Poulter shines as Europe fight back

Trailing by three points after the first day, Faldo's side remain behind, but 9-7 gives them real hope of making it an unprecedented fourth successive victory with 12 games to come.

They need seven points to retain the trophy, while the Americans require 5 1/2 points.

The man mainly responsible for it is the man whose place in the side was most questioned.

Ian Poulter has won three of his four games, is joint top-scorer with American debutant Hunter Mahan - who reckoned players were used as "slaves" for the week - and deserves even more credit than for his Open Championship second place in July.

After partnering Justin Rose to a second successive victory Poulter was given Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell for the fourballs.

Never behind against Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk, Poulter converted a 14-footer to maintain a one-hole lead on the 17th - Furyk holed from nine feet to stay alive - and then got down in a pitch and three-foot putt on the last to clinch the point.

Asked how highly he rated the putt the ecstatic Englishman, preferred to Darren Clarke and criticised for not playing in the final qualifying event, said: "It's right up there. That was a special moment. What a day - G Mac played awesome. I was struggling at times, but managed to hang in there and came up with a couple of birdies."

Just before that Paul Casey had made a 10-footer to give him and Garcia a half with Ben Curtis and Steve Stricker, whose 18-foot putt denied the European victory in a match where they had never led.

The day's play ended with Robert Karlsson just missing an eagle chance that would have given him and fellow Swede Henrik Stenson victory over Phil Mickelson and Mahan.