Good afternoon to Europeans, Americans and Europe-supporting neutrals. Patrick McCarry here. The States are imperiously placed but Europe, through Luke Donald and Ian Poulter, gave them a chance with thrilling golf down the stretch. Once again, Keegan Bradley is out pumping up the home support. That chap is wired. Play is set to go in 20 minutes and Donald goes up against 2012 US Masters winner Bubba Watson.

To get you up to speed, here is the latest from Chicago and what unfolded over the first two days:

As it happened: Ryder Cup 2012, day 1

As it happened: Ryder Cup 2012, day 2

Americans in sight of Ryder Cup triumph

High praise: Olazabal compares Poulter to Seve

Remember Brookline? Team Europe eyes historic comeback

Pairing for Sunday Singles (GMT):

5:03 pm – Bubba Watson (USA) v Luke Donald (Europe)

5:14 pm – Webb Simpson (USA) v Ian Poulter (Europe)

5:25 pm – Keegan Bradley (USA) Rory McIlroy (Europe)

5:36 pm – Phil Mickelson (USA) v Justin Rose (Europe)

5:47 pm – Brandt Snedeker (USA) v Paul Lawrie (Europe)

5:58 pm – Dustin Johnson (USA v Nicolas Colsaerts (Europe)

6:09 pm – Zach Johnson (USA) Graeme McDowell (Europe)

6:20 pm – Jim Furyk (USA) v Sergio Garcia (Europe)

6:31 pm – Jason Dufner (USA) v Peter Hanson (Europe)

6:41 pm – Matt Kuchar (USA) v Lee Westwood (Europe)

6:53 pm – Steve Stricker (USA) v Martin Kaymer (Europe)

7:04 pm – Tiger Woods (USA) v Francesco Molinari (Europe)

Here (courtesy of @RyderCupTeamEUR) are some of the brave European souls in the galleries behind the first tee:

‘Hi-de-Hi!’

Lety us have your predictions on how you think the day is going to unfold. Is there any chance or a remarkable turnaround?

The USA are clad in red sweaters for the final day of action at the 39th Ryder Cup. Here comes Bubba onto the first tee. Corey Pavin, the man who revelled in the army fatigues at Kiawah Island in 1991, is there to give him a high five. We will be seeing a fee of them today, no doubt.

US fans have been encouraged to wear red and create a ‘Sea of Red’. I much preferred Sea of Love, the poor-man’s Fatal Attraction starring Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin.

Some last-minute encouragement from rugby’s European Player of the Year:

“I’m into it and I’m looking forward to it,” says Jack Nicklaus.

Monty predicts a Molinari win over Tiger Woods and a half-point win for Europe.

Here we go. Donald up first. A nice round of boos for the Englishman, who shot 64 in his fourball pairing yesterday. Straight up the middle but Watson should plaster it by if he is straight. He has ask for the fans to cheer again! Not so pretty. Way right.

Tee-off in Illinois. Right you are Bubba. (Credit: Sky Sports)

“You’ll never walk alone,” sing a sizeable European contingent as Poulter arrives on the first tee. Watson gets it to within 18-foot of the first hole. Donald on the fairway so a mid-iron should do it. Lovely stuff – within 10ft.

Time to drop some putts Europe but right after Watson. Yelp. He nails his. ‘Follow me in Luke’, he says… with his eyes.

Donald obliges. Fist rattle time!

Ian Poulter – played three, won three at this Ryder Cup – is up against Webb Simpson, man with the golden putter. Slightly right for ‘Poults’ but he’s not a nice angle into the green. The American is chuffed with that drive, which sneaks past his opponent’s and rests on the fairway.

Over on two, Donald is safe, on the heart, of the Par 3 green. ‘Aw shoot’ says Watson as his approach is further off the mark. McIlroy chewing on a breakfast bar. He has just arrived at the course after misjudging the time of tee-off. He forgot that Chicago is considered the Mid-West in America. Hardly ideal preparation.

Poulter is short of the first green after he misjudges the breeze. American grass betrays Englishman. Simpson has seen that and is taking his time. It is better but not too close to the hole. This man was a birdie machine yesterday. Watson, over on two, only gets his 45-foot putt halfway to the hole.

Here comes Rory to chants of ‘Cen-tral Time Zone’. He is smiling now. Hope he is smiling in five hours’ time. Donald has a par putt to go 1 Up on Watson.

