U.s. Idle

It was a day of showers interrupted by sunny spells, but for the Americans it was nonstop gloom. Lehman's boys grimly soldiered on--the "let's-just-have-fun" campaign was history--but by day's end, for the first time since the Ryder Cup became a Europe-versus-America affair, the Euros had won all four paired sessions. "Ten to six is an awful long way to come back from," fretted Jim Furyk. His teammates saw a ray of hope only in a precedent: They had overcome the exact same deficit at Brookline.

Slipping Away
The Americans' only chance? Rally like it's 1999

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LIGHTNING ROD

"There's no way that this type of play can continue for Tiger," murmured a British radio commentator. But it did. Woods--who made no birdies in his four-ball loss with Furyk--looked as if he needed a lesson. He drove wildly. He dunked a ball in the Liffey. He missed short putts. Another radio man, doubting his eyes, said, "I think a majority of European fans would say, 'I don't want to see Tiger Woods play like this.'"

CAPTAINS WATCH

Lehman attracted some sympathy because his best players (the best in the world if you believe the rankings) simply weren't performing, but he did raise eyebrows by benching DiMarco instead of Mickelson and sitting the surprising Henry in the afternoon. Woosie, meanwhile, continued to sound addled. ("We've got to get over that hurdle tomuddle ... tomorrow.") But the tide of Euro victories had former critics describing him as "brilliant" and "profound."

Slights & Grievances

? At 11:11 a.m. Robert Lee, on Ryder Cup Radio, said, "The Ryder Cup is over. The Americans are showing me nothing."

? "I would be lying to you if I told you I wasn't disappointed and feel like I shouldn't have another chance or two," said Verplank about being held out of the afternoon foursomes by Lehman after he and Johnson won in the morning.

? This off-the-air comment by Johnny Miller was piped into the U.S. locker room: "If [ Zach Johnson] had a partner, they'd have won 6 and 5. Verplunk."