Americans Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan grabbed a 3-up lead over Europe's Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson after nine holes in Saturday's second Ryder Cup fourballs match at Gleneagles.
Mahan birdied to win the first hole and Furyk did the same to take the third. When Mahan birdied the seventh, the US duo jumped 3-up.
Donaldson's first birdie of the day matched Mahan to square the eighth and Westwood and Furyk birided to halve the par-5 ninth.
Furyk broke his own Cup record with a 16th different partner in Mahan but a 19th career loss for for Furyk would match Phil Mickelson for an unwanted US record.
Westwood and Donaldson beat Furyk and Matt Kuchar 2-up in Friday afternoon foursomes, boosting Westwood to 5-0 with two halved in all-time pairs play versus Furyk in the rivalry between the nine-time Ryder Cup veterans.
A ninth career fourballs victory would lift Westwood to level second on the all-time list of European wins in the format with Jose Maria Olazabal, one off Ian Woosnam's record.
Source: AFP