Rory up first. He overslept at this year’s USPGA and ended up winning that. He lands his drive in the middle of a TV cable coil out right and 20 yards off the fairway. Bradley maces his drive right up the middle.

Poulter’s chip onto the first is a stunner on one. He chips in from 15 feet off the green. Simpson matches him. Four birdies from four players on the first two holes. Donald gets his par and is 1 Up on Watson. Great start for Europe.

I’ll deliver a point, no doubt.

- Ian Poulter

Webb Simpson ain’t buying what you’re selling. If they are red-buttoning this match, you’d be just as well to follow that. This is going to be some battle.

Simpson’s approach to two is a belter and I can not see him missing that 10-footer. Poulter is par hope at best.

Rory is off to a slow start as he makes a poor connection with his iron. Bradley on the green but a fair distance (35-ft) back. Donald just shy of another birdie on three and Watson has an immediate chance to level matters. 12-foot tester and he hares it past the hole.

• Bubba Watson 1 Down Luke Donald thru 3

McIlroy almost replicates the super Poulter pitch-in but it is a ball rotation away from dropping. Bradley like his putt but it fades on him.

Justin Rose up against Phil Mickelson. The Englishman beat Lefty 3&2 in 2008. Solid drive lands smack-bang in the centre of the fairway. Mickelson, who is another three-for-three competitor out there, matches it.

Simpson misses a 10-foot putt. A rarity. Poulter misses his par putt to go 1 Down.

• Bradley Keegan A/S Rory McIlroy thru 1
• Webb Simpson 1 Up Ian Poulter thru 2

Bradley overhits his iron shot on two. On 4, Donald is four-foot away with a brilliant approach. He is up for the fight. Watson is in another time-zone and will need to bring out his patented recovery game to get par.

Rose has a 16-foot putt left for birdie on the first and Mickelson is 10 feet further back on the fringe.

Poulter is short on three with another ill-judged approach. Simpson is safely on the green.

McIlroy gets par on the second. Bradley matches him. Donald birdies 4 and goes 2 Up on Watson. Nice start here.

Rose birdies one with a fantastic put and leads Mickelson.

• Mickelson 1 Down Rose thru 1

Rose is within five-foot of the second hole and Mickelson is in the water. That should be 2 Up for Rose.

McIlroy has yet to click on three as he lands a shot on the fringe of the third. Bradley has the red jumper off and has a wedge approach from 80 yards out. He is not as close as he would like.

Mickelson concedes to Rose on the second so finds himself 2 Down. Donald and Watson are both in the bunker on 5. Poulter and Simpson not in great spots after iffy drives. Poulter in the right-hand bunker but Simpson slinks in a classy iron approach for a good birdie chance.

Over on the first green, Snedeker hits a lovely approach that Paul Lawrie will struggle to match. He is in the bunker but plays a nice chip out.

McIlroy gets par on three and halves the hole.

‘Cheers for the wake-up call.’ (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Donald misses a two-foot putt on 5 amnd remains 2 Up but a glorious chance to keep Watson quiet.

Snedeker and Lawrie both give themselves birdie chances on the second. Mickelson and Rose do likewise on the third.

Poulter is about to go two down after another bogey. The talisman in trouble early on.

Watson can’t find his putting game against lets Donald away with a bad hole. Simpson then fluffs a bunker attempt on 5 giving Poulter a chance to tag him back. He does so with a firm putt.

Rose looks likely to give a hole back to Mickelson as he has a tricky putt. He misses and is now just 1 Up after four holes.

Lawrie stays level with a fine birdie on three. McIlroy in trouble on the fifth. Way right with his tee-shot. Recovery in the bunker.

Europe up in three, down in two and square in the sixth match. Bubba Watson reaches the seventh in two. Eagle chance coming up.If McDowell, up next on the first, or Lawrie can go blue on the scoreboard soon it might start to worry the home support, and their captain Davis Love III.

Rory with a super bunker shot to within a foot of the hole. Bradley can not match it from the sand but his par putt is amazing and he halves the fifth. Donald drops a wedge to within 15 feet in the lead match. Simpson, meanwhile, continues to keep Poulter at arm’s length.

Zach Johnson is 1 Up on McDowell after the first hole. More red on the board.

