US ahead but Rory on birdie charge at Ryder Cup

Americans led three matches while Europe clung to the lead in another Friday at the Ryder Cup in opening alternate shot foursomes play at Hazeltine National. The US team, outscored 7-1 in foursomes play in 2014 at Gleneagles, hope to avoid a record fourth consecutive loss to Europe, which has won eight of 10 to dominate the past two decades in the biennial team golf rivalry. US Open champion Dustin Johnson and Rio Olympic bronze medalist Matt Kuchar won five of the first eight holes before England's Lee Westwood and Belgium's Tom Pieters took the ninth to leave the US duo ahead 4-up after 11. Jordan Spieth sank a 10-foot birdie at the second hole and a four-footer at the third and he and Patrick Reed still carried that 2-up edge after 14 holes over Olympic champion Justin Rose of England and British Open champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden. Reed sank a birdie putt to win the seventh but Stenson sank a par putt to win the ninth and trim back their rivals' lead. McIlroy sank birdie putts to win the par-3 12th and par-4 13th and give he and Andy Sullivan of England a 2-up edge over Americans Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler. The European combination of Spain's Sergio Garcia and Germany's Martin Kaymer won the second hole with a bogey and halved the next nine to stay 1-up through 11 holes on American major winners Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker. The Europeans lost the 12th on a bogey and the Americans won the 13th with a birdie to go 1-up.