Rampaging Westwood and Donald vanquish Woods and Stricker
With today's fourballs and foursomes sessions belatedly underway again at Celtic Manor this afternoon, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald took less than an hour to see off their US opponents , the supposed dream team of Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker.
When yesterday's session came to a halt, Westwood and Donald had already seized the impetus, finishing the day 4up, and the pair started in similarly formidable style this afternoon. When play in the foursomes match resumed, Westwood swiftly put his team 5up with a superb 40ft putt on the 10th, even though Tiger Woods almost halved the hole with a fine chip shot that bounced around the hole before careering away.
And on the 11th, Luke Donald took advantage of an uncharacteristically poor putt from Steve Stricker to win the hole, thus going 6up against the Americans. Though Stricker found his putting stroke on the 12th, Luke Donald was equally assured with his effort, halving the hole for dormie six - that is, six-up with six to play.
So it was on the 13th that Westwood rolled in a putt from 10ft or so to win the first points of this session for Europe; the score now stands at 5-6, with the US leading by one. But with five other matches yet to be completed this afternoon, the Europeans lead in every one.
Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are currently 3up after 11 in the other remaining foursomes match with Zach Johnson and Bubba Watson, while in the fourballs Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer are 3up in their match against Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler after seven.
Of the other remaining games, Europe are 1up in all three matches, though there's still lots of time for the US to turn things around before the end of today's play; the singles matches have been rescheduled for Monday at 9.05, after rain delayed play this morning.
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