Donald is in immaculate form as he gets a birdie on 7. Watson has to match that to stay 2 Down. He gets it. Rose and Mickelson in trouble in their match – bunkers.

Simpson misses a 20-footer for birdie and he is left with a four-foot putt for par and a win. Yep. 2 Up for Webb Simpson.

Paul Lawrie you legend! He chips in from way off the back of the green and goes 1 Up on Snedeker.

Mickelson beats Rose in the bunker competition. On 6, McIlroy is just short of the green. Bradley is on the green but far from the hole. Furyk misses a birdie putt on 1 to halve the hole with Garcia.

Mickelson looking likely to get level in his match with Rose. Three-foot put in the hole and a mini fist pump.

Garcia with a zinger on the Par 3 second. Five-foot putt for a birdie up next for El Nino.

Paul Lawrie on fire. He hits the fifth in two shots and has a 12-foot putt for eagle. Take that Brandt.

Rory with a stunner of a chip on six and he is 2 Up now. Belter from McIlroy and a holler of joy.

Snedeker in with a birdie but good news (for Europe) on four as Dustin Johnson double bogeys to level things up with Colsaerts. Lawrie then gets a birdie to stay 2 Up.

Peter Hanson, remember him? Well, he has gone 1 Up on Dufner. He will probably lose 7&6 after this. Watson still missing putts on there – that putter done gone cold. He halves the ninth and is 2 Down at the turn.

Simpson shanks his iron shot on 8 and could be about to cough up his one hole advantage over Poulter. Dustin Johnson has gone way left with his drive on five but his second shot is sumptuous. Bradley continuing to battle with himself and McIroy but he is not the same without Big Phil beside him. Here is the latest:

(Credit: skysports.com)

D Johnson misses eagle but will be given birdie. Colsaerts has a four-footer for his bird. McIlroy misses an easy-ish putt on 7 and Bradley survives. Still only 2 Down.

Colsaerts and D Johnson all square. Poulter looking to get back level in his match but he underhits his chip from just off the green. The wind is up at Medinah and Rose has reached the seventh in two. Mickelson is in the bunker in four so he is in trouble. Garcia gives his advantage back to Furyk with a tough missed putt.

Poulter gets his uphill putt for par and levels up with Simpson. Watson misses his eagle chip on 10 and runs it well past the hole. Kuchar and Westwood halve the first in par.

Europe up in four, down in only one and square in five.

Donald and Watson birdie out on 10 to keep it at 2 Up for the European. McDowell is 3 Down against Zach Johnson after only four holes. Yikes.

The Black Pearl of Inchicore is following all the action:

Keegan Bradley wins 8 and is only 1 Down now. Stricker misses a chance to win the first hole against Kaymer.

Good grief. Dustin Johnson has poured in a 40-footer to go 1 Up on Colsaerts. Rose won that seventh hole against Mickelson and is one up again. Lefty has struck back with a thrilling approach on 8. America fighting back.

Simpson is not blasting in putts like he did yesterday afternoon. He halves another hole with Poulter.

Kaymer – the bloody passenger - goes 1 Down against Stricker. Donald roars on 11 as he goes 3 Up over Watson. McDowell gets back to 2 Down against Zach Johnson but Mickelson levels up with Rose after a birdie on 8. We are, all of a sudden, level on six projected points apiece.

McIlroy has a putt to go out in 32 after a lovely approach on nine. If Poulter and Rose can turn the scoreboard blue, they will lead the first five matches. That would be huge for the pressure.

Boom! Rory drops his birdie chance to go 2 Up at the turn.

Poulter is in a real dogfight against Simpson. Rose now, on 9, gets a pearler. His iron approach is within a foot. Mickelson nearly backspins his in but ends up eight feet away.

‘Yes, I do like apples.’ (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Some ordinary shots from D Johnson, Colsaerts and Bubba in the last couple of minutes. Here is Tiger and he bogeys. Molinari should go 1 Up. He does. Constantino Rocca all over again!

Rose has his putt conceded and goes 1 Up yet again on Mickelson. They are on the homeward stretch now. Donald now leads Watson 4 Up after the American has ‘a painful, one-mile-an-hour horseshoe’.

Poulter misses his birdie chance so Simpson can go 1 Up. He promptly does. Westwood edges ahead of Matt ‘KKUUUUCCHH’ Kuchar after the American forgets that he is an amazing putter.

