Woods, who lost twice on Friday to take his Ryder Cup record to only three wins in 12 outings since his debut in 1997, partnered Davis Love to a 4 & 3 triumph over Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn in the last match out at The Belfry.

Earlier, Phil Mickelson and David Toms beat Ryder Cup rookies Pierre Fulke and Phillip Price 2 & 1 to draw the U.S. level with Europe, who had led by 4-1/2 points to 3-1/2 overnight.

Although the tide seemed to be turning away from the Europeans for much of the morning, they managed to scramble wins in the last two matches for a one-point cushion going into the afternoon's fourballs.

Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood won their third point in a row, beating U.S. rookie Stewart Cink and Jim Furyk 2 & 1, and the experienced Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer edged out Scott Verplank and Scott Hoch by one hole.

Woods, the world number one, had endured a miserable first day with two defeats.

Although he and Love lost the opening hole after twice finding the rough, they hit back immediately with two birdies and went two up when the Europeans produced a bogey-five at the sixth.

MISSED PUTTS

Dane Bjorn, who had been in sparkling form on the first day, missed putts from around five feet at the fourth, fifth and sixth.

Another bogey from the Europeans at the par-four 11th put the U.S. three clear before they won the 15th to seal victory.

Fulke and Price had been one ahead after 10 holes, having birdied the third and 10th, but their experienced American opponents won on 13, 14 and 15 to give the visitors an early boost on a dry but overcast second day at The Belfry.

"We feel comfortable together and, whenever we go out, we seem to play good solid golf," Toms told Sky Sports television after confirming the pair would play together for the fourth time in a row in the afternoon fourballs. "And that's we did again today."

Garcia and Westwood had been two up after eight holes but lost the ninth to Cink and Furyk in a scrappy contest.

CLINCHING VICTORY

Westwood missed a putt from just three feet to win the 15th but the unbeaten European pair took the 16th before clinching victory on 17.

"It wasn't a high-quality match but we didn't give too much away," Westwood told Sky Sports television. "It was tricky to finish it up but we managed it in the end."

Garcia added: "It was probably the worst Ryder Cup match in history but we still managed to win it."

The U.S. shaded the foursomes by 2-1/2 points to 1-1/2 on Friday afternoon, and were given a confidence boost following the arrival at the course on Saturday morning of former U.S. president George Bush senior.

Europe had led 3-1 after Friday morning's fourballs to inflict the Americans' worst Ryder Cup start in 31 years but the U.S. clawed the deficit back to 4-1/2-3-1/2 by the end of day one.

More than 1,200 armed police and marshals maintaining security at The Belfry for this week's competition, which was scheduled to be held at the same venue last year before being postponed for 12 months after the September 11 attacks.

The U.S., who hold the trophy after their victory by 14-1/2 points to 13-1/2 at Brookline in 1999, have won 24 times in the 75-year history of the competition.

Britain (or Europe since 1979) have won seven matches and two have been tied.