Team Europe continues Ryder Cup charge

After mounting a stirring comeback on Friday, Europe carried that momentum into day two at the Ryder Cup.

Rory McIlroy

Team  Europe  made a fine start to Saturday's fourballs as the host piled the pressure on the  Ryder Cup  holder. Having claimed a whitewash over the United States in Friday's afternoon session to move 5-3 ahead, Thomas Bjorn's men were up in three matches early on day two, and all square in the last.

The US, seeking victory on foreign soil for the first time in 25 years, is facing the prospect of a significant deficit heading into the Sunday singles.

Englishmen Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton took a quick lead without even putting on the first hole as Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler conceded after making a mess on the fairway.

The Americans, however, rebounded with a birdie on the next hole to get even, only to fall behind again by the fourth.

READ: US under pressure as Saturday fourball contests begin

Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy took advantage of mistakes form Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau to go two up with birdies on the third and fourth holes.

Finau gave the US fans in the crowd a jolt with a fantastic bunker shot on the fifth, but McIlroy answered with a birdie of his own to halve to the hole. McIlroy then birdied the sixth to move three ahead.

Tommy Fleetwood continued his hot putting and connection with Francesco Molinari against Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed with a birdie on the par-three second to forge ahead.

Open champion Molinari stretched the lead to two up on the par-five third hole. In the last match out on course, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas were all square with Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm through four.