18 September 2004	Saturday	02 Shaban 1425

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Sept 17: Hal Sutton's Dream Team of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson had a nightmare start to the Ryder Cup when they crashed 2 and 1 to Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington e on Friday.

It started a near rout and by lunch Europe led the United States 3 1/2- 1/2. The 41-year-old Montgomerie, who relishes turning over the Americans in the Ryder Cup - he grabbed 4 1/2 points out of 5 in 2002 at the Belfry - came out sizzling.

But it was the duo of Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez playing in the second group who gave Europe their first points by overpowering the American pair of Davis Love and Chad Campbell 5 and 4.

Love and Campbell were never in contention as they struggled to try and make a match of it as the Europeans ran out easy winners. The last group of the morning had Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood carrying on where they left on two years ago at the Belfry.

The 24-year-old Spaniard was in blistering form as he and Westwood rushed to four up after nine holes. After a move to five up with five to go, it was only a question of when the win would come. They closed the door on the Americans on the 16th to win 4 and 3.

RESULTS:

FOUR-BALL Darren Clarke (NIR)-Miguel Angel Jimenez (SPA) bt Davis Love-Chad Campbell (USA) 5 and 4; Padraig Harrington (IRL)-Colin Montgomerie (SCO) bt Phil Mickelson-Tiger Woods (USA) 2 and 1; Lee Westwood (ENG)-Sergio Garcia (SPA) bt David Toms-Jim Furyk (USA) 4 and 3; Paul McGinley (IRL)- Luke Donald (ENG) halved with Chris Riley-Stewart Cink (USA) all square

TEAM SCORE: Europe 3 1/2, United States 1/2. -AFP