• Ryder Cup

Poulter rediscovers Ryder Cup magic

Ian Poulter inspired a late fightbakc to earn a halve with Rory McIlroy against Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker © Getty Images

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The Ian Poulter roar finally got its first airing at Gleneagles as Europe's talisman helped secure a halve in the final match of Saturday morning's fourballs to keep the hosts 6.5-5.5 ahead after an American fightback.

Europe had lead 5-3 going into Saturday but Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker looked to be heading towards a victory that would have tied the overall contest at 6-6, until Poulter finally arrived to the Gleneagles party with a magnificent chip in from the edge of the 15th green.

That helped keep the Americans' lead to just one heading into the final three holes and the momentum swung further Europe's way when Poulter birdied the 16th the square the match.

Fowler then kept it all square at the 17th to keep Europe from going down the last with the lead and a brilliant match ultimately, and deservedly, finished all square.

Justin Rose of Europe celebrates his birdie putt on the 10th © Getty Images

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"Funny things happen, don't they? Second-class post!" quipped Poulter, who has been nicknamed 'The Postman' for his previous Ryder Cup heroics. "I started well and fell asleep in the middle."

McIlroy will surely be glad to see anyone other than Fowler this afternoon, having also played out a titanic duel against him and Walker in Friday's foursomes when the world No.1 and Sergio Garcia rescued a halve late on.

"Rickie hit a great shot at 18 - I've seen way too many fairway wood shots from the rough going on to the green this week from him!" McIlroy told Sky Sports.

"It was good to get the four and get the halve out of that. As soon as he chipped it in, I thought 'here we go again!'. We held strong out there, to get a halve again with Rickie and Jimmy is a good thing. They're a strong pairing."

Earlier, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson's 3&2 victory over Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar had stretched Europe's overall lead to 6-3 but that was soon pegged back to 6-5 as the US put red on the board with two comprehensive victories.

First, Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan beat Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood 4&3. Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth then swept Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer aside 5&3.

Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood show their frustration © Getty Images

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Mahan had been pretty concerned heading out. "Every time we looked at the board in the first few holes it was all blue!" he told Sky Sports. "So we had to go out and get it going for us."

The US fightback meant it came down to the final match of the morning to see whether or not Europe would take a lead into the afternoon foursomes.

Europe were off to an encouraging start, with McIlroy and Poulter going 2-up through nine holes after the world No.1 made a simple birdie. A three hole lead beckoned for Europe after McIlroy went close with his tee shot at the par-three 10th, however, he narrowly missed his attempt to halve the hole after Fowler had chipped in from the sand.

It was then back to all square with Poulter and McIlroy both failing to halve the hole after Walker's birdie. Fowler and McIlroy traded birdies to share the 12th before the Americans went in front for the first time in the match with Walker landing a crucial putt.

A familiar figure then delivered Europe a much-needed boost, though.

Fowler looked to shut the door on Europe at the 15th as he set up what looked to be a certain birdie. However, Poulter chipped in front the front of the 15th green and roared with delight as he patted his chest, eyes bulging, in that familiar Ryder Cup celebration.

It kept Europe from falling two behind heading into the final three holes with Fowler draining his effort with ease. Walker and Poulter then stroked their tee shots at the 16th into the same bunker, but whereas the American could only find another bunker at the edge of the green, the Englishman playing a super shot to give himself a good chance at a birdie.

Fowler then duffed his chip from 25 yards, hitting a divot. He pitched onto the green but could only make par. Walker chipped out of the bunker for par before Poulter birdied to level the match, turning away and pumping his fists before the ball had even dropped into the hole.

The match appeared to be Europe's for the taking but Fowler holed under pressure to halve the 17th, ensuring it was level going down the last.

Bubba Watson walks from the second tee © Getty Images

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With everything to play for, Walker and McIlroy struck two good ones down the 18th fairway, while Poulter pulled his drive into the gallery. Fowler managed to hit his approach right into the heart of the green to bring up a putt for eagle at least but Poulter responded by going close with a full wedge.

McIlroy then narrowly missed holing with a chip from an impossible position next to the green, with his effort conceded, while Walker also went close. It came down to Fowler to win it with a 30-foot putt, going uphill, but he could only secure the halve.

Earlier, Rose and Stenson had put in an inspired display to earn Europe their first point of the day with a win that broke Ryder Cup records. The European pair ran out 3&2 winners in a contest that swung back and forth with a record 21 birdies overall. Rose and Stenson's combined better-ball score of 12-under was also a team record.

Rose and Stenson closed the match with 10 straight birdies and improved their record at Gleneagles this weekend to three wins in as many matches. However, Stenson confirmed following the victory that he was sitting out the afternoon.

"We were up against two great players and they played really well," Rose told Sky Sports. "But I really read the greens well today and had that anticipation - when you see the ball going into the hole you get those positive vibes and today everything just went right for me."

Stenson added: "Of course, we would have birdied 17 and 18 too, if we had the chance!"

Asked about an apparent back injury during the round, he said: "I'll be fine for tomorrow. It was a bit stiff this morning. Friday was a long day and that took its toll."

Turning to Poulter, with whom he was sharing a post-round press conference, Stenson revealed he was the reason behind the Englishman's turn in form at the 15th.

"I stayed out to watch their match," he said, before turning to Poulter. "I showed up, you showed up."

The US had made a great start to go 1-up at the first with Kuchar holing from 10 feet and Rose just missing to the left. Rose made amends by sinking his effort from six feet to square the match at the next, however, after Kuchar and Watson missed birdie chances.

The momentum swung back in the Americans' favour when Watson birdied the 3rd from six feet. The Masters champion then holed from five feet at the 6th but Rose responded from 15 feet to halve the hole.

Kuchar put the Americans 2-up through six when he found the middle of the hole from 10 feet for a birdie two, but a nervy miss from Watson at the 7th allowed Stenson to win the next hole.

Jamie Donaldson tees off during the Saturday fourballs © Getty Images

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All four men had birdie chances at the 8th and it was all square when Rose holed from 12 feet with Watson and Kuchar missing their attempts. Rose then continued his magic by sinking another birdie from the edge of the 10th green, eliciting a roar from the gallery, but Watson responded to keep it all square.

In what was turning out to be the match of the weekend so far, Rose and Kuchar both birdied the 11th with their respective partners standing in admiration, clapping their hands.

The match then turned blue on the board for the first time with Stenson birdieing the 12th, to put himself and Rose 8-under for the day while Kuchar missed his effort. Rose made it six birdies for himself to put Europe 2-up after 13 and it was then Stenson's turn with his fourth birdie of the day at the 14th to keep Europe's lead at two.

Kuchar kept the match alive with a terrific long-range putt from the edge of the green to halve the 15th but both of the Americans missed the green in three at the 16th. Rose clipped close with an unbelievable pitch that was conceded, before Watson narrowly missed the hole from the edge of the green for the half. Kuchar's effort also missed, handing Europe the win.

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