bubba Watson skirts his tee shot across the first cut and stays safe.

Rickie Fowler plops on the green off the sixth tee, Ian Poulter is chomping at the bit to have his hit and try and make amends for a messy showing on the fifth.

He cosies up a yard or so away from the American's ball. Both have birdie chances.

Image source, Getty Images

There is a bunker on the left of the green and a water hazard short. Accuracy is crucial from the tee.

Image source, Getty Images

Saturday's fourballs latest scores:

Rose & Stenson v Watson & Kuchar - A/S after 8

Donaldson & Westwood v Furyk & Mahan - USA 3UP after 7

Bjorn & Kaymer v Reed & Spieth - A/S after 6

McIlroy & Poulter v Walker & Fowler - A/S after 5

Cheers Andy. Mike Henson at the controls for a bit now.

A little bit of American momentum brewing up here with Jordan Spieth sliding that one in and Walker and Fowler tying up their match on five.

Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson may have nipped it back to all square on eight, but there is not a patch of blue on the scoreboard as it stands.

Wild celebrations on eight from the European fans as Rose holes for birdie from 12 feet and the American duo miss their chances. Three matches all square now.

What a putt from Spieth as he birdies the sixth to bring the match back to all square. Two shots in two holes for the Americans.

Birdie chances for all four on the eighth. All from 10 feet and more but solid golf from both teams.

Birdie chance for America as Fowler finds the green with his second on five. Jimmy Walker follows him in, but is in even better shape, as he secures a guaranteed birdie with a brilliant approach.

With both McIlroy and Poulter in trouble, that match will surely be all square in a minute.

A horrible tee shot from Reed is well off radar on the par-three sixth leaving him an impossible looking chip with his second. Jordan Spieth responds to the pressure though with a tee shot onto the green.

Thomas Bjorn tells a cameraman to keep quiet before firing his iron off the tee into the rough on the tight. I don't fancy his chances of getting up and down in two from there. Kaymer fares little better as he pulls his tee shot into the bunker on the left. Advantage America here.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Gleneagles

Image source, Getty Images

"Fowler's woes with his putter - he's missed three short ones on three successive greens - have rung the alarm bells for US captain Tom Watson, who arrives at pace in a golf cart to place a paternal arm around the young Californian's shoulders. Watson is almost three times older than Fowler, and he drips a little of that honeyed experience into the young buck's ear."

Saturday's fourballs latest scores:

Rose & Stenson v Watson & Kuchar - USA 1UP after 7

Donaldson & Westwood v Furyk & Mahan - USA 2UP after 6

Bjorn & Kaymer v Reed & Spieth - Europe 1UP after 5

McIlroy & Poulter v Walker & Fowler - Europe 1UP after 4

Image source, Getty Images

A narrow tee shot, with trees and hills on either side. Dangers include a bog mire short of the green and a bunker left of the green. One of the tougher front nine challenges.

Nervy miss from Bubba leaving Stenson a putt to win the hole on seven. He duly obliges with a neat stroke for his first shot of the day.

Spieth's birdie on four pulls a shot back for America on five against Bjorn and Kuchar. Europe now just one up in that match.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Gleneagles

Image source, Getty Images

There's a chill wind blowing across the course today but no-one seems to be feeling it more than that son of sunny Florida Bubba Watson. The Masters champ is sporting those huge oven-glove mitts to keep his pinkies warm. What's the matter with sticking them in your pockets? Mind you, partner Matt Kuchar, a Georgia native, has mitts plus woolly cap over his peaked hat, a look popularised by mid-winter bin men.

Strong stuff from Jimmy Walker as he rescues a par on the fourth. His putt from eight feet is firmly struck down the middle of the hole.