SUTTON COLDFIELD, Sept 27: A terrific late comeback by David Toms and Phil Mickelson to halve their match with Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer enabled the United States to end the first day of the Ryder Cup just a point behind Europe at 4-1/2 to 3-1/2.

The U.S. had lost the morning fourballs 3-1 and trailed for much of the afternoon but fought back well.

Toms and Mickelson, who had claimed their team’s only point in the earlier fourballs, looked well beaten at three down with four to play against Montgomerie and Langer.

But three birdies in a row and a share of the last enabled the U.S. duo to snatch an unlikely half point.

The comeback changed the whole complexion of an exhilarating day which had looked like belonging to Europe after they posted the best start by either team in more than 30 years with a great fourballs display.

The U.S. recovery began in the afternoon when Hal Sutton and Scott Verplank hit back from two down after 12 to beat Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke.

Then Stewart Cink and Jim Furyk added another point with an impressive 3&2 win over Irishmen Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington as the U.S. went on to win the foursomes two and a half to one and a half.

It was a miserable day for Tiger Woods, however, as the world number one lost both his matches to stretch his poor Ryder Cup record over the years to just three and a half points from 12.—Reuters