The
U.S. trailed 3-1 from the morning fourballs and looked set to repeat the dose
in the afternoon until a brave rearguard produced a one point foursomes victory.
That left Europe
ahead by just one point at 4-1/2 points to 3-1/2 as, yet again, the most exciting
competition in golf produced an incredibly tight contest.
He
had particular praise for rookie David Toms and Phil Mickelson, who won three
of the last four holes to halve their match with Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard
Langer.
"That
was one heck of a comeback," Strange said. "That half point was huge,
for the numbers but also for our psyche, to get it when it didn't look good at
all.
"We
could, if things go well on Sunday, look back on that match as the one which turned
it around."
Strange
also picked out Hal Sutton, who, with Scott Verplank, overcame some poor form
coming into the tournament and then a two-shot deficit after 12 to beat Darren
Clarke and Thomas Bjorn.
"I
just can't say enough about Hal," said the captain, almost overcome by emotion
after revealing he had just informed Sutton that he would not be involved in Saturday
morning's foursomes.
"He
did exactly what he was supposed to do -- he's a real team man."
Strange
said he expected that Tiger Woods would be hurting after the world number one
lost both his matches -- but fully expected him to bounce back.
"He
played well this morning but those missed putts hurt," he said of back to
back four-foot misses by the world number one which lost two holes in the afternoon
foursomes.
"He
won't be feeling real good right now and that's good," added Strange, who
insisted that Woods would play in every match.
European
captain Sam Torrance had greeted his team's 3-1 morning lead as "fantastic,
brilliant, magic" but had to row back slightly after seeing his foursomes
lead slip away.
"I
am very happy to be a point ahead," he said. "I'd like to be more ahead,
going into Sunday -- I don't think we have to but it would be nice."
Torrance,
who said he was enjoying every minute of the greatest sporting week of his life,
said that rather than being upset, he was happy to scramble a share of the day's
final game after the charge by Toms and Mickelson.
"I
would have taken a half when I was standing on the last tee," he said. "It
is very difficult to grab the momentum back again."
The
Scot also thanked his players for their "wonderful camaraderie."
"They
gave me everything today," he said.
The
two captains, who had appealed in advance for the fans to show respect to both
teams, united in their appreciation of the 35,000 crowd.
"It
was wonderful, the crowd was just amazing, not one incident all day," said
Torrance.
Strange
agreed: "The fans are fantastic," he said. "They are boisterous
but they have been fair to us and that is how it should be."
