Ryder Cup: Europe takes 10-6 lead over U.S. into Sunday

The Americans looked like they had a chance to tie the overall score of the 2014 Ryder Cup at 6-6 when Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth won 5 and 3 in the morning, Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan won 4 and 3 in the morning and just Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker needed to win to tie the score. The European duo of Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter came back to halve the match, halting American momentum.

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The afternoon alternate shot session had the same results as the Friday’s afternoon session. Europe didn’t allow the Americans to win a single match, but only allowed the Ryder Cup rookies to halve one match and gain .5 points in the afternoon. Here are the results from Friday:

Morning session:

Match 1: Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose (Europe) def. Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar (USA) 3 and 2

Match 2: Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan (USA) def. Jaimie Donaldson and Lee Westwood (Europe) 4 and 3

Match 3: Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth (USA) def. Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer (Europe) 5 and 3

Match 4: Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter (Europe) halve Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker (USA) Halved

Total after morning session: USA 5.5, Europe 6.5

Afternoon session:

Match 1: Jaimie Donaldson and Lee Westwood (Europe) def. Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar (USA) 2 and 1

Match 2: Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy (Europe) def. Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan (USA) 3 and 2

Match 3: Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth (USA) vs. Justin Rose halve Martin Kaymer (Europe) Halved

Match 4: Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell (Europe) def. Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker (USA) 5 and 4

Total after afternoon serssion: USA 6, Europe 10

The U.S. was 0-6-2 in Alternate shot play at the Ryder Cup this weekend and it hurt them the most. Another questionable coaching call by Tom Watson not to play Phil Mickelson or Keegan Bradley in the alternate shot session after not playing them in the morning. Spieth and Reed was the only pairing for the U.S. to get a point on the board in the Saturday afternoon session. Speith and Reed’s s two wins and 2.5 points compares to the rest of the USA squad that has a total of 2 wins and 3.5 points. The Ryder Cup rookies for America are the only reason they have a chance at winning the cup on Sunday.

Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker clearly ran out of gas in the Saturday afternoon session after they had already played three straight 18-hole sessions that all resulted in halves. Victor Dubuisson for Team Europe was extremely important, hitting miraculous shots close to the hole consistently and the American duo just couldn’t match it.

The USA is down 10-6, but they are not out. Since 1979, the team with the lead entering singles has won 10 of 14 times (71.4%). Two of those comebacks were 10-6 deficits. One of those was 2012 at Medinah Country Club in Illinois, USA after the Americans led 10-6 going into singles and the Europeans roared back and won the cup on American soil.

The United States leads the all-time Ryder Cup series 25-12-2, but Europe has won five of the past six Ryder Cups and seven of the past nine. The Americans last won at Valhalla in Kentucky in 2008. The U.S. is winless on European soil since 1993 at The Belfry in England, when Tom Watson was last the captain of the team. Europe needs just four points in singles matches Sunday and the U.S. needs 8.5 points.

More on FanSided.com

Ryder Cup: Saturday afternoon pairings and predictions
Halved match keeps Europe in the lead
Americans win third match
American rookies dominate, win again
Ryder Cup Saturday preview

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