Johnson in a head-high bunker at the second and that's a little bit iron-gloved. Walker and Dubuisson exchange par putts at the first...

Europe up

Back at six, Kuchar finds sand off the tee and Europe are very much in the box seat. Over on two, McIlroy races his eagle effort by but Mahan squeezes his par putt right of the hole - unforgivable on a par five - to hand Europe the hole.

Donaldson on tee at 6, it's a par-three, 211 yards. Donaldson is very handsy at times but this is a corker, giving Westwood a 12-foot putt back down the hill. Dubuisson on one and that's a crackerjack second, leaving McDowell with a very makeable birdie putt...

Reed is playing his second miles off piste but he's somehow managed to blacksmith his ball to the edge of the green. That looked like a man trying to take out a rabid dog that was attacking him. Not much finesse, plenty of brute strength.

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McGinley, talking to Sky Sports on the first tee: "That half point was huge. Their comeback today wasn't a surprise, historically there's always a reaction to a heavy defeat in a previous session. Ian (Poulter) produced again when we needed him and that half was huge for this morning.

"I had a big problem with Henrik (Stenson) and like all players he wants to play but his back is tight. It loosened out a bit later on but he was still hesitant. So I made the decision for him."

Saturday's foursomes latest scores:

Donaldson & Westwood (Europe) v Johnson & Kuchar (USA) - USA 1UP after 4

Kaymer & Rose (Europe) v Spieth & Reed (USA) - A/S after 2

Garcia & McIlroy (Europe) v Furyk & Mahan (USA) - Europe 1UP after 1

Donaldson with his approach at five and he's stiffed it to within gimme range. Johnson can't get inside that, that looks like they're back to all square again. Garcia with 260 left at the second, middle of the fairway, and he's hit a peach, right into the guts of the green. Furyk finds sand...

Mahan off the tee at the long second and we think that's just short of the bunker. Back at the first it's time for some mystery, entirely based on the fact a Frenchman who doesn't say much and doesn't speak very good English anyway has walked to the tee. Rickie Fowler gets his drive safely away and it's Graeme McDowell, rather than Victor Dubuisson, who gets chocs away for Europe, and that's a doozy...

Europe up

McIlroy and Garcia have stolen a march on Furyk and Mahan at the first, the European pair winning the hole in par...

USA up

Johnson and Kuchar go one up on Donaldson and Westwood after the Welshman tugs his effort left of the hole...

Spieth for birdie at the second but that's a misread and Rose has a chance for the win... he's had two sighters now, missed both of them, and Reed halves the hole.

Mahan with his second into the first, having to clip one out of the rough. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, green-side bunker. McIlroy has got a bit of wind in the face but what's wind when you hit the ball like billyoh, he's stuck that right into the heart of the green.

Donaldson has drained a monster on three! The Welsh rookie is loving this, but that's a great clutch putt by Kuchar for the half. There is some suggestion that today could be the most under par day in Ryder Cup history, although it's only a suggestion and I haven't really got time to find out for sure.

Furyk away first at the first... he looks hawkishly after his ball before stooping and retrieving his peg, happy that it's a job done well. Garcia had a bit of trouble with his driver yesterday and he's found rough off the first this afternoon. However, he's not in a lot of bother, or at least McIlroy isn't.

Back at the first, McIlroy and Garcia (who, incidentally, has been upgraded from 'useless' to 'lousy' by Sir Nick Faldo) are greeted by huge cheers, and they've been pitted against Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan, who played some pretty spectacular golf together this morning.

Spieth with a cute chip at the first and the wind is really getting up at Gleneagles, tugging away at trousers and making swinging the club more difficult. Rose finally misses one, his eight-footer sliding off to the right, and Reed makes his for the half.

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Reed playing from the rough, he's got 168 yards to the pin... leaves it a touch short, looks like the wind got that. Kaymer with 128 yards from the middle and he makes the most of his advantage, stiffing one to within 10 feet. To the third, Kuchar leaks his approach and his ball lips out of a sprinkler head. Donaldson from the white stuff... and back into more white stuff...

Westwood on tee at the par-four third and he's found the sand out right. Zach Johnson will be looking to make amends for his errant approach at two and he does just that, that's about as no-nonsense as you could get, right in the middle of the fairway.

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Among the 45,000 spectators at Gleneagles are an estimated 3,000 Americans, most of who seem to be wrapped in the stars and stripes. Not so Michael Jordan, who is back for day two, puffing on a cigar once again.

... Spieth leaks his tee shot into the rough before Justin Rose, who could be just the man to take these young punks down, larrups his drive down the middle...