Eagles by JB Holmes and world number two Phil Mickelson put the US Ryder Cup team in good shape midway through afternoon fourballs after Europe whittled down the US lead in Saturday's foursomes. Holmes and Boo Weekley led Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen 2-up after 12 holes in a reprise of Friday's halved fourball match, while Mickelson's eagle at the seventh pushed him and Hunter Mahan to a two-hole advantage against Swedes Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson at Valhalla Golf Club. Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter were 2-up against Americans Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk, whose compatriots Steve Stricker and Ben Curtis were all square against Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey after 11 holes. Europe, with important contributions from rookies Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson and McDowell, narrowed the US lead to two points after the morning foursomes by winning two of the four matches and halving one against one loss to trail by 7-5. The hosts, striving to snap Europe's run of three Ryder victories in a row and five from the last six, had led by three points after Friday's opening day of play for their biggest advantage going into day two since 1979. Holmes and Mickelson helped boost American spirits on a warm, muggy afternoon. Holmes bombed a 375-yard drive then softly landed a 219-yard approach eight feet from the hole at the 594-yard 10th for a conceded eagle-three that gave him and Weekley a three-hole lead before Hansen won the 11th with a birdie. Mickelson, whose erratic play led to a squandered four-hole lead in a morning foursomes loss with Anthony Kim against Wilson and Stenson, got back to better form in the afternoon. The big left-hander birdied the second and third holes to put the Americans up by one. Mickelson dropped an 18-foot eagle putt at the 601-yard seventh hole to pad their lead. Garcia, left out of the morning lineup by Europe captain Nick Faldo over concerns of fatigue, showed his fire when he rolled in a long birdie putt at the par-three eighth. But the usually stoic Stricker then rolled his birdie in for a halve and pumped his fist with emotion. Poulter, who partnered Rose to a 4&3 win in the morning, continued his inspired play by teaming with McDowell to lead Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk by two holes after 10. - Reuters __
