Poulter leads Europe's Ryder Cup charge

Europe have famously come back from being 9-7 down once before on American soil and they will have to do so again today if they are to achieve their fourth win a row. Their captain will doubtless have already told them of the Ryder Cup victory he himself inspired in Rochester 13 years ago, but if Nick Faldo really wants to give his men any added incentive then he should merely refer them to the antics of Anthony Kim and Boo Weekley.

Kim, who was merely a spectator at the time, was involved in a ugly collision with Ian Poulter after the European hero of the first two days had just driven off. "He bumped into me when I was leaving the tee-box," said Poulter who won both of his matches yesterday to help Europe win the day 41/2-31/2. "You don't need that when you're playing. I didn't think it was very professional." Indeed, Poulter told the young American that in no uncertain terms and observers said he had every right to. Kim was a raucous presence as he cheered on Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk in their close fourball tussle with Poulter and Graeme McDowell. He took his support too far.

And then there was Weekley. The unashamed redneck was instructed to calm down after seven holes of his and JB Holmes's afternoon fourballs match against Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen. Officials told Paul Azinger that Weekley's behaviour was over the top as he beckoned the raucous galleries to increase the volume and the American captain relayed the message to the player on the seventh tee. From then on Weekley's reaction was more muted as he and the big-hitting Holmes closed out a 2&1 victory.

Westwood had criticised the Floridian for doing the same thing during their match on the first day when he was clearly angry that Weekley, who later apologised to the European pair, was conducting the fans before the holes had finished. Westwood revealed the extent of his annoyance late that evening. "I was expecting the crowd to be like that, but I didn't expect the players to get involved quite as much as they have done." he said "It's unsportsmanlike if you ask me. They have taken a good hammering the last couple of times and they had to try something. If that means whipping the crowd into a frenzy then so be it. But we've never resorted to that, I don't think I would ever get that desperate. Golf is supposed to be a gentleman's game and that is what separates it from all other sports."

The loss to Weekley capped a miserable 24 hours for Westwood. After equalling Arnold Palmer's record of going 12 matches undefeated with his two halves on Friday, he was shockingly benched by Faldo for yesterday's foursomes, along with Sergio Garcia. It was a selection described in various places as "the most extraordinary decision in the history of the Ryder Cup" and "the baffling tactic of a captain who has plainly lost the plot". In the event both of those criticisms were proved as harsh as Europe won the foursomes 21/1-11/2 to cut into the three-point overnight deficit, although even if they had won the foursomes 4-0 there would remain those questioning Faldo's choice.

Garcia has never lost a foursomes match in the Ryder Cup; he has won eight and drawn one. Furthermore he has played in every game since his debut in 1999. Faldo claimed the Spaniard was suffering from a virus, was on antibiotics and had asked to be rested. Westwood was a different story. He wanted to play but Faldo declared that the Englishman had blisters and that he wanted "Lee to be strong". And for that reason he stood down the man who had not lost since the singles of 2002.

Westwood, himself, seemed as perplexed as anyone as he missed his first game in 28 sessions. "I never asked to sit it out, I never asked to rest, a couple of blisters are not going to stop me," he said as he watched the foursomes from the discomfort of his buggy. "This is the Ryder Cup. I'd play if my arm was hanging off. But Nick is the captain and he wanted some fresh legs out there."

They do no come any fresher than those of Oliver Wilson, the rookie from Mansfield who had been the only member of either team not to feature in the first day. But Wilson, a player who has never won a professional tournament, put that frustrating experience behind him to take the precious scalp of one Phil Mickelson. Incredibly, he and Henrik Stenson recovered from being four down after six holes against the American dream team of Mickelson and Kim to prevail 2&1. It was a 25-foot putt from Wilson on the 17th - that was so reminiscent of Phil Price's clincher at the Belfry in 2002 - which sealed the unlikely triumph and the Wilson fist-pump was the image of an enthralling day when the Ryder Cup restated its power to thrill.

It helped Europe nudge the morning session, meaning that they went out in the afternoon fourballs 7-5 down. Justin Rose and Ian Poulter took emphatic revenge for their opening day loss to Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell with a 4&3 victory, while McDowell and Miguel Angel Jimenez earned a gusty half with the finds of the first day, Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan. The only negative for Europe was the 2&1 humbling of Robert Karlsson and Padraig Harrington by Furyk and Perry. Faldo moved decisively and once again surprisingly by dropping Harrington, the three-time major champion, for the afternoon fourballs. Only Poulter has played every game going into today's singles and will inevitably raise a few eyebrows.

In fairness, Poulter has performed magnificently and was particularly inspirational in the final-hole victory over Perry and Furyk. It took Poulter's individual haul to three points and he is comfortably Europe's leading scorer. His controversial pick as a wildcard has been more than justified and he has repaid Faldo's faith spectacularly. His skipper will be so relieved he did choose Poulter now.

It is a remarkable statistic that Europe's three leading players - Westwood, Harrington and Garcia - failed to win a match between them, in the opening two days. Saying that, Garcia must have felt like he and Paul Casey had recorded a victory last night when watching his partner nerveless holing a 12-footer on the last green to halve with Steve Stricker and Ben Curtis. He was still not the Sergio of Ryder Cups past but the Spaniard was certainly better than he was on Friday. Faldo will need Garcia and his other seniors to be at their best to collect their points in today's singles. Europe will require seven and a half points from 12 for the win and seven for the draw to retain the trophy.

Faldo will be confident of the two Swedes providing. Karlsson and Stenson were excellent in their halved fourball with Mickelson and Mahan. It was a high-quality encounter which summed up the entire match so far. It truly has been a classic Ryder Cup with so much excitement. Nine of the 16 matches have finished on the 18th hole and the momentum has swung back and forth with giddying haste and this afternoon promises even more drama. Kentucky is holding its breath. If not its cheers.

Watch the final day's decisive singles matches on Sky Sports 1 from 4.30pm

Interesting? Click here to explore further