Europe on charge at rain-hit Ryder Cup

Europe struck back to level the Ryder Cup here Sunday after torrential rain forced organisers to set up a Monday finale for the first time in the event's 83-year history.

With heavy downpours pummeling the Celtic Manor layout early Sunday, play in the third session was unable to resume until 1230 GMT as groundstaff scrambled to mop up water from saturated fairways and bunkers.

The six-hour delay gave tournament officials no option but to schedule the climactic 12 singles matches for Monday, the first time ever that a Ryder Cup has spilled into a fourth day.

When play did resume, Europe immediately managed to regenerate the momentum that had swept them into leads in all six matches on Saturday night, rapidly wiping out the Americans' two-point overnight lead.

Lee Westwood and Luke Donald produced some superb golf to beat Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker six and five, a one-sided rout of the star American pair that had watching Europe skipper Colin Montgomerie beaming with delight.

The Europeans, starting the day at four up, reeled off three consecutive birdies -- including one extraordinary 40-foot putt from Westwood -- before closing out comfortably to win the foursome.

"We wanted to get off to a quick start," said Westwood citing his superb monster putt -- his first shot of the day -- as decisive.

"It's a 40-footer ... it was good for us as a pairing to go from four up to five up immediately. But it was good for the team as well."

Woods and Stricker -- unbeaten in six previous matches together -- were left to reflect on the heaviest Ryder Cup defeat in foursomes for 15 years.

In the other foursomes match, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy hung on to defeat Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan three and one to give Europe their second point of the day and level the overall scoreboard at 6-6.

McIlroy wrapped up the win by draining a birdie putt on the par three 17th to deafening roars from the gallery.
In the four fourballs being played the scores were delicately poised, with Europe leading three matches by one hole with one of the four all square.

Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer were one up against Phil Mickelson and rookie Rickie Fowler through 11 holes, with the Americans fighting back from three down at one stage to close to within a hole.

Fowler, 21, was in superb form, sinking an early birdie and chipping in from a bunker on the 11th for a wonderful eagle.

Elsewhere Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher held a one-hole lead over Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson while Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez were leading Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton by an identical margin.

One match was all square, with Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari locked in a nip-and-tuck battle with Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.

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