Dufner looks set to go 2 Up with Hanson after he missiles an approach to within three-foot on 5.

Donald in the water on 13 but Watson finds dry land. In the bunker.

Lawrie goes 3 Up on Snedeker on the ninth. Out in 32.

Woods laps a fine approach to within four feet on three but Molinari goes twice as close. Stunning from the Italian. Woods then misses his putt right.

McIlroy and Bradley in trouble on 10. Looks to be playing very tough today.Bradley’s chip recovery putts Rory under pressure. Hanson birdies 5 but Dufner has a handy eagle putt.

Bradley gets his putt to go 1 Down and Dufner eagles to go 2 Up on Hanson. Molinari is 2 Up on Woods after three holoes.

Donald’s drop on 13 should get him a bogey. Watson has a tough par putt to win it. He doesn’t sink it and Donald can halve the hole if he makes bogey. In it goes! Bubba is 4 Down with five to play.

Over on 9, Colsaerts pings the flag-stick and the ball stops a foot away. Nearly went straight in. That should be all square unless D Johnson chips in from the bunker.

Colsaert and D Johnson now level thru 9. Good fight-back from the Belgian.

Mickelson is a damn fine bunker player and he gives himself a good birdie chance on 10. Simpson two-putts to stay 1 Up on Poulter. Projected score right now: USA 15 1/2 – Europe 13 1/2

McDowell is 3 Down after seven holes. Can’t get any form cobbled together. McIlroy will need to get up and down off the 11th green to stay 1 Up on a pumped-up Bradley. Mickelson misses a birdie putt on 10 but so does Rose.

Luke Donald, you gent! He has just about done for Watson there. Stunning approach on 14 and he can get eagle there. Nearly one point on the board.

Wales’ full-back Leigh Halfpenny is watching from home in cosy slippers and the choccie digestives nearby.

..

Donald misses his tiddler for eagle. Not done yet after a terrific bunker shot from Watson leads to birdie. McIlroy rolls in his par putt to halve 11 and stay 1 Up.

Lawrie and Molinari doing what they have to do out there and upsetting the American apple cart. We just need a couple more blues to give the home supporters and players the jitters.

(Credit: skysports.com)

Ian Poulter drains a beauty on 12 to put it up to Simpson. He can’t follow him in so it is All Square. Snedeker is not giving up against Lawrie and gets a shot back. Molinari bogeys to let Woods right back in the match. I spoke too soon.

Mickelson is in Major-mode too as he mashes one up to within three feet. That should soon be level too.

Westwood lips out from three-foot and he is now level with Kuchar. He has brought his Major form, just like Mickelson. Only problem is, Westwood’s isn’t good enough.

Donald misses another putt to close out his match and Watson is now 3 Down with three to play. C’mon Luke.

McDowell finally finds form with a lovely pitch into 9. Colsaerts then has a four-foot to win 10 but he zooms it by. I hate this guy now.

COLSAERTS! Get out of my face! He three-putts from four feet away and is now 1 Down against D Johnson. Where is the confident putter we saw on Friday?

McIlroy is now All Square with Bradley after Rory bogeys. Europe in trouble now. Projected score now shows the USA with a five point overall win.

Martin Kaymer, we never doubted you. He levels up with Stricker on 6. Poulter and Simpson halve the 13th.

Rose up on 12, can he edge ahead of Lefty again? Tidy approach.

Holy crap! Watson chips in a stunner from 40-feet away and keeps his match alive. From 4 down with four to go, he is now 2 Down with two to go. Like a golf-playing zombie!

Lawrie keeps the birdies coming. He wins at 11 and is back 3 Up over Snedeker. McIlroy tops Bradley’s iron approach to the Par 3 13th. I still can’t get over what Watson did on 16. When will Europe get to that seventh point?

Aha, the adrenalin gets to Watson as he goes too long on 17.

QUESTION: What are you all making of the action so far?

Donald in the bunker now on 17. He can not finish Watson off. Rose and Mickelson All Square after 13.

Jason Dufner is schooling Peter Hanson. He is now 4 Up on the hapless Swede. Thanks for coming Hanson.

Great stuff, Donald chips out to within two feet of the 17th. Surely Watson can’t chip in again? Here he goes…

Watson can’t do it and Europe has its first point. Only two up in the other 11 matches though.

