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Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley secure advantage for USA

Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley win two of the final three holes to edge out Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia in Friday morning's final fourballs.

USA have established the early lead following Friday morning's fourballs after Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley recorded a last-hole victory over Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia.

Phil Mickelson of the United States plays from a bunker on the 9th hole during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles on September 26, 2014© Getty Images

After the opening three holes were shared, Garcia drew first blood for the home side by holing from the greenside bunker at the fourth, but the Spaniard missed a short putt on the seventh to allow USA to level the game.

A moment of brilliance from the bunker from Mickelson saw the American pairing edge ahead at the turn, and they extended that lead after Bradley holed out from distance on the 10th.

However, both Mickelson and Bradley made bogeys on the next hole to allow Europe to halve the deficit before they levelled the game with five to play.

In what was turning out to be a see-saw affair, McIlroy and Garcia edged ahead when Mickelson missed a short putt, but Bradley hit straight back for the Americans with an eagle on the par-five 16th.

The game went to the last hole with all four players failing to hit the green, but it was Bradley and Mickelson who made the best effort with their recovery shots to leave Mickelson with a three-foot putt to steal the point from Europe.

USA's win has given them a 2.5-1.5 lead over Europe after the first four matches.

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Darren Plant
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Justin Rose of Europe celebrates a putt on the 6th hole during the Afternoon Foursomes of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles on September 26, 2014
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