US golfer, Patrick Cantlay (C) celebrates after holing his birdie putt to win the hole and the match on the 18th green during his four-ball match at the Ryder Cup. Photo: AFP
Europe have another home Ryder Cup victory tantalisingly within their grasp after ending Saturday five points ahead but the United States earned a glimmer of hope by taking the fourballs 3-1 in a high-octane finale as the sun set on the 18th hole.
Patrick Cantlay ended a controversial personal day by birdying the last three holes, winning the last two, to snatch the final fourball and flip the session in America's favour.
That led to some unsavoury scenes as Rory McIlroy - who still had to putt - took exception to a caddie standing in his line celebrating the putt and revving up the home fans.
When the dust settled, however, Europe led 10-1/2-5-1/2 and need four points from Sunday's 12 singles to regain the trophy and continue their incredible 30-year unbeaten home run in the biennial competition.
"We are five points up, we're in a great position," said European captain Luke Donald. "I've watched these guys over the last couple days compete with heart, with unity. They are all playing pretty good golf - I really like our chances."
U.S. captain Zach Johnson was hugely heartened by the last-hole turnaround. "If there's any tournament in the world that is about momentum, I have great confidence it's this one," he said. "Seeing some red this afternoon is really what's important."
It all looked very different in the morning as, inspired by a record 9&7 victory for Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, Europe took the foursomes 3-1 using the same four pairings who swept a 4-0 success on Friday.
Tommy Fleetwood celebrates during his maiden Ryder Cup. Photo: Photosport
Trailing by seven, the shellshocked U.S. team knew if they were to have any hope of a miracle comeback they would have to make inroads in the afternoon.
They made a good start as Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa brought Hovland and Aberg down to earth with a 4&3 win, before the impressive Max Homa and Brian Harman beat Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard 2&1 to close the gap to five.
All attention then turned to the two tight remaining matches.
Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth led early on against Justin Rose and Bob MacIntyre but the British duo played a brilliant back nine to triumph 3&2.
The final match was a fantastic battle between McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick and Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.
They halved 11 of the first 13 holes before McIlroy, who had won his first three matches, brilliantly birdied the 14th to gain the edge.
Cantlay kept the match alive on 16 then hit a great birdie two on 17 to make it the first match of the day to go down to the 18th -- where he drilled a 20-foot putt for a precious point.
He had been the butt of the home crowd's humour all afternoon after a media report said he was refusing to wear his team cap in protest at players not being paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
In response, his team mates and caddies took off their caps and swirled them in the air at the suddenly silent crowd crammed around the 18th -- a gesture not appreciated by the two European players still waiting to putt. McIlroy was later seen angrily remonstrating with some the of U.S. team and said it all "added fuel to the fire" for Sunday.
Cantlay said his decision was purely because he could not find a comfortable hat and dismissed talk of a protest: "The crowd was on me all day, I just used it as fuel," he said. "I have never had so many standing ovations walking from tee to green.
"We've seen what they did at Medinah, and we have a steeper hill to climb, but we're going to give it our best shot."
The biggest Ryder Cup comeback was 2012's "Miracle of Medinah" when Europe trailed 10-4 with two Saturday matches still on the course. They won them both to start Sunday 10-6 down then won eight and halved one of the 12 singles to triumph by a point.
The U.S. also came from four down on the Sunday to win in 1999, and though Saturday's scenes were not on the same scale as "The Battle of Brookline", there will certainly be some extra sizzle in Sunday's singles.
- Reuters
