Harrington powerless as USA forge ahead

Despite being three up in both his foursomes with Swede Robert Karlsson and fourballs with cup debutant Graeme McDowell, Harrington ended the first day with only one half-point.

That was his total contribution to the European cause at The K Club two years ago, but with the United States crashing to a second successive nine-point defeat it did not matter. This time it mattered a lot.

Paul Azinger's side won the opening session 3-1 and when the two Irishmen lost on the final green to Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim it took them 5-2 ahead, with Lee Westwood still out on the Kentucky course.

If he and Soren Hansen could avoid defeat against JB Holmes and Boo Weekley the Worksop golfer would match Arnold's 12-match unbeaten run. But from two up after eight they were one down with four to play.

Harrington and Karlsson had managed only a half against Mickelson and Kim from three up with six to play. In the afternoon it was three up after only four, but Mickelson's 25-footer on the 17th - he was the furthest from the hole in two of the entire quartet - meant he and his young partner came to the last one-up.

A drive into a bunker meant Harrington could do no better than par and McDowell, in sand by the green, could not get up and down either.

Ian Poulter and Justin Rose had moments earlier registered Europe's first win of the match, beating Steve Stricker and Ben Curtis three and two and so making up for throwing away a three-hole lead themselves before lunch.

But Sergio Garcia, having scrambled a half with Westwood against Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk from two down with two to play, went down four and three with Miguel Angel Jimenez to America's star pair Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan.

Leonard did not win a game in the event until Friday, but he and rookie Mahan - the man who said players were used as slaves in the week - had double success. In the foursomes they beat Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson, who were then rested.