A day later than expected, the first session of the Ryder Cup wrapped up on a sunny Saturday morning at Celtic Manor with the U.S. leading Europe 2 1/2 points to 1 1/2.
Matt Kuchar had an opportunity to make that lead even larger, but just missed a birdie putt on 18 that would have would secured the hole and a 1-up win over Europe's Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy. Instead, Kuchar sent the putt about an inch left, was conceded par, and McDowell holed a three-footer to end the match even with both sides taking half a point.
The first match to finish was not so close. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson couldn't battle back against Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, ending the match on the 16th hole 3 down to give Europe it's first point in the 2010 Ryder Cup.
In another lopsided match, Ryder Cup rookies Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson seized control of their match against Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington early and never relinquished. The American pair picked up Friday's delayed match with a 1-up lead through 9, and then Watson holed a crucial birdie on 10 to grab the momentum and grow the lead to 2 up.
Then Overton backed up his teammate with consecutive birdies on 11 and 12, increasing the lead to 3 up. Donald drilled a 10-foot birdie putt to halve the 11th hole, but was unable to match Overton's birdie at 12 to keep it close. Corey Pavin's gamble of pairing the rookies paid off, as they locked up a 3-up win and the first point for the U.S.
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The last match in was a tight battle to the finish, but Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker were able to fend off Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher for a 2-up win that gave the early lead to the Americans. Stricker started the day off right with a crucial shot on 12, chipping in from behind the 12th green to take the lead in the match. Stricker beamed with confidence after the shot, and despite a few missed birdie putts, held the 1-up lead all the way into 18.
The final hole of the first session finished in dramatic fashion. With Woods and Stricker holding a 1-up lead, Poulter and Fisher needed to step up to keep the Europeans square with the Americans. But the Americans would prove to be too much. In a gutsy move, Woods went for the green on his second shot after a strong drive off the tee-box, but flubbed his approach left and into a muddy lie amidst the gallery.
Meanwhile, Stricker found the bunker out of the fairway, and then joined Poulter and Fisher in laying up for about a 100-yard approach. Stricker was dead-on, nestling his approach near the pin and putting all the pressure on Poulter and Fisher, who had each found the middle of the green and faced long birdie putts to take the hole. The Europeans failed to connect and the morning was awarded to the Americans.
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