LOUISVILLE (Kentucky), Sept 20: Boo Weekley stomped around as though it was a football game. Anthony Kim must have set a record for high-fives. Justin Leonard rekindled memories of Brookline.

The Americans found themselves in an unusual position Friday: leading the Ryder Cup.

A pumped-up US team - with Weekley leading the cheers - was poised to take a commanding lead on the opening day at Valhalla Golf Club, the first step toward erasing nine years of frustration in golf’s ultimate team test.

During alternate-shot play in the morning, the Americans won two matches and halved two others for a 3-1 lead, the first time since 1991 they’ve been ahead after the opening session. In the afternoon, the Americans won two more matches and were ahead in another, hoping to double their advantage.

Weekley and his partner, homestate favorite J.B. Holmes, rallied late in the day to pull ahead of Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen. Weekley really stretched the boundaries of etiquette after sinking a putt off the edge of the green at No. 12 to give the Americans a 1-up lead, letting out a screen as he bounced around the green.

Kim and Phil Mickelson defeated Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell 2-up, assuring the Americans would go into Saturday with a lead. Leonard and Ryder rookie Hunter Mahan picked up their second win of the day, beating Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez 4 and 3.

For Garcia, it was the first foursome loss of his Ryder Cup career.

The Europeans finally picked up their first full point with dusk approaching when Ian Poulter and Justin Rose closed out their match against Steve Stricker and Ben Curtis, winning 3 and 2.

Harrington, winner of the last two majors, and Robert Karlsson gave the Euros their only other half point of the morning, but that felt more like a loss after they let a commanding lead on Mickelson and Kim slip away.

Of the 28 points available, Europe needs only 14 to retain the cup. The Americans must win outright to regain it. They haven’t taken the cup since “The Miracle at Brookline” nine years ago. Since then, the Europeans have won three in a row, the last two in routs.

The Euros looked to be off and running again, surging to early leads in all four morning matches shortly after the sun came up. Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey won the first two holes against Leonard and Mahan, one of six rookies on the U.S. team.

Poulter and Rose were 3-up on Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell after seven holes, but lost it with a three-putt bogey at No. 18. Harrington and Karlsson looked to be in good shape when they started the back side by winning three straight holes for a 3-up lead with six to play.

Again, the Americans stormed back, no one more than Mahan. After a shaky start, he teamed with Leonard to put the Americans 2-up by the turn. They didn’t even need to play the final two holes.

It was still tied going to the final hole, but Rose sent a par putt rocketing past the hole and Poulter missed a 4-footer coming back. Cink and Campbell merely had to pick their ball up, their 1-up win assuring the Americans of the lead going to the afternoon.—AP