We’ve still got a chance. I’m going to go cheer them on. We’re hoping for a miracle.

- Luke Donald.

• Luke Donald (Europe) 2&1 Bubba Watson (USA)

Colsaerts falls two behind against D Johnson. First Luc Nilis ruins our World Cup ’98 hopes then this Belgian ‘DJ’ comes along and breaks my heart.

Hunter Mahan was not selected as a US wildcard. Here is what keeps him in a positive frame of mind:

Mickelson and Rose halve 13 and Colsaerts, hound that he is, gives Europe hope with a fine approach on 12.

Bad news alert: Woods levels up with Molinari and Paul Lawrie, 4 Up on Snedeker, is the only European out on the course leading a match.

Lawrie, give the guy credit, is battering Snedeker out there. He is 5 Up with five to play. Colsaerts now has two putts to win on 12. He takes the two but is now only 1 Down. Bradley is in a heap of trouble on 14 against McIlroy – behind a sturdy looking tree and chips straight into the bunker that McIlroy is currently occupying.

If it was Monopoly he’d owe him rent.

Garcia chips in for eagle on the 10th and is now level with Furyk after 10. McIlroy needs to birdie out to win his hole after Bradley sneaks a putt in the left-hand side. Gets it! 1 Up again.

Kuchar is missing tiddlers and Westwood goes 1 Up again. Two matches (McIlroy and Westwood) going blue in the space of two minutes. Simpson and Poulter still can not be separated as they stride towards 16.

Dustin Johnson is now All Square with Colsaerts after he misses another putt. How is that man still in contention. Getting tense now and not as many birdies clanging in.

José María Olazábal has dropped by 15 to gee up McILroy in his encounter. Yelp! Bradley tries to show that he has the gumption, after McIlroy lays up, but his heave-ho drive goes way, way left.

Over on Twitter: Scott Evans (Irish Olympic badminton star) is mocking those who choose to watch X Factor over the golf, comedian/footballer Joey Barton is up for Europe but doesn’t quite know how the scoring works and comedian Chris O’Dowd is watching X Factor.

McIlroy looking to put tetchy Bradley to bed with a super pitch. Mickelson flops a humdinger out of the bunker – he loves the sand – and Rose can do no damage with his long putt. Mickelson has a four-foot putt to go 1 Up. Nips it in.

Bradley lob wedges a nifty one to show he isn’t burnt toast yet. His birdie putt never comes back in. Rory has a three-footer to go 2 Up.

Kaymer goes 1 Up on Stricker with a birdie and McIlroy birdies it up to go 2 Up on Bradley. Poulter with a stunning recovery on 16. He is still battling for blue.

Mickelson on 15. He drives to within 25 feet of the green.

Rose in the bunker on 16. Bradley screams a drive up the 16th fairway. He has been hyper-active all day:

Jump shot. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Poulter gets his par, and a likely halve, on 16. He stepped up on 17 yesterday and got a sweet birdie. He’d love to do it again. Lawrie about to see off Snedeker in his match. Kuchar and Westwood level after 10 in their roll in the golfing hay.

Snedeker gets his putt and keeps his match going. 4 Down with four to go. Rose can’t reach the green from the green-side bunker and Mickelson has the advantage on 15.

D Johnson gets a fortunate bounce and, with Colsaerts all snug in a bunker, could sneak ahead again. Poulter on the back of the 17th green. Simpson should play safe but he is worried about the breeze. The US Open champion digs it into the back bunker.

Ok, Rose is plugged on 15 but flops up a beauty. 8-footer for the win. Colsaerts was also plugged in the bunker but his chip is nowhere near as close but he is still not conceding. McIlroy will bogey 16 so Bradley has two putts to go just 1 Down.

Lefty misses and Rose survives still 1 Down.

Simpson with a very assured chip from the bunker in a difficult position. Poulter’s putt is so close but a rotation away. McIlroy not done yet as he was going for birdie, not par. He gets his par.

• Keegan Bradley 2 Down Rory McIlroy thru 16

Dufner duffs another putt and Hanson is now only 2 Down. Furyk is 1 Up on Garcia again. Lawrie’s super chip looks likely to win his match on 15.

Simpson misses his par putt on 17 and Poulter gets ahead. Exactly what Europe needs.

