The Americans made nine birdies - Leonard (crouching) 5 and Mahan 4 - and no bogies in 15 holes.

Justin & Hunter Win 2nd Friday Match

Nine Birdies Best Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez

Instant analysis: Garcia and Jimenez ran into the buzz saw that was the team of Leonard and Mahan, who gathered a tsunami of momentum with a 3 and 2 victory in the alternate shot format Friday morning and rode it to a convincing 4 and 3 victory in best ball. It marked the first time an American team scored two points on the first day since Corey Pavin and Lanny Wadkins did it at The Belfry in 1993.

The Americans made nine birdies (Leonard, five, and Mahan 4) and no bogies in 15 holes. Mahan set the tone with a 25-footer on the first hole and a 20-footer on the second. Leonard came within inches of an ace on the par-3 third and then dropped a 25-foot birdie on the fourth. The exclamation point belonged to Leonard who chipped in for the clinching birdie from 30 feet on the 15th.

Key moments: The European had cut an early 2-up lead to one with Jimenez's 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th when Leonard stole back the momentum with a picture-perfect birdie on the 464-yard, par-4 12th. Three holes and two more American birdies later the match was in the books.

Player report cards

Leonard: A+. He was sharp as a shard of glass, doing all that is necessary to keep an opponent off balance in fourball match play. He was rarely out of play, giving Mahan the opportunity to freewheel. Hard to imagine Azinger breaking up this dynamic duo Saturday.

Mahan: A+. Justified Azinger's captain's selection with spectacular play in the afternoon. His opening pair of long-range birdies announced loudly that this team meant business. He is sure to enter Saturday's matches with an incredible amount of confidence as the United States, especially in knocking off Garcia, who entered the match with a 13-1-2 Ryder Cup record in two-man matches,

Garcia: D. Never seemed to get into rhythm in the afternoon after he had to hurry to the first tee after he and Lee Westwood halved the morning session. Hit several sloppy shots at key moments, a fact that certainly was uncharacteristic of this European stalwart. One bad round with only one birdie, however, does not a bad Ryder Cup make. Hard to count him out.

Jimenez: C. Would have been a nice compliment to the Garcia of Ryder Cups past, making four birdies. But his effort paled in comparison to the American's shot-making and putting. It will be interesting to see how Faldo uses the Spaniard on Saturday.

Friday Afternoon Fourball
Leonard/ Mahan, 4 & 3 over Garcia/ Jimenez

Hole No. 1

The afternoon's third match started with Mahan hitting a perfect drive and an approach to 25 feet right of the pin. After a Garcia chip that nearly went in and was conceded for par, Mahan drained his long birdie putt. Team USA wins the first hole.

Hole No. 2

Leonard hit a great drive and approach to 10 feet. Jimenez followed that with an approach to six feet. Mahan's approach leaves him 20 feet away, but he stepped up and made his second long birdie putt in two holes. Jimenez curled in his birdie putt to halve the hole.

Hole No. 3

Justin Leonard hit a great shot on this hole earlier in the day, but this afternoon he did even better. His tee shot stayed right on line to the cup and ended up on the edge of the cup! Garcia hit a good shot on, and Jimenez's chip almost went in. Garcia hit a great putt as well, but it hung on the edge. Leonard's tap-in was conceded. Team USA wins the hole.

Hole No. 4

Jimenez bombed a drive and had a mere 65 yards in. His approach stopped 15 feet behind the pin. Leonard had a 25-foot putt for birdie, and holed it. That was the fourth birdie in a row for the U.S. squad. But Jimenez made his putt to halve the hole.

Hole No. 5

Out of the fairway bunker, Leonard hit an excellent shot that ran up onto the green to about 30 feet away. Mahan and Jimenez missed the green with their approaches. Garcia found the green but was 40 feet away from the hole. Garcia's putt came up just short and he picked up his par. Leonard's attempt to make his team's fifth straight long birdie putt slid by, but he made the short comebacker to halve the hole.

Hole No. 6

Leonard hit a good drive but pushed his approach to the right. Garcia hit a perfect drive and then knocked a long iron to the green, about 40 feet left of the flag. Jimenez pulled his approach into the bunker on the left. Mahan also went into the bunker and then blasted out to five feet. Leonard nearly chipped in and saved the par. Jimenez blasted out to 15 feet. Garcia two-putted to halve the hole.

Hole No. 7

Mahan hit a nice drive, but knocked his approach into the water. Leonard then had to play safe and laid up on the right side. Garcia and Jimenez followed perfect drives with nice second shots. Garcia left himself a 30-foot putt for eagle, while Jimenez had just 15 feet for eagle. Leonard hit on and his birdie putt drifted right, and Team USA conceded the hole.

Hole No. 8

Jimenez hit a nice shot off the tee to 15 feet left of the pin on this par 3. Mahan hit a good shot that stopped about 15 feet past the pin. Mahan's birdie putt slid by on the right. Leonard's putt hit the hole but stayed out. Jimenez just missed his putt, so good shots all around mean the hole was halved with pars.

Hole No. 9

All four players hit good drives that found the fairway. Leonard hit the shortest, but his drive was straight and then hit his approach to 15 feet right of the pin. Jimenez hit to 20 feet. Garcia hit short of the green and was fortunate his ball didn't roll all the way back down; instead, it hung in fringe. Mahan hit a good shot 12 feet left of the pin. Mahan hit a delicate putt that dropped into the cup, and an excited fist pump celebrated the birdie as Team USA wins the hole.

Hole No. 10

Leonard played the hole as a three-shot hole but stuck his approach to five feet from 100 yards out. Garcia just missed the green left in two shots, and his eagle chip slid down the slope and up against the pin, trickling to 2 feet away. Leonard's birdie putt hit the side of the hole, spun around and dropped. The hole was halved with birdies.

Hole No. 11

Leonard and Mahan hit good tee shots on this par 3, Mahan going past the pin but staying on the green, Leonard staying short of the pin. Jimenez also came up short of the pin, but had a shorter putt than Leonard. Mahan sent his putt 4 feet by, but his par putt is conceded. Jimenez stepped up and drained his 25-footer for birdie, giving Team Europe the win on this hole.

Hole No. 12

Leonard hit perfect drive and then hit his long approach shot right on target. It landed in the rough in front of the green but trickled on and rolled up to 15 feet of the pin. Garcia scrambled on and then made a 20-foot putt for par. Leonard then drained his birdie putt, giving Team USA the win.

Hole No. 13

Jimenez hit first onto the island green and put it about 20 feet behind the hole. Mahan stuck his shot to eight feet of the pin. Leonard then put his ball 10 feet from the hole on the same line as Mahan. Garcia was in a fairway bunker off the tee and his approach clanked off the rock wall and into the water. Jimenez made a good birdie run, but the ball slid six feet past. Leonard's putt slipped by on the right. Mahan stepped up and drilled the birdie putt, though, to win the hole and give the U.S. team a commanding 3-up lead.

Hole No. 14

Leonard and Mahan both missed the green, though Leonard was on the fringe just above the hole. Leonard's chip ended up a foot from the hole. Jimenez made an easy par and the hole was halved.

Hole No. 15

Justin Leonard hit an approach that almost went into the water on the right. The ball sat in the rough, but it didn't bother him as he chipped it perfectly and into the cup for an incredible birdie. Garcia's 20-foot birdie putt hung right and Jimenez just missed his birdie attempt. Team USA wins the hole and the match.

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