Gleneagles, United Kingdom: The US edged closer to Europe in the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles on Saturday, pulling within 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 as Tom Watson’s men again dominated the morning fourballs.

For the second day in a row, the challengers won the better-ball session 2 1/2 to 1/2 to slash in half a 5-3 overnight European lead.

It came as a mighty relief for US skipper Watson, who had beeen downbeat after the Europeans took Friday afternoon’s fourballs 3 1/2 to 1/2 to open a two-point margin.

The four Saturday morning matches produced the finest entertainment of the biennial clash so far, with a superb display of attacking golf and a barrage of birdies seldom seen before at the event.

It looked at one stage that the Americans might draw level as, in the final fourballs match, Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker were poised to go 2-up on Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter at the 15th.

That was when Poulter, again out of sorts all morning, brought back memories of his Medinah exploits two years ago when he pitched in to halve the match.

Poulter then sunk a winning birdie putt at the next hole and replicated the fist-pumping, eye-goggling celebrations that he produced in 2012.

Fowler had a chance to win it with an eagle at 18, but his 20-foot putt faded at the last and the match was halved.

McIlroy, who had been carrying Poulter for most of the game, said one never knows what to expect from the Englishman.

“Yeah, as soon as he chipped in [at 15], I was like, ‘Here we go again.’ And then he holed a putt on 16, too,” he said.

“But we held strong out there, and you know, we’re down most of the back nine, and to get a halve again, with Rickie and Jimmy who have been a very strong pairing this week, is a good thing.”

Earlier, England’s Justin Rose, just as oustanding as he was on Friday, made it three wins out three for himself and an ailing Henrik Stenson with a come-from-behind 3 and 2 win over Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar.

The two other fourballs went the way of the United States in emphatic fashion.

Jim Furyk partnered Hunter Mahan to a 4 and 3 triumph over Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson and the impressive rookie duo of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed fought back to better Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer 5 and 3.

In stark contrast to the nervy play that marked Friday’s opening session of fourballs, birdies were raining out of the cloudy Perthshire skies, no more so than in the lead tie beteen Rose and Stenson, up against Watson and Kuchar.

Ryder Cup all-time records were sent tumbling as the European pair had 12 birdies between them and the match total was a stunning 21. Only one hole - the fourth - passed without someone nabbing a birdie.

The Europeans, who were two down after six holes with Stenson suffering from a “tight” back, were imperious after that with Rose in particular in outstanding form.

“It is amazing. I think obviously I really got into reading the greens well today and I just had the feeling of the anticipation of what it’s going to feel like to make putts today,” said 2013 US Open champion Rose, who took his Ryder record to eight wins against three losses in 11 matches.

Stenson, who revealed that he would rest up his painful back during the afternoon foursomes, said that his English partner had been an inspiration.

“It was one-half Stenson, one-and-a-half part Rose,” Stenson said. “Justin played phenomenally all week, and luckily I was there to back him up on a couple of occasions.”

Spieth and Reed won a fourballs for a second straight day, adding a 5 and 3 triumph to the 5 and 4 drubbing they handed Poulter and Stephen Gallacher on Friday.

Spieth became the youngest player to win two Ryder Cup matches at the age of 21 years and 62 days, whilst he and Reed were the first rookie pairing to win their first two matches in 25 years.

They achieved that after being two down to the European pair after just three holes. “It’s huge,” Spieth said. “You could tell when we turned our match around, it seemed like every match started to turn around.

The match continues on Saturday afternoon with a second quartet of foursomes, followed by 12 singles ties on Sunday.

Europe needs 14 points to hold onto the Ryder Cup for another two years, having won five out of the last six contests, while the Americans need an extra half point to win on European soil for the first time since 1993.