Webb Simpson 1 Down Ian Poulter thru 17

Snedeker misses his birdie and loses to the 1999 British Open winner.

Paul Lawrie (Europe) 5&3 Brandt Snedeker (USA)

Kleenex required I think. It was nice. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but, right now, it is looking pretty good.

- Paul Lawrie.

Poulter goes far right (too far) on 18. Simpson plants it on the left, on the fairway. Justin Rose is in need of a couple of wonder shots to stave off Mickelson on 16. Good par from Lefty. What can Rose do? Gets it with a c’mon! Phil gives him the thumbs up.

McIlroy finds the heart of the 17th green. Bradley’s shot comes back, through spin, onto the green. Bradley can’t birdie so that is another European point. No bad from the late starter!

• Rory McIlroy (Europe) 2&1 Keegan Bradley (USA)

Martin Kaymer, the lump, bogeys 11 to go all square with Stricker.

Holy heckaroonie. Molinari is 1 Up on Woods. Garcia gets level with Furyk. Hanson only 1 Down on Dufner now and Poulter looks like he has a good shout of winning on 18. Simpson misses his long birdie putt and Poulter wins! 10-10!

• Ian Poulter (Europe) 1 Up Webb Simpson (USA)

It is the most worried if I had ever been. If I had’ve let down these 11 boys, captains and everyone that has supported us this week, I never would have forgiven myself.

When I saw the match-up I liked it, playing one of their strongest players. I wanted to put a point on the board.

- Rory McIlroy

Mickelson nearly chips in from off the back of 17. He asked them to take the flag out. HUGE PUTT FROM ROSE! He clatters in a 40-foot putt for birdie and they are All Square.

TheScore.ie’s Olympic analyst and Irish sprint star liked that putt from Justin Rose.

I didn’t have my best early on but we stuck at it. Looking at the scoreboard now, we have a chance … This Ryder Cup is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes you have to buckle up and hit your shot.

- Ian Poulter

Jason Dufner is back to 2 Up on Hanson but Westwood now 1 Up on Kuchar. Colsaerts loses out to D Johnson to give the USA their first point.

• Dustin Johnson (USA) 2&1 Nicolas Colsaerts (Europe)

Justin Rose 15 feet away after his second shot. Mickelson off the back of the 18th green.

McDowell 2 Down on Z Johnson with three holes to play. Furyk and Garcia has been back-and-forth all day and the American is now 1 Up.

Here is the latest (via skysports.com):

Mickelson bumps up up the apron off 18 and has given himself a chance of a par. Rose can win it all with one more superb putt…

Rose drains the birdie! Stunning nerve from the Englishman. Mickelson is gracious in defeat with a warm smile and a handshake. Europe are scrambling for everything.

• Justin Rose (Europe) 1 Up Phil Mickelson (USA)

To dig myself out of that game was incredible. I felt like we needed that point to turn it around. (17) was one of the best moments of my life, to make that putt and, making that on 18, woah, now I know how Ian (Poulter) feels. Looing down at my sleeve (to the Seve emblem), that is what it is all about.

- Justin Rose

McDowell still fighting on 16 and Westwood goes 2 Up on Kuchar with five to go. Steve Stricker is now 1 Down to Kaymer. All change!

Kaymer, who was 1 Up, just plonks one in the water on 13!!

McDowell with a 10-footer to get it back to 1 Down. Walks away from his putt before going back and addressing it. Misses right. Johnson gets his tricky putt and can’t lose his match. Woods and Garcia miss putts to level up their matches. Molinari’s putt doesn’t break right so that game is halved eventually.

Hanson wins 14 to get it back to 1 Down.

Dufner on the green in one at 15! Hansen’s chip is woeful and he has left himself a 24-footer for birdie. McDowell on the Par 3 17th can not find the green though. Looks like last rites for that battle as Johnson is on the green. The time for heroics is NOW G-Mac.

Kuchar finally finds his putting form, much to the delight of the crowd: KKKUUUUUCCCHH. Westwood matches the birdie to halve the hole.  Furyk taking it to Garcia in their match and Sergio lamps it into the bunker on 16.

Hanson misses his putt by two centimetres. Dufner gets his birdie putt to go 2 Up and finally celebrates. Crapola. Garcia instantly cheers me up with a marvellous bunker shot. Furyk celebrated his putt but it never dropped for him!

McDowell needs to chip in on 17 but, alas, does not.

