Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer's winning partnership continued in the fourballs on day two of the UBS Cup. The Ryder Cup duo retained the Rest of the World's one-point lead over America with a 2 & 1 victory over Ray Floyd and Bruce Lietzke.
"We struggled on the greens but in the end we were happy to have won the point," said Langer.
Tony Jacklin's side will have the edge going into Sunday's 12 singles contests at Sea Island.
The American team had been on top in the early stages of the second day as captain Arnold Palmer's decision to change five of his six pairings paid dividends.
Palmer and Curtis Strange began the fightback with a comfortable 4 & 3 win over Jacklin and Nick Faldo.
Strange, a former US Open champion, sunk five birdies in 10 holes and the 74-year-old veteran Palmer proved he had not lost the knack when he grabbed a birdie at the 10th. Hale Irwin and 2004 Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton kept the momentum going, seeing off Des Smyth and Rodger Davis 5 & 3 to put the home side ahead.
Mark O'Meara and Craig Stadler were poised to make it a hat-trick of US victories as they moved into a two-hole lead over Carl Mason and Bill Longmuir by two holes with just three to play.
But the British duo birdied three of the last four holes to snatch victory, Mason sealing the win with a 20-foot putt on the 18th.
With the advantage back in the Rest of the World's camp Argentina's Eduardo Romero and Vicente Fernandez defeated Tom Watson and Rocco Mediate 5&3.
Ian Woosnam and Barry Lane were not so lucky as Brad Faxon and Scott Hoch snatched victory, largely thanks to Faxon saving par at the 18th after carving his second shot 30 yards wide of the fairway.
"What can I say? Really tough," said Woosnam.
"We got back at them when I made three birdies in a row from the 13th but at the last I was absolutely dead."
MMIX
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