Encouraging start for Europe

Europe were first to put blue on the board as their defence of The Ryder Cup got off to an atmospheric start on a sunny but chilly morning at Gleneagles.

Henrik Stenson birdied the long second as he and Justin Rose went one up on Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson – the latter missing a four footer for a half.

And almost simultaneously Martin Kaymer’s brilliant approach to the first, which almost spun in for an eagle two, was conceded for what proved a winning birdie as the German and Thomas Bjrn took the opening hole against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler.

Rose had left an early birdie attempt inches short which would have provided the perfect opening but Europe, enjoying home advantage, looked more comfortable than their United States opponents.

Chants of "One Paul McGinley" and "10-6 and you still don't win" - in reference to Europe's thrilling comeback at Medinah two years ago - were eclipsed by a wall of noise as Rose and Stenson emerged from the tunnel to the practice ground.

There were early nerves on display as American wild card Simpson saw his thinned tee shot barely reached the fairway.

Watson recreated his antics of Medinah by urging the crowd to make as much noise as possible and hit a huge fade to find the left rough.

Rose and Stenson both had better drives but while the Swede's approach found the greenside bunker his team-mate stuck it to 15 feet.

With Simpson's nerves continuing to bother him as he could only find the front edge and hit an unconvincing putt but Watson got America's par four but Rose could not capitalise.

As the second group walked to the first tee Dane Björn had patted the image of the late Seve Ballesteros - such an integral part of this event and the inspiration for the miracle at Medinah - as he emerged from the tunnel.

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Ian Poulter, Europe's leading scorer at the last three Ryder Cups, missed a short putt for a half at the first having found the greenside bunker to put rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed one up.

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In the highly-anticipated last game out, Phil Mickelson - playing in two gloves – birdied the first from three feet to put the pressure on Rory McIlroy, who rose to the challenge by draining an 18 footer to halve the hole.

Poulter's partner Stephen Gallacher, making his debut, made an early contribution with a six foot putt to halve the second while, at the head of the field, Rose put Europe two up in their match with an eight foot birdie at the par three fourth.

Kaymer rolled in a 15 footer for birdie at the same hole as he and Björn went three up against Fowler and Walker.

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Poulter and Gallacher avoided going two down when Spieth missed a six foot birdie attempt but Fowler's birdie at the fifth reduced Europe's lead in the second game to two holes.

Europe went ahead in three matches when Garcia broke the deadlock in the bottom match in some style, producing his first birdie of the day by holing a bunker shot at the fourth.

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Race to Dubai winner Stenson holed from five feet for birdie at the ninth as he and Rose went three up to be in complete control at the turn, but Gallacher and Poulter lost the sixth and seventh to birdies to be three behind.

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