Americans David Toms and Phil Mickelson staged a remarkable fightback to claim a half point from their foursomes match against Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie.

The Europeans were three up with four to play, but lost three consecutive holes before sharing the honours at the 18th.

Langer and Montgomerie had appeared to be heading for their second triumph of the day.

But they finished with four fives in a row, and had to settle for a half which left Europe 4�-3� ahead overall after day one.

It still made Langer the most successful foursomes player in Ryder Cup history, with a total of 10� points.

And despite their collapse, the pair remained upbeat and believed skipper Sam Torrance would not be too disappointed.

Montgomerie said: "We're leading and, if you'd offered Sam that (at the start of the day), I think he would have settled for that."

Langer added : "When you're three up you'd like to win and we had our chances. But they made three birdies in a row.

"On the last green I should have hit the green but I hooked my five iron. But spirits are high and we're ahead."

The European pair began Friday afternoon's foursomes in fine form, just as they had been in the morning fourballs when seeing off Jim Furyk and Scott Hoch.

After exchanging wins on the second and third holes, Langer and Montgomerie began their charge at the fifth.

They edged ahead with a birdie, and went two clear at the sixth after their opponents found water and bogeyed.

The Scot rattled in a putt on the eighth to put them into a three-hole lead, which they comfortably held until the 15th.

But then they lost three holes on the trot as Mickelson and Toms, also successful earlier in the day, hit form.

Watch a round-up of day one's action