Super Spaniards star again but Europe have mountain to climb

Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm maintained their perfect record as a pair in the day two four-balls but Europe will need a record breaking comeback if they are to successfully defend the Ryder Cup on Sunday.

The United States had won their third consecutive session 3-1 in the foursomes to take a commanding 9-3 lead and Pádraig Harrington sent his Spanish stars out in the four-balls for the first time knowing the board needed to turn blue.

Just as they had done in their two foursomes matches, Garcia and Rahm duly delivered, beating Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth 2 & 1.

Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton were also victorious 1 Up in a thriller against Harris English and Tony Finau but Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter lost 4 & 3 to Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, and Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland went down 3 & 1 to Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler.

That handed the United States an 11-5 lead heading into Sunday's singles, with no team having ever turned over a six shot deficit on the final day.

Garcia, McIlroy, Poulter and Lee Westwood, along with this year's Vice Captains Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell, were all in the team when Europe came from 10-6 down nine years ago to complete the Miracle at Medinah, and they will need to summon that spirit again if they are to overcome an even greater challenge at Whistling Straits.

Saturday's four-balls were a roller coaster from start to finish, with Europe taking the early momentum and carrying it to the turn before the United States hit back.

While Johnson and Morikawa established a lead that they never looked like relinquishing, the top three matches ebbed and flowed and all were separated by just one hole coming into the stretch.

Rookie Lowry made a stunning start in Match 1, carding three opening birdies and putting Europe 1 Up from 25 feet on the third.

Hatton was not at his best on the front nine but came to life on the way home, putting Europe 2 Up on the 11th as he hit a trio of stunning irons into the greens from the tenth.

The United States hit back on the 13th but Hatton holed a 33 footer to halve the 14th, and when the match went up the last, it was Lowry who holed from 11 feet for a half and the win.

"I said to my caddie, ‘I’m made for this’. I’m so happy it went in," said Lowry. "It was my mum’s birthday today so that was for her.

“I’ve always wanted to play in a Ryder Cup. We’re a few points behind but I’m not stopping believing. I hope we can go out tomorrow and give them loads.

"You just never know. All morning this morning, I was thinking, thinking of Medinah, thinking of a lot of things. And I just think there's just such a good bond in our team room."

Hatton added: "We've still got a chance. You're never out of the fight. Obviously we need a huge day tomorrow. Obviously that putt from Shane there on the last was huge and hopefully that gives us some momentum now going into tomorrow."

In Match 2, Rahm put his approach to two feet at the first and while Spieth made a spectacular eagle on the second, a two putt par on the third and a 45 footer on the fourth - both also from Rahm - put the Europeans 2 Up.

When Rahm holed from 27 feet at the seventh and Spieth missed from inside ten feet, the lead was three, but the United States hit back with Koepka birdieing the eighth, tenth and 13th to get to All Square.

Spieth missed a birdie chance from ten feet on the 15th and Rahm made his to edge Europe back ahead before the World Number One holed a 38 footer on the next for another birdie to go 2 Up with two to play.

"This afternoon he was unbelievable," Garcia said of Rahm. "I was number one spectator watching a great guy do great thing after great thing after great thing. It was awesome to be a part of. I was so happy. I was just trying to keep him up and make sure he kept heading in the right direction. You know, it was great to see.

"But we have a big task tomorrow and hopefully let's see if we can make history.

"Everybody knows one thing: we are going on out there until the end. We are not going to give up, that's for sure and, you know, I love these guys. They are freaking amazing. Every time I think of them, I want to cry. They are unbelievable."

Rahm added: "From what I hear, the team is playing good. Just putts not dropping in and a couple of things here and there that just could happen that haven't happened.

"I'd like to believe that things even out. So tomorrow, if we get off to a good start, kind of like what happened in 2012, and things start going our way, you never know. You never know.

"Golf is a very complicated and ironic and sarcastic game sometimes and teams can be capable of some great things, like the US has done so far the last two days. It could be our chance, and I know everybody on the team is going to give it their all and give that a run."

Hovland and Fleetwood won the third, eighth and ninth but the United States hit back on the fifth, seventh and tenth, before both Scheffler and DeChambeau made a mess of the 12th to edge Europe ahead once more.

But a DeChambeau birdie on the 14th sparked a run of four wins in a row for the Americans in an ultimately comfortable victory.

In Match 4, the United States won the second before Poulter holed a 30 footer on the fifth to spark a trademark celebration from the Englishman.

But the Americans won the next three holes and, after six halves in a row, sealed victory with a Morikawa birdie on the 15th.