Turnaround started at No. 3 - Justin found his rhythm with a beautiful 4-iron to around 12 feet, and Hunter made the birdie.

Leonard & Mahan Win Opening Match

Texans Rally from Early Deficit to Trump Stenson & Casey

Instant analysis: After a shaky start, Mahan was a monster for the Americans with clutch putting and great iron shots. Leonard chipped in with his strength, also converting on the greens as he won his first match in the Ryder Cup in his third appearance.

Key moments: After the U.S. fell 2 down after two, Mahan sank birdie putts of 10 feet at the third and 4 feet at the fourth to square the match. Leonard made it three straight birdies to take a 1-up lead with a 15-footer, and although the U.S. lost the next, Europe gave it back with two in the water at the par-5 seventh and the Americans never trailed again.

Player report cards

Mahan: A-minus. He settled down and was just a rock in all areas. His iron approach to the 215-yard par-3 14th to 3 feet was the shot of the day.

Leonard: B. Needs to shore up iron game for afternoon four-balls.

Casey: C-minus. Twice put shots in the water to douse Euro spirits.

Stenson: B-minus. Scrambled well, but it didn't make a dent in this match.

What they said

Mahan: "We had a lot of holes left. We just had to keep going," Mahan said.

Leonard: "I told Hunter I lost the first two holes on purpose. "We had a lot of fun, and we're looking forward to this afternoon."

Friday Morning Foursomes
Leonard/ Mahan, 3 & 2 over Stenson/ Casey

Hole No. 1

Casey crunched Europe's first drive over the trees on the left-hand side of the 448-yard first hole and bounding down the first fairway. Leonard followed Casey's path with a solid drive, but is some way behind the European ball on the left-hand side of the fairway. Mahan's approach for the USA -- his first-ever Ryder Cup strike -- came up short left of the first green. Stenson took advantage, planting the European ball to 12 feet to set up a birdie chance for Casey. Leonard chipped to 15 feet for par but Mahan missed the putt, leaving Europe two for the hole. Casey rolled Europe's birdie putt toward the hole and the USA conceded his par.

Hole No. 2

Stenson teed off for Europe with a solid drive. Mahan found the left-hand rough, leaving Leonard no option but to lay up, and the American found the bunker. Casey laid up before Mahan splashed out of the bunker. Casey missed Europe's birdie attempt, but Leonard couldn't make the USA's par attempt. A bogey-bogey start for the Americans leaves Europe 2 up through two holes.

Hole No. 3

Casey's 6-iron from the tee found the right-hand bunker on this 206-yard par 3. Leonard found his rhythm with a beautiful 4-iron to around 12 feet. Stenson played out of the bunker but Mahan drained the USA's birdie putt to take the hole and half Europe's advantage. Europe 1-up.

Hole No. 4

Leonard hit a great 6-iron approach to eight feet. Casey made a 25-foot par putt to put the pressure on Mahan's birdie attempt, but the American responded perfectly, holing his second birdie putt in a row to get the USA back to all square.

Hole No. 5

A poor drive from Casey left Stenson in thick rough between two fairway bunkers on the left. Leonard hit a good drive down the fairway. Stenson could only move the ball toward the green from a terrible lie, but it stayed in the thick rough. Mahan piled on the pressure by planting the American ball 12 feet from the flag. Casey chopped onto the green, but Stenson had a 40-foot par putt that he missed. Leonard rolled home the USA's third consecutive birdie to put the USA up for the first time in the match.

Hole No. 6

Leonard had a 20-foot par putt to maintain the U.S. lead, but he missed well wide and long. Stenson was up against the fringe from 18 feet but, with two putts for the hole, hits a nice lag putt, and Europe's next one was conceded. Europe is back to all-square.

Mahan smashed a great drive down the middle, but Casey put Europe in trouble, finding a hazard that Stenson could only chip out sideways from. Casey then had to go for the pin to have any chance of a halve, but the Englishman crashed it off the rocks in the greenside water hazard and the ball bounced back a couple of hundred yards. Stenson has to produce a miracle, but found the water again. USA back to 1-up.

Hole No. 8

Leonard found the green with a 6-iron on the 180-yard par 3, the American ball coming to rest some 20 feet from the hole. Stenson hit an almost identical approach with an 8-iron, but the European ball was slightly more to the left off the green and caught the runoff, eventually rolling off the back of the putting surface into some heavy rough. Casey could only hack it onto the green to 18 feet. Mahan's birdie putt just missed but the USA won the hole as Stenson's par putt went wide. USA goes 2-up.

Hole No.9

Leonard landed in the fairway before Casey soared past him from the tee. Mahan struck a fine approach to 12 feet. Stenson only had a wedge in his hand but his approach was poor. Casey missed Europe's birdie chance, but Leonard couldn't take advantage. Europe refused to concede the USA's three-foot par putt, but Mahan drilled it home to keep the USA 2-up.

Hole No. 10 Casey went for the green with Europe's second shot to this 594-yard par 5 but found the left-hand rough. Stenson played it out, down the hill, to the front of the green and Casey struck a great putt from 20 feet for birdie, pulling one back for Europe. USA 1-up.

Hole No. 11 Casey found the front edge of the green and the ball rolled down the green toward the hole. Leonard hit a wild approach into a horrible lie but Mahan produced a miracle recovery. Facing a downhill lie from a downslope and the ball above his feet, the American flopped it up and let the ball trickle down toward the hole to three feet. Stenson's birdie chance missed and the hole was halved. USA remains 1-up.

Hole No. 12

Stenson and Mahan hit great drives down the middle. Leonard piled the pressure on the Europeans by sticking the American ball to eight feet. Casey responded with a fine approach, but Stenson missed another birdie chance from 13 feet. Mahan couldn't take advantage, though, and his putt slid past to leave Leonard an awkward par putt, but the American holed out for the halve. USA remain 1-up.

Hole No. 13

Casey held his head in his hands as his excellent birdie attempt defied gravity to stay above ground. USA made par to halve the hole and remain 1-up.

Hole No. 14

Stenson found the bottom tier of the green some 40 feet from the hole, but Mahan produced the shot of the match so far, a towering approach to four feet. Casey missed the European birdie attempt and, despite Stenson holing the par putt, Europe conceded the hole to America despite the U.S. pair having to hole out from four feet. USA moves 2-up.

Hole No. 15

Leonard found the fairway before Casey hit a terrible tee shot, finding the creek running down the right-hand side of the 15th fairway with his 3-wood. It seemed only a matter of time, and indeed the Europeans conceded and went 3-down with three to play.

Hole No. 16

Leonard hit a good approach but couldn't keep it on the green. Casey flew the green to leave Stenson a difficult chip, and the Swede did well to get his ball to within three feet. Mahan's chip stopped around two feet short but the hole was halved and Team USA has its first point of the 2008 Ryder Cup on the board. USA wins 3 and 2.

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