Garcia, Cabrera Bello help put Europeans back in Ryder Cup

“When I saw the draw last night I was like, ‘Yes, I get to have a go at him again.’ I maybe wanted it a little bit more just for that reason”, McIlroy said.

Europe, though, can take solace from the “Miracle of Medinah” in 2012, when they came from 10 – 6 down at the start of play on Sunday to win by a point in IL.

“It’s a tough environment for us to come and play in”, he said.

Holmes and Ryan Moore beat Masters champion Danny Willett and English compatriot Westwood 1-up after Westwood missed a two-footer at the 18th to halve the match.

Reed’s incredible run continued with another birdie after a brilliant tee-shot on the eighth but there was better news for Europe in match two, with Westwood holing another lengthy putt on the tenth to edge them ahead.

McIlroy shouted “C’MON!” with every putt, even staring at the crowd and daring them to hurl insults, boo or throw anything else his way. “I have a sore head listening to all those the last day, day and a half”.

That’s a point better off than Europe were before the Miracle at Medinah four years ago, but it’s asking a whole lot for lightning to strike twice, especially with a U.S. team and crowd that sense their long wait for a Ryder Cup win is nearly over.

For the most part the fans were good spirited in their heckling, yelling out “Ro-ry!”

The European pair were swiftly two down after early bogeys, but got back on level terms with birdies on the seventh and 11th, the latter after a superb chip to within inches of the hole from Fitzpatrick.

“These things happen”, McIlroy said. But his golf all day was fantastic. “You know, that particular guy, this is obviously in the very, very small minority, just took it a bit too far”.

World number three McIlroy was clearly irked by persistent heckling from the galleries, one day after Willett was teased and taunted as a result of his brother’s midweek rant against the home fans.

With Belgian rookie and captain’s pick Pieters, McIlroy did just that, sealing a 4&2 victory and get the day up and running with some European blue on the scoreboard.

A fired-up Rory McIlroy shrugged off an unsavoury incident with a spectator to lead Europe’s bid for an historic Ryder Cup comeback at a hostile Hazeltine.

“We had not really practised (in the foursomes format)”, McIlroy said.

However, Reed arguably played even better with six birdies and an eagle in the final fourballs match alongside Jordan Spieth. United States of America then looked set to square the session through Spieth and Reed in match four, with the pair ominously four ahead with six holes remaining.

Only Matt Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan appear to be gasping for breath, and European captain Darren Clarke has limited them to one match in two days.

“They have been quite poor, I’m not going to lie”, said Garcia.

British Open victor Stenson and Fitzpatrick wasted a big chance on the 12th when Koepka played a shot more typical of a weekend amateur, shanking his approach to the green into the galleries, but the hole was eventually halved in bogey fives.

Olympic heroes Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson turned the tables on the USA juggernaut pairing of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, kick starting a European comeback on Friday afternoon at the Ryder Cup.

Love closed Van de Velde out, 6 and 5, to help lead the U.S.to a one-point victory, and the moment stands as an example of the unsympathetic mindset it takes to win.