But if the morning fourballs belonged to the hosts, the afternoon's foursomes showed the calibre of the American team.

The unheralded pairings of Hal Sutton and Scott Verplank and Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink secured America's wins.

And Phil Mickelson and David Toms rallied from three down after 14 to halve their match against Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer in a grandstand finish to the day.

The only disappointing note of America's afternoon was Tiger Woods' failure to earn a point.

The world number one followed his fourballs defeat in the morning with a loss at the hands of Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia.

Westwood and Garcia finished the day with a 100% record having also won in the morning.

Scott Verplank putted out for a surprise win on the 17th hole.

The American, in partnership with Hal Sutton, performed a remarkable comeback on the back nine.

Verplank and Sutton won four out of five holes having been two down at 12.

The defeat was Thomas Bjorn's first reverse in the Ryder Cup.

Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood played immaculately on 17 to wrap up a second win of the day.

Tiger Woods and Mark Calcavecchia managed to put their opponents under pressure with a scrappy four, but Westwood was equal to the challenge and putted out to half the whole and take the win.

The Europeans struggled to the turn but then took the game by the scruff of the neck - winning four out of five holes.

Garcia started the ball rolling with a wonderful approach to 10, before the pair were helped on their way when Woods amazingly missed two simple putts on consecutive holes.

Phil Mickelson and David Toms clawed their way back from the brink for what may prove a valuable half a point.

Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer lost at the 15th, 16th and 17th as their three-shot lead was whittled down to nothing.

On the last Langer had a putt for a win which narrowly missed the cup, as Toms' effort had moments earlier.

The European veterans had looked in total control, but be it the exertions of a full day or the Americans upping the ante, they lost the momentum, and with it half a point.

Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington conceded having taken three on the 16th with their opponents on the green in two.

The Irish pair had to win every whole from 15 for half a point but it proved beyond them after Harrington's drive had found a fairway bunker.

The Americans had controlled the game throughout and stamped their authority on their opponents winning three successive holes after the turn.

Harrington and McGinley, former World Cup winners, played well but had no answer to one of the best performances of the day.

Watch a round-up of day one's action