More Ryder Cup joy for Europe as host leads 8-4

Another dominant session at Le Golf National saw Team Europe extend its Ryder Cup advantage on Saturday.

Sergio Garcia (left) and Rory McIlroy

Team Europe moved 8-4 ahead at the Ryder Cup after racking up a record eight unanswered points at Le Golf National.

Thomas Bjorn's men enjoyed a clean sweep of the Friday foursomes to open up a two-point first-day lead over Team USA, having trailed 3-1 after an opening session in which Europe's sole success came in the final match.

And, the host continued its momentum with a 3-1 win in Saturday's fourballs, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia holding off Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau's gutsy comeback to triumph 2 and 1.

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Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton followed soon after with a 3 and 2 victory over world number one Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.

Open champion Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood chalked up a third point in their inspired partnership, downing Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed by 4 and 3.

However, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth provided some relief for Jim Furyk's side, defeating Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm 2 and 1.

Bjorn's men led in all four matches at a stage and were eyeing the first instance of a side claiming two session whitewashes at a Ryder Cup.

But, they also flirted with danger in the opening clash, where McIlroy and Garcia slipped from four up through 13 to one up with two to play.

However, Garcia's stunning 30-foot birdie putt on 17 got the job done for Europe as the Spaniard moved to within half a point of Nick Faldo's record tally of 25 points.

With blue going up on the board in the first three ties, that piled the pressure on Spieth and Thomas, who were two up through 12.

Poulter and Rahm made them work to close it out, taking it to the penultimate hole, where Thomas made birdie to wrap up a much-needed point.