up United States team erased some of its recent Ryder Cup pain by storming into a 5-2 lead over holder Europe at Valhalla Golf Club on Friday. Two points clear after the morning's foursomes, the hosts pressed home their advantage late in the afternoon fourballs to tighten their grip in the biennial competition. Although Europe clinched its first full point of the day when British duo Ian Poulter and Justin Rose crushed Ben Curtis and Steve Stricker 4&2, Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan eased past Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez 4&3 soon afterward. In the top match, Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim came from one down after 12 holes to beat Irishman Padraig Harrington and Britain's Graeme McDowell two up after a fluctuating battle. The upbeat Americans were also up in the bottom encounter where Kentucky native JB Holmes and Boo Weekley led Britain's Lee Westwood and Dane Soren Hansen by one after 14 holes. The Americans, bidding to end a run of five defeats in the last six matches, had mounted a gritty fightback in the morning to win the opening Cup session for the first time in 17 years. Leonard and Mahan drew first blood with a 3&2 victory over Britain's Paul Casey and Swede Henrik Stenson after recovering from a bogey-bogey start. Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell came from one down after 12 holes to scrape past Poulter and rookie Rose one up before Mickelson and Kim halved a tight tussle with three-time major winner Harrington and Swede Robert Karlsson. In the final match of the morning, European heavyweights Garcia and Westwood fought back from two down with two to play to finish all square with local favorite Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk. Garcia, an inspirational figure for Europe since his Cup debut in 1999, extended his unbeaten record in foursomes matches to 8-0-1 (win-loss-half). “I was real proud of them for the way they hung in there, scratched and clawed and were able to finish,” US captain Paul Azinger said after the Americans won an opening session for the first time since the 1991 matches at Kiawah Island. “It's early, but I feel like we're in a pretty good place mentally right now and I just want to keep everybody on point. “It's a nice start. I guess we haven't been ahead a long time in the morning, and can only be happy about it.” The United States are seeking their first triumph since their come-from-behind success at Brookline in 1999. – Reuters __
