He said: "I felt we played pretty well but we came up against a brick wall today. We could have won against other opponents but Stewart didn't hit a bad shot."

The tie started with three pars and two birdies apiece on the opening five holes.

But it was the Americans that went ahead for the first time in the match on the sixth, a lead they never conceded.

McGinley hit Europe's second shot into the bunker on the right of the green.

And, although Harrington chipped out to within 10 feet of the hole, his partner sent the subsequent putt wide for a bogey.

Cink and Furyk took a putt each for par and the hole.

McGinley had the only realistic opportunity to level the match on the ninth with a massive left-to-right downhill putt.

The ball just clipped the hole but failed to drop and Cink was left to successfully putt for a half.

The Europeans were immediately made to pay for the missed opportunity on the 10th as a birdie by their rival duo extended their lead.

Cink, on this occasion, moved his side two-up after Furyk had landed his second shot to within six foot of the hole.

Irish respite

That launched a trio of won holes - completed after a 20-foot putt by Cink on the 11th and a Harrington faux-pas the following hole.

Harrington, who had earlier lost with Niclas Fasth in the morning's fourballs, endured more misery when his tee shot on the 12th found the water.

The Irish finally stopped the rot on the 13th as McGinley birdied on the green while Furyk and Cink two putted.

But they failed to carry over that momentum as the Americans re-asserted their authority with another birdie on the par-three 14th.

In a topsy-turvy end to the round Harrington refused to buckle.

He turned the scores to three down with three to play as he birdie putted following a handsome lay-up by McGinley.

But the win was finally sealed when Harrington found the bunker on the 16th and the Irish conceded defeat.

Watch a round-up of day one's action