Holders Europe kept their Ryder Cup hopes alive as Luke Donald, Paul Lawrie, Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter won the first four points in yesterday’s concluding singles matches at Medinah Country Club.

With Europe needing to claim eight points on the final day to retain the trophy, world number three Donald drew first blood in the top match with a 2&1 victory over Masters champion Bubba Watson.

Scot Lawrie, competing in the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1999, crushed Cup rookie Brandt Snedeker 5&3 before Northern Irish world number one McIlroy beat Keegan Bradley 2&1.

Englishman Poulter, who had never led in his match until he won the par-three 17th with a par, beat US Open champion Webb Simpson two up after conjuring a miraculous birdie from trees at the last.

Those wins put Europe level with the US at 10-10, though the visiting team still face a daunting task in their bid to keep the Cup as they need to match the biggest ever last-day comeback.

The Americans famously won the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline after trailing 10-6 going into the final day.

At the time of going to print, Europe, who top-loaded their singles order with their best players, led in two of the remaining matches, trailed in three and were all square in three.

Englishman Lee Westwood was one up on Matt Kuchar after 12 holes while Italy’s Francesco Molinari was one up on Tiger Woods after 10.

Woods, playing in the anchor match, had been beaten in his three previous encounters this week and faces the prospect of finishing pointless for the first time in seven Ryder Cups.