MEDINAH, Illinois, Sept 29 |
MEDINAH, Illinois, Sept 29 (Reuters) - England's Ian Poulter ran off five birdies in a row to give Europe victory in the final fourball match on Saturday and keep alive hopes of a Ryder Cup miracle at Medinah.
Poulter's sensational finish gave him and his playing partner, world number one Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, a one up win over Americans Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner to send the Europeans into the final day 10-6 behind after they trailled by six points late in the day.
The Americans dominated early and threatened to turn the event into a rout before the fight back that ended in twilight made it a four-point deficit, matching the record margin overcome by the U.S. team 13 years ago at Brookline.
"We needed to get something going," said Poulter, who always seems to play his best golf in the cauldron of Ryder Cup pressure. "We had to make birdies and wow, five in a row. It was awesome."
Poulter, who has won all three of his matches in this 39th Ryder Cup to improve his overall record to 11-3-0 in the biennial competition, rolled in a 15-foot putt at the last hole for a birdie that matched Dufner's and gave Europe the full point.
Ten minutes earlier, Englishman Luke Donald and Spaniard Sergio Garcia held off a charge by Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker to hold on to a one up win in the penultimate match.
Donald birdied three of the last five holes, while Woods helped the Americans come back from a four-hole deficit with four birdies in five holes from the 13th. Stricker lipped out a seven-foot putt at the 18th that would have halved the match.
"It was huge," Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal said about the finish. "That keeps us (in with) a chance. It's been done before in the past. Tomorrow is going to be a big day." (Editing by Julian Linden)
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