Johnson-Kuchar ensure US to have big lead Sunday

MEDINAH, Illinois (AP) -Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar beat Nicolas Colsaerts and Paul Lawrie 1 up, ensuring the Americans will have at least a four-point lead going into Sunday's singles matches in the Ryder Cup.

Cheers erupted when Colsaerts missed a 10-footer that would have given him and Lawrie a half point. The Americans lead 10-4, and need 14 1/2 points to regain the Ryder Cup. The largest comeback in Ryder Cup history was at Brookline in 1999, when the U.S. erased a 10-6 deficit on the final day.

After losing their 1-up lead with a pair of bad shots on 16, Johnson put them back in front with a 15-foot birdie on the par-3 17th. He was already walking toward the hole with the ball still rolling, and threw a roundhouse punch when it dropped. Kuchar missed a 15-footer on 18 that would have won the hole, giving Colsaerts that last chance. But he had a little too much speed on it, and skirted the hole.