Why oh why? McDowell concedes a two-foot putt to Zach Johnson to concede the match. Make him putt it.

• Zach Johnson (USA) 2&1 Graeme McDowell (Europe)

Furyk is in the bunker on 17 while Garcia is on the green.

Woods with a par putt on 13. He gets it and goes 1 Up for the first time. Not what we needed to see right now.

Martin Kaymer is pumped. Birdie drops on 14 and Stricker has to match it. USA still winning on the Projected Scores mark: 15 1/2 – 12 1/2.

Furyk in trouble on 17 though and Westwood boots a birdie into the 15th hole.

Stricker goes back to 1 Down behind against Kaymer. If Furyk can not par on 17 it will be a two-point swing in no time. Big Jim walks back from the putt twice but here he goes. He misses and we are All Square going on to 18. Bloody ‘eck!

Down in our comments section, Sarah Bolger doesn’t think her heart can take more of this action while Gerry Ryan wants the ‘Get In The Hole!’ merchants to vanish into a black hole. Elizabeth Taaffe is loving the European’s uniform tribute to Seve Ballesteros.

Hanson misses a putt to win 16. Dufner gets his par and can halve his match at the very worst. Kaymer’s wedge approach on 15 is not the greatest. Stricker’s is a little shy of the pin. Better news on 18 as Garcia out-drives Furyk.

Tiger lips out on 14!

Furyk should not be making a birdie on 18. Hanson on the heart of the 17th green. Molinari nails his putt on 14! You beauty. He is loving it!

On 15, Stricker does not give his putt enough oomph. Kaymer up next from the fringe. He has raced it seven feet past the hole. Gracious me.

Furyk gives his long birdie attempt on 18 a dart but it is not to be. Kaymer then chokes on 15 and lips out. Three-putt from 20 feet away. Looks like Dufner is losing the 17th.

Westwood has done a number on Kuchar on 16. He wins another point for Europe!

• Lee Westwood (Europe) 3&2 Matt Kuchar (USA)

Furyk misses on 18! Garcia has snatched a win and Jim is in pieces.

• Sergio Garcia (Europe) 1 Up Jim Furyk (USA)

Hanson brings his match to the 18th and he is just 1 Down. Trouble for Kaymer and Stricker on 16 as they are both in the bunker! Europe just need a point.

No doubt that the fightback is being inspired by (Seve) but mostly it is because of our captain, José María Olazábal. He has been unbelievable … It has been a hard week, I haven’t played well. Jim gave it away a bit and gave me a couple of putts.

- Sergio Garcia

Molinari with a chance to win on the cruel 15th green. No good though

That’s a nerve-racking day. When you see the leaderboard and it starts to turn blue you just think, ‘Please, don’t let anybody down’. We’ve got a chance now. Momentum is in our favour.

- Lee Westwood

Kaymer and Stricker, who have both been less than amazing today, have 12 and 10-foot putts respectfully to win 16. Kaymer nails his!

Not for long Eddie:

Kaymer and Stricker both make super putts on 16. Dufner should get USA a crucial point if Hanson misses his 12-footer.

Nerves of pudding from Hanson as he misses. Was a tough fight though. We are level.

• Jason Dufner (USA) 1 Up Peter Hanson (Europe)

Kaymer on the 17th green but so, just about, is Stricker. Europe just need one point.

Woods and Molinari both with great birdie chances on 16. Great stat: Four players left on the course and none of them have even won half a point so far in Ryder Cup 2012.

One of them will be the hero…

C’mon Martin you German golfer you!

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Kaymer has left himself a four-foot putt for par on 17. Stricker is going to dink it on. He has bashed it and is left with an 8-foot putt.

Aidan Conlon I’ve good news for you! Stricker has missed his par putt on 17.

Kaymer gets his par on 17 and is 1 Up going on to 18. Molinari misses his birdie putt on 17 and gets the come-back par.

If Kaymer can hold on, Europe keep the cup.

Kaymer is in the bunker on 18. Super stuff Martin (sarcasm!)

Stricker up next and he is on the fairway. He has to go for broke here. Kaymer guaranteed a half-point.

Molinari is off the back of 17 but it is not too bad. Woods has laser-beamed two beauties on 17 in succession. He needs another here.

The better of the two and not a bad chance for birdie.

