Ah when we get up there, we can see the US ball is not actually in the sand but in the rough in front of the bunker.

Got any magic Justin Thomas? Not quite. He's on the green but will leave his partner 16 feet to make par.

If Rory McIlroy knocks his putt close, Europe should get at least a half here.

It's a fiddly little chip for Tyrrell Hatton but he plays it nicely and Jon Rahm does the rest. That puts Europe three up again and controlling this bottom match.

Image source, Getty Images

Zach Johnson is already being questioned about his picks and tactics and we're only in the third session!

A captain can only do so much though. There's not much you can do when two elite golfers - the world number one and five-time major winner - combine to go seven over for just 11 holes in the foursomes.

You just can't plan for that.

Jordan Spieth does his best to dig the US ball out of some more scruff down the right hand side.

He catches it well given the lie but is unfortunate to see it flick the back of the greenside bunker and drop into the sand.

More serene progress for Tommy Fleetwood, flopping an approach to 25 feet as with name ringing loudly from the stands.

Max Homa and Brian Harman are like a pair of saloon owners being ambushed in a Spaghetti Western bar brawl at the moment.

Fighting for their lives and hoping the cavalry will arrive to help them quick sharp.

Homa goes close with his tee-shot on the par-three 13th, but then sees Sepp Straka go inside his effort.

Superb!

Harman needs this from eight feet to maintain the three-hole lead... boom.

Unpopular opinion time...

USA need to win at least two of these foursomes to keep this Ryder Cup interesting.

You know the drill.

Hit the thumbs.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome

It’s 10:40 am local time and the beers are already flowing.

But the sun is out, the galleries are packed and Europe are ahead in the foursomes once more.

Although Julie, Les, Sharon and Alan, who have made the journey from Ayrshire in Scotland, say they are having an “amazing time” before asking, “will we get a refund for tomorrow if Europe sweep the US today?”.

Surely a joke?

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Just when cool heads are needed, Justin Thomas fleeces his tee shot on 15 out into the rough.

Advantage Europe as Rory McIlroy sees that and plants his drive plumb down the fairway.

Scottie Scheffler in bits watching on.

He clearly feels disgusted with how his match went and is inconsolable at the moment.

No one can say the world number one does not care.

Club up, Jordan thinks it's in... it just hangs short but wow, what a putt from Spieth from fully 57 feet.

Rory McIlroy follows him down but he can't sink his putt and the Americans make it two holes in a row.

Europe still lead but the advantage is significantly thinner for this first pair.

All or nothing for Sepp Straka on the 12th... he has to hole out. It's close, but not close enough.

The American pair pick up and march confidently off to the 13th tee safe in the knowledge that they're doing their bit.

Can't say the same about some of their team-mates...

Having said that about Lowry and Straka... they can't do anything about this.

Stunning approach from Max Homa on the 12th, almost landing an albatross with the second shot at the par five.

He flights a beautiful iron within tap-in distance for someone of Brian Harman's putting capability.

That deserves a gimme for the eagle, really.

I don't think that last contributor's real name is Shaggy...

A stumble backwards from Rory McIlroy as he chunks it out. Straight up and travelling only 60 yards. Fully 150 to go for Tommy Fleetwood.

It's an easier lie for Justin Thomas as his ball is on the plateau rather than in the face of the bunker.

He digs it out and a club twirls suggests he likes it. He probably would have preferred it further into the middle of the green but it clings onto the front.

Jordan Spieth will have 56 feet for eagle.

It was quite telling yesterday that Justin Rose said one of the big motivating factors for him and Bob MacIntyre fighting back to avoid defeat in the fourballs was the thought of "letting the side down".

Of course, nobody would think that but it was an interesting insight into the mentality and unity of this European team.

You'd imagine similar stoic thoughts are going through the minds of Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka right now.

Drink it in, European friends.

Image source, BBC Sport

Neither Rory McIlroy nor Justin Thomas will thank their partners for their tee shots on 14.

Both swung right and plunged into the rough at the front of the fairway bunkers.

Oh and a deviously awkward stance to boot.

Cheers guys.

Nicely measured from Sepp Straka down the slope, but it isn't good enough to drop.

That leaves Max Homa with a relatively straightforward putt for the hole and he takes the opportunity confidently.

The US are getting embarrassed enough without going a third session without a win.

These two are looking well-placed to avoid that ignominy.

Image source, Getty Images

Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg get Europe's first point of the day, and were talking to Sky Sports:

Describe intensity and desire for this match:

Viktor Hovland: “We were meeting two strong guys – number one in the world and five-time major champion. We tried to not give them anything. We played really solid and obviously didn’t meet a sharp Scottie and Brooks but we played some really nice golf today."

Ludvig Aberg: "I don’t even know what to say or where to start. Obviously an unbelievable day but most important we enjoyed it, we had fun and felt the crowd support, which was really important to us. Looking forward to doing it all again this afternoon."

On this successful Scandinavian pairing:

Hovland: "So far so good. I don’t think we could have done better. It’s nice to speak our own language, we understand each other. Same humour, same culture. He doesn’t miss a shot. It’s easy when I’m playing well and he’s playing well. We’re just feeding off of each other."

Tommy Fleetwood isn't able to convert from distance on the par-three 13th so the door is ajar for Jordan Spieth.

He takes his time with a 20-footer, sends it on its way and into the centre of the cup.

Fist pumps from captain Zach Johnson waiting by the side of the green. There is life still in this match.