Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson spearheaded the US charge on the second day of the 39th Ryder Cup on Saturday as Davis Love's team sought to clamp a stranglehold on the match.
Team USA's Bubba Watson watches his drive on the 9th hole during the afternoon Four Ball Match on the first day of the 39th Ryder Cup at the Medinah Country Club September 28. Watson and Webb Simpson spearheaded the US charge on the second day of the 39th Ryder Cup as Davis Love's team sought to clamp a stranglehold on the match.
Simpson and Watson, who led the afternoon assualt on Europe on Friday with a crushing 5 and 4 win over Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson, take on the strong English pair of Justin Rose and Ian Poulter in a mouth-watering lead match.
Both pairings won their one match on Friday, the Americans in the fourballs and the English in the foursomes, and the outcome of this clash was being seen as crucial to the rest of the contest with the home side starting the day 5-3 ahead and looking to further distance the cup-holders.
The scoreline could have been even worse for Europe had it not been for an astounding putting display from rookie Nicolas Colsaerts which left Tiger Woods and his partner Steve Stricker empty-handed for the day in the last match in.
A similar 5-3 scoreline in Saturday's second round of foursomes and fourballs would leave Jose Maria Olazabal's men with a near impossible task of winning eight out of Saturday's 12 closing singles to assure 14 points and the tie they need to retain the small, golden trophy.
Then the US star pair of Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, who won both matches in the opening two sessions, go up against another English pairing in the shape of former world No.1s Lee Westwood and Luke Donald.
Third match out sees Jason Dufner renew his winning foursome pairing with Zach Johnson against Colsaerts and Sergio Garcia, while the anchor match has Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker facing Northern Irish duo Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, who won one and lost one on Friday.