Harrington powerless as USA forge ahead

Padraig Harrington, winner of golf's last two Majors, was unable to prevent America making a flying start to the Ryder Cup at Valhalla today.

Despite being three up in both his foursomes with Swede Robert Karlsson and fourballs with cup debutant Graeme McDowell, the Irish golfer ended the first day with only one half-point.

That was his total contribution to the European cause at The K Club two years ago, but with the United States crashing to a second successive nine-point defeat it did not matter.

This time it mattered a lot.

Paul Azinger's side won the opening session 3-1 and when the two Irishmen lost on the final green to Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim it took them 5-2 ahead.

One game was still out on the Kentucky course and in it Lee Westwood had the chance to equal a Ryder Cup record.

If he and Soren Hansen could avoid defeat against JB Holmes and Boo Weekley the Worksop golfer would match Arnold's 12-match unbeaten run. But from two up after eight they were one down with four to play.

Harrington and Karlsson had managed only a half against Mickelson and Kim from three up with six to play. In the afternoon it was three up after only four, but Mickelson's 25-footer on the 17th - he was the furthest from the hole in two of the entire quartet - meant he and his young partner came to the last one-up.

A drive into a bunker meant Harrington could do no better than par and McDowell, in sand by the green, could not get up and down either.

Ian Poulter and Justin Rose had moments earlier registered Europe's first win of the match, beating Steve Stricker and Ben Curtis three and two and so making up for throwing away a three-hole lead themselves before lunch.

But Sergio Garcia, having scrambled a half with Westwood against Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk from two down with two to play, went down four and three with Miguel Angel Jimenez to America's star pair Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan.

Leonard did not win a game in the event until today, but he and rookie Mahan - the man who said players were used as slaves in the week - had double success.

In the foursomes they beat Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson, who were then rested.

Poor Oliver Wilson did not get to play all day, whereas American captain Paul Azinger had got all his 12 into the action.

Poulter was particularly keen to get something out of the day, of course.

Faldo's controversial wild card choice ahead of Darren Clarke had plunged his pitch into the creek on the 13th as he and close friend Rose lost their foursomes grip and his missed five-footer on the last settled it.

Westwood said of his morning escape: "Any time you get out of jail it makes a massive difference and can be a momentum swinger."

Harrington said of his disappointing morning half: "We missed a couple of putts that we could have closed the match out with.

"They came back strong and obviously it was tight over the last three holes, but I thought I had holed it on the last."

Harrington was in the opening game for the third cup clash running.

As in Detroit in 2004 he and his partner (it was Colin Montgomerie then) began spectacularly with a birdie, Harrington holing from six feet.

But just when it looked as if they would be having an early lunch they bogeyed the 13th, Mickelson hit a wonder chip to win the next and followed with an 18-foot birdie putt.

The chance was still Europe's on the last when Kim only just got out of sand, but Harrington, having thinned a recovery from a fairway bunker, could not convert from 12 feet.

After eight holes the Dubliner had treatment on his neck from his Australian sports chiropractor Dale Richardson - the man who was a major part in his Open victory in July after a wrist injury threatened to put him out before the start - but he said afterwards it was not a major worry.

Faldo said: "We had a very tough morning, but the guys gave 100%.

"It is not just the games which turn, but also the emotions. You have to regroup and go again, but everybody is up.

"The crowds are really fair. Unfortunately they are outnumbering us pretty heavily up that 18th, but I warned the guys that would be the case."

Opposite number Azinger did not deny, meanwhile, that he had told fans at a downtown rally the night before that it was okay to cheer misses.

"Essentially, when we go over there they cheer when we miss," he said. "I don't think that the American fans are really into what the Ryder Cup is all about.

"It wasn't meant to be malicious and I'm really proud that the fans have been absolutely perfectly behaved this morning. It was kind of an education almost."

Not surprisingly, Westwood, Garcia and Harrington were required for afternoon action as well, but there was bound to be some - many, in fact - who would question Faldo sending Rose and Poulter out again.

They responded well, however, and a delighted Poulter commented: "We managed to play well through holes 12, 13 and 14 where this morning we let it slip a little.

"It was nice to get a point back. We came out and played awesome and I'd like to keep this pairing going."

Rose added: "I am familiar with the US, but never this partisan. The European fans are real troopers, though. They make themselves heard and keep us going."