Europe up

Donaldson and Westwood did indeed win the second after Johnson's par putt lipped out. Big row on the first as the boys get ready to thump a couple of drives down there, it's Jordan Spieth to give it some humpty first...

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At the second, Kuchar pops on in four after Johnson found the pond in two, here's Donaldson with a big, swinging putt which is respectable rather than great. Rose and Kaymer make their way to the first, they're up against the US's roaring rookie pairing Spieth and Reed. Spieth and Reed have gone through this Ryder Cup like a twister, leaving opponents chewed up and twisted like so much scrap metal. Or something like that.

Ever wanted to know where the term 'dormie' comes from? Thought not, but because we have a bit of a lull, I'm going to tell you anyway. One explanation is that it is a corruption of the French word 'dormir', meaning to sleep, the theory being that since a player who is 'dormie' can no longer lose the match, he can now relax, or 'go to sleep'. All of what I just wrote might be a load of old nonsense but I've got to write something.

Tony Munky:, external Brave decision leaving Gallacher out this afternoon, absolutely the right one though. Can't believe no Big Phil?

Westwood into the second, about 240 to the pin, going with three wood... that's decent enough, just to the right of the short stuff. The Americans are having a drink, Johnson has just smashed his blind second into the pond front-left of the green. Looks like they're going to be all square again...

Ross King:, external Ian Poulter is everything that the Ryder Cup is about! Gives everything!

Sam Baxter:, external Glad to see #EUROPE got 1.5 pts from the fourballs, could have been a lot worse, roll on the foursomes.

Kuchar safely away at the second, a 521-yard par five, and Jamie Donaldson smacks his tee shot so that it finishes in the narrowest part of the fairway, very clever. Still nobody on the first, in case you were wondering...

BBC Radio 5 live

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Patrick Reed: "It's nice to play as few holes as possible. To be our debut and to be playing the way we're playing is awesome."

Jordan Spieth: "We're both such good mid-to-long range putters that all we need to do is give ourselves chances and they're going to go in. We were a little upset at not making certain putts but ultimately our mental game kept us in the game early and then we warmed up."

Reed and Spieth will face Europe's Gleneagles stalwart Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer in Saturday's foursomes. Game on.

Open championship winner and twice Ryder Cup player Paul Lawrie:, external "Disappointing for Stevie G not playing today needs to find something for tomorrow #chinupandbelieve."

USA up

Westwood leaves that birdie short and right and Johnson and Kuchar slip into an early lead...

News in that the order has been switched, Spieth/Reed v Kaymer/Rose will now be the second match out, instead of Garcia/McIlroy v Furyk/Mahan. First blood the USA in foursomes, Zach Johnson has rammed one in from the apron. Westwood has a 12-footer for a half...

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

Phil Mickelson looked a bit tired yesterday and Tom Watson realises they're not going to win this today so Phil and Keegan have been rested for the singles. Simple.

Thank you Mike Henson, this is Ben Dirs. You join me as the opening set of foursomes are playing their second shots into the first. Donaldson's approach pitches, rushes towards the pin, before getting scared and spinning back again. Johnson and Kuchar just short of the green.

Superb golf all morning and as we tally up the scorecard, Tom Watson's men have repaired some of the damage sustained yesterday.

The score stands at 6½-5½ in Europe's favour.

All of which means that Rickie Fowler is lining up a 20-foot putt to win the match, anything less than in and we are sharing the point.

It's on it's way, it's on it's way.... no legs and it has wandered off line as well.

Here comes the fightback!

Ian Poulter takes a look at the flags and sticks his approach to within five feet, Rory McIlroy coaxes the ball out of the weeds and cosies it up to within a couple of feet.

Rickie Fowler sits back on his knees and grimaces, but his mid-air commands do the trick, the ball just about carrying the greenside bunker and skipping onto the dancefloor for an ambitious eagle chance and a very makeable birdie possibility.

That puts Europe on their heels and it is going to have to be a real rearguard action now as Rory McIlroy pumps right and sends his ball into some ugly rough.

Ian Poulter has escaped with a decent lie out on the left of the fairway and has punched out of some clingy rough towards the front of the green. He is not looking too bad there considering that opening effort.

Ian Poulter is leaning left and issuing instructions to take cover as soon as he hits his tee shot. That is out somewhere in the Scottish jungle.

These closing holes are well made for Rory McIlroy though and he thumps it long and true down the middle.

Rickie Fowler swats right, just off the fairway but Jimmy Walker is central, a Costantino Rocca glory putt back from the Northern Irishman.

18th (Dun Roamin')

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Par five, 513 yards

A short par five, with an ampitheatre around the green. Another green that is well protected by bunkers.