Americans Remain In Better Position

LOUISVILLE, Sept. 20 -- The "Boo birds" were in full cry at Valhalla Golf Club on Saturday afternoon, frequently whipped into a frenzy by the self-described Florida country boy and his long-hitting Kentucky playing partner who helped the Americans cling to a two-point lead over Europe after the second day of the 37th Ryder Cup.

After the Europeans won two morning alternate-shot matches and tied another, Boo Weekley and J.B. Holmes, a favorite son of the Bluegrass State, led off for the American side in the afternoon best-ball session, and the two Cup rookies accomplished exactly what U.S. Captain Paul Azinger had in mind.

Evoking deafening roars and "Boooos" with booming drives, lovely approach shots and clutch putts, they opened a 3-up lead over their first 10 holes against Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen and held on for a 2-and-1 victory, earning the first full point of their brief Cup careers and the only American win of the best-ball session.

The remaining three matches of this tense afternoon ended with Europe winning one match and the teams halving two more, with all three going to the 18th hole. At the end of the day, the Americans had a 9-7 advantage, the first time since 1995 they have led after two days in an event the Europeans have won the past three times.

"We've got a long way to go, but if you look at their team, they still should be favored," Azinger said. "I'm just so proud of my guys. I'm telling them to embrace the crowd and embrace this stage."

It will now come down to a dozen Sunday singles matches. The Americans must earn 14 1/2 overall points to win back the Cup. The Europeans need 14 points to retain possession for another two years. The Americans haven't won the singles session since 1999, also the last time they won the Cup on a day they overcame a four-point deficit and produced the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history.

"It was America's day Friday and it was our day today," European Captain Nick Faldo said. "That was the goal. The team is very upbeat. We know and we believe we now have a great opportunity."

The Europeans, trailing by three points at the start of play Saturday, got a magnificent contribution from one of the more controversial players on their team. When Englishman Ian Poulter buried a three-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole in the afternoon best-ball session, he and playing partner Graeme McDowell clinched a 1-up victory over Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk.

The victory was the second of the day for Poulter, who teamed with fellow Englishman Justin Rose for an overpowering 4-and-3 alternate-shot victory over Chad Campbell and Stewart Cink in the morning. Poulter had been one of Faldo's two wild-card choices, and Faldo was severely criticized for leaving Cup veterans Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie off his team. But Poulter, runner-up at the British Open in July, surely has justified his selection with a 3-1 record, the most prolific European in the competition.

"It's all a bit of a blur, actually," Poulter said. "I just managed to pick the right line on every putt today. I was digging deep, and I rolled it good when I needed to roll it good. I've needed to play well this week for myself, and for the team. I don't think I've got any legs under there right now. They've kind of gone numb."

For the American side, Phil Mickelson was a member of two pairings that squandered leads Saturday, losing one match and settling for a tie in another. In the morning, he and partner Anthony Kim rolled to a 4-up lead through their first six holes, only to start scattering tee shots and missing critical putts in a 2-and-1 comeback victory by Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson, an Englishman who was the only player on either side who didn't play Friday.

Wilson made a 2 1/2 -foot birdie putt at the 17th hole to clinch the Europeans' second victory of the morning session, making himself an instant hero back on the continent.