Duval caps revival as rookies are routed

The partnership of Phillip Price, from Pontypridd, and Pierre Fulke, from Nykoping, was not a match made in heaven. The Welsh-Swedish combination failed to hit it off in the foursomes yesterday morning, the rookie pairing losing 2 & 1 to Phil Mickelson and David Toms.

Mickelson and Toms were one of America's anchor bets, a highlight of their contribution coming in the foursomes on Friday evening when they rallied from three down with four holes to play to earn a half against the blue-chip duo of Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer.

The American approach to the Ryder Cup has traditionally been more democratic than Europe's. They tend to change their captains for every Cup and all 12 players see action before the singles on the final day. Europe, on the other hand, usually give their captains several terms of office and have no problem in repeatedly playing successful combinations even if it means redundancy for others.

Yesterday Sam Torrance, mindful that such a policy can lead to overkill, blooded his second wave. The problem for Price and Fulke is that their opponents had already dovetailed and although the gulf did not match the pyrotechnics of other matches over the Brabazon, it was good enough to earn the Americans a precious point.

"It's been more fun than I imagined," said Toms, playing in his first Ryder Cup. "I knew it was going to be nerve-racking but it's been a blast. On the first tee it was great. It's what we've been waiting for. The crowds have been wonderful. You know whose side they're on but they have been very respectful."

The pressure on Price, who has had a subdued year after qualifying for the team in 10th place, increased at the first hole. "Don't let us down Phil,'' yelled a spectator with a Brummie rather than a Welsh accent.

The Americans birdied the first, Toms holing from 22 feet. It was their first and last birdie although they did manage an eagle at the 15th, Mickelson's three-wood finishing within three feet of the flag. The putt was conceded after Price pushed his second into the rough and Fulke found a bunker.

Europe had taken the lead at the sixth where Mickelson splashed into the lake, and was still one up going to the 13th. Fulke's drive missed the fairway and Price landed in a bunker. They lost the hole to a par and there was a similar result on the short 14th, Price putting Fulke in trouble off the tee. The eagle at the next meant the US had won three holes on the trot. The sequence might have been broken at the 16th but Mickelson, from a plugged lie, played a marvellous bunker shot to within a couple of feet to go dormie two.

At the par-five 17th, Price and Fulke met their match. The Swede hooked his drive into a fairway bunker from where the Welshman smacked a wood into the stream that crosses the fairway. "It was horribly disappointing," Price said. "At least I have got 17 holes under my belt. Everybody now knows what it feels like. It would have been difficult to go out in the singles without having played. We have more guys in form than people realise, especially players who don't have big reputations. We've also got the big guns. I think our singles line-up is looking very good."

Price and Fulke played no part in the afternoon fourballs. Torrance led off the afternoon with the Swedish pairing of Jesper Parnevik and Niclas Fasth. With a fast birdie at the second and a Parnevik birdie at the third they were two up against Mark Calcavecchia and David Duval. When Parnevik, looking distinctly odd without his trademark cap, got a two at the seventh, the Europeans were three up but then the Americans hit back with vengeance.

Duval, complete with cap, wraparound sunglasses and chewing gum, sank a 12-foot putt for a winning three at the eighth and dominated the trick-or-treat 10th. At 311 yards and guarded by water, trees and sand, in fact everything bar a ring of fire, few players attempted to drive the 10th from the back tee. Duval was one of the few, hitting a peach to within about 20 feet of the hole. Picking up the gauntlet Parnevik, to the obvious approval of the crowd, reached for the driver. Whereas Duval's ball was safely to the right of the flag, Parnevik's, although beautifully struck, was a couple of degrees to the left and after three bounces it rolled slowly but surely into the drink. To make matters worse Fasth, who had laid up, then chipped into the creek.

The 12th was halved in twos and the Americans drew level with a birdie three at the 13th. The men in black were hit by another two at the 14th, Duval curling in an 11-footer, and for the first time the Americans were ahead.

Between them Duval and Calcavecchia had produced six birdies in eight holes and the former made it seven in nine with a four at the par-five 15th. That, however, was only good enough to halve the hole after Fasth got up and down from a bunker.

The US went dormie two when Calcavecchia made a three-footer for a three at the 16th. Although Fasth, again getting up and down from a bunker, pulled one back at the 17th, Duval's four at the last slammed the door on the Swedes who were defeated by one hole.