NEWPORT, Wales: Lee Westwood and Luke Donald set the tone as Europe charged 9-1/2 points to 6-1/2 ahead of the United States with an inspirational display in the third session of the weather-hit Ryder Cup Sunday. Leading in all six unfinished matches overnight, the unstoppable Europeans won five of them and halved the sixth and now need only five more points to wrest the trophy away from the holder in the concluding 12 singles. With the biennial team competition heading into its first Monday finish due to torrential rain earlier in the week and a further delay Sunday, the stage is set for a compelling final day as Europe seeks a fourth victory in five editions. For their part, the Americans face a tall order in their bid to win on European soil for the first time in 17 years, although they can reflect back to Brookline in 1999 when they triumphed after trailing 10-6 going into the singles. “Brookline was mentioned in the locker room tonight,” European captain Colin Montgomerie said after describing Sunday's display as one Europe's best ever. “We respect the American team fully.” Montgomerie had given his team a fiery pep talk Saturday before the start of the weather-delayed third session, and he was delighted that they carried their form into Sunday. Westwood and Donald earned the first point of the day by crushing American heavyweights Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker 6&5 in foursomes, the world number one's heaviest Ryder Cup defeat. The talismanic Westwood gave the British partnership a major lift when he started the day by draining a 40-foot birdie putt at the 10th and they also birdied the next two holes before Woods and Stricker ended the match a collective three over par. Woods' previous worst result at the Ryder Cup was a 5&3 defeat by Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer at Valderrama in 1997 when Mark O'Meara was his partner. As roars of “Europe, Europe” began to echo around the course, Northern Irishmen Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy followed suit by beating Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan 3&1 in their foursomes encounter to level the overall score at 6-6. Britain's Ross Fisher produced some of the best golf of the week as he and Padraig Harrington won their fourball against Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson 2&1 but the Europeans had to fend off a spirited American fight-back late in the day. At one point Europe trailed in one match and was all square in two but a flurry of sparkling approach shots and ice-cool clutch putts in early evening sunshine at Celtic Manor kept red US numbers off the board. Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez squandered a two-up lead after seven holes to be level after 14 before they rallied to beat Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton two up. Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer led by three after eight holes against Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler but were pegged back to all square before winning 2&1. It was Mickelson's third defeat of the week, taking his overall tally to 17 - the most defeats by any American. In the final twist of the day, Francesco Molinari sank a three-foot birdie putt at the last to steal a valuable half with his brother Edoardo after they had been dormie one down to Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.
