BLOOMFIELD HILLS, United States (AFP) - A rampaging Europe led by Colin Montgomerie wrote themselves into Ryder Cup history when the stormed to a five-point lead over the United States.
It was the greatest first day performance in Cup history as the European team finished the day ahead 6 1/2-1 1/2.
"It has been an awesome day for the European team," enthused captain Bernhard Langer.
It was a stunning performance from the underdogs as the American Dream Team of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson had a nightmare day - getting beaten twice.
"You saw very few Americans show up here today," said a disgusted American captain Hal Sutton. "If the Americans keep this up it won`t belong before they become the underdogs."
So upset was Sutton and his teams collapse that he dropped Mickelson from the Saturday morning four-balls.
"It`s not going to cause us any grief in the morning because he`s going to be cheering instead of playing," fumed Sutton.
A hint of what was coming came when Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington overcame Woods and Mickelson 2 and 1 in the opening match of the morning four-balls.
It inspired the rest of the European team and as they went into lunch the Americans found themselves trailing 3 1/2- 1/2.
Woods and Mickelson came out in the afternoon and looked poised to avenge their morning defeat when they rushed to a three-hole lead over Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood in foursomes. But then everything went wrong.
The two top Americans began spraying the ball off the tee and suddenly found themselves trailing by one.
When they stood on the 18th tee they had pulled back to all square and all to play for.
That was until Mickelson hit his worst drive of the day, putting his 3-wood up against the out of bounds fence on the left side. Woods was forced to take a penalty drop and the beginning of the end was in sight.
Clarke and Westwood had to settle for a bogey five on the 18th but it was enough to win the match 1 up.
It was a bitter blow to captain Sutton, who defied all the odds of pairing Woods and Mickelson together for the first time.
There is no love lost between America`s best two players and no previous US Ryder Cup captain had the courage to try and get them to play together.
"Who would have seen that coming?" said Sutton talking about the loss to Clarke and Westwood. "I would have bet the ranch they would win after going three up."
For Langer the second straight defeat of Americas top guns was a major boost for his team.
"It was a hugh psychologically. A huge blow to the Americans and a huge help to the Europeans. It was probably worth three or four points," said Langer.
Montgomerie knew how important his opening victory over Woods and Mickelson was for the Europeans.
"It was a big match for us. We knew we were probably playing for more than a point in terms of team spirit," he explained.
The Scotsman and the Irishman then went out in the afternoon and ran over Davis Love and Fred Funk, making his Ryder Cup debut, 4 and 2.
Montgomerie`s brilliance in the Ryder Cup is underlined by the fact that his afternoon win means he has won 16 of his past 18 matches - a stunning feat.
Sergio Garcia clocked up twins - teaming up with Lee Westwood in the morning to crush David Toms and Jim Furyk 5 and 3, and then pairing with Luke Donald in the afternoon to beat Kerry Perry and Stewart Cink 2 and 1.
But despite the brilliant start, the 24-year-old Spaniard warned against overconfidence.
"The team played very well but we don`t want to get ahead of ourselves. There are still two days to go and the Americans could turn round and do what we did today," said Garcia.
But Europe are in a great position, and if they can clinch 3 1/2 points of the eight available on Saturday, the Americans would have an almost impossible mountain to climb on Sunday`s singles shootout.