Europe extend their lead

Europe extended their lead over the USA to three points at Celtic Manor this afternoon as the remaining fourballs of the third session were wrapped up.

Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez beat Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton 2 up, while Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer beat Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler 2&1.

Meanwhile Molinari brothers halved their game with Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.

Two down overnight, Watson and Overton reduced the gap in spectacular style when Overton holed his second shot to the eighth for an eagle two, prompting an ear-splitting bout of screaming and shouting.

Hanson almost matched that with a brilliant birdie from the edge of the water left of the 15th and the 46-year-old Jimenez birdied the next for good measure.

Meanwhile Poulter and Kaymer were two up overnight but with 14 holes still to play, and were pegged back when Fowler holed a bunker shot for an eagle on the 11th and Mickelson birdied the 13th.

But they won the next two and Kaymer – who did not make a single birdie - crucially saved par from a greenside bunker on the 16th to help condemn world number two Mickelson to his third-straight defeat.

One up overnight, the Molinaris missed several chances to extend their lead and were made to pay as Kuchar made three birdies in four holes from the 10th.

A birdie on the 15th got the Italian brothers back on level terms but they gifted their opponents the next as Francesco’s fragile putting let him down once more. The Americans could only manage a par on the 18th however and, after Edoardo missed from 10 feet for birdie, Francesco somehow held his nerve to hole from four feet for a brilliant closing birdie.

That put Europe ahead by nine and a half points to six and a half and needing just five more for victory in tomorrow’s 12 singles.