Kaymer has found the heart of the green on 18. Stricker up next. He has boshed it onto the back of the green. If Kaymer rolls it close he should take the point.

As for Molinari, we might have to write that off as he chunks his chip way past the hole. Woods just has to put it adjacent to the hole and let Molinari chase a remarkable save. He does just that.

José can hardly watch. I know how he feels. Stricker’s birdie putt is a 50-foot one. He is taking his time over it.

It is high and long from Stricker. The break never materialised. Kaymer just needs to roll it within a foot or two.

Molinari rattles his putt past the hole. Up to Kaymer it would seem.

Kaymer! He has slid his putt four feet past the hole. Pressure has shredded him there. Stricker up first for par…

Stricket gets it and Kaymer’s par attempt is actually from five feet away. Dreadful birdie attempt from the German. Struck it far too hard.

HE DOES IT!!!

EUROPE RETAINS THE RYDER CUP!

Europe still have a chance to win outright but Molinari needs to take a hole off Woods here. Tiger just off the back of 18.

This is just incredible. It has been one of the most perfect days on a golf course if you are European. We went out and tried to get blue points on the board and it just fed through … I don’t think you would want anyone on the team to take a putt than Martin.

- Rory McIlroy

Una, it has been a pleasure but it has been a team effort! I’d like to share this win with the whole TheScore.ie staff!

José and Ian Poulter are in tears. Great scenes here. Molinari looks set for a par but Woods can tie it up. He lips out to within three feet. No-one is conceding here.

Woods misses and Europe have won the whole ruddy thing! 14 1/2 to 13 1/12 – Molinari gets his half! Woods conceded the short putt to Francesco there. What a comeback! Some little details to finish up … after José:

When I saw that we had a chance this afternoon, coming down the stretch, I was very emotional. The boys have done an unbelievable job. I had a few words for Seve and this one is for him (he stops to compose himself) … When you see these guys giving their hearts to the cause, they are ready to sacrifice themselves for the team. It is incredible. The guys did an unbelievable job – maybe they knew how much it meant to me. They just believed in themselves and that is why we are here as winners.

- José María Olazábal

Kaymer celebrates with Garcia after his winning putt:

Pure, unadulterated joy for Kaymer. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

• Martin Kaymer (Europe) 1 Up Steve Stricker (USA)
• Francesco Molinari (Europe) A/S Tiger Woods (USA)

*Jason Dufner beat Peter Hanson 2 Up

Those two matches last night were key. Ollie put the pairings out last night and said, ‘Go out and give it everything’. You know what, we did. Martin’s shot, I was standing 160 yards down the fairway, and it was special … When you are wearing navy and white on Sunday, you know, we had Ollie with us and we had Seve on the arm, Seve on the bag and Seve up there. It’s special.

- Ian Poulter

If I have not mentioned it yet, EUROPE HAVE WON THE RYDER CUP!

David Elkin from Toronto, a man who has kept us updated on ESPN and the bombastic antics from the American commentators, says this:

Speechless here. What an afternoon of golf from the Europeans. The 17th hole, for me, summed up the whole day and the eventual destination of the Cup. Furyk missed against Sergio there, Rose rolled a monster in against Phil Mickleson and then Strickers miss against Kaymer.

What an odd week. Momentum-wise I’ve never seen the likes before. And on US soil as well. So many of the out of form Europeans found soething today. Westwood and Kaymer especially. What more can be said? My favourite moment of the week was Mickleson’s reactions to Rose’s three clutch putts on the 16th, 17th and 18th. Such a great show of sportsmanship. Clapped them all in and ended it with a smile. It was Rose getting a full point that made me start to believe it was possible.

Top performers of the week for me were Poulter, Keegan Bradley and Rose. The fact that McIlroy could take down Bradley was key – he was the heartbeat of the US team.

Epic week. It’s been special.

Cheers to everybody for following the action, cheering Europe on, and commenting throughout. Ollie and his boys produced one of the most thrilling comebacks you are ever likely to see. Paul Lawrie, draped in a Scottish flag, extols on the virtues of Olazábal and says ‘I think Dad might be cool for the first time ever’. You certainly are mate. He bounced Brandt Snedeker 5&3 in one of the big shocks on a day of shocks.

Goodnight and good luck. We will leave you with a magnanimous, warm gesture from the USA player Bubba Watson: