Golf: Lee is on the cusp at Ryder Cup

The Englishman, who can climb above Tiger Woods with a strong showing in the Dunhill Links Championship, headed into the singles today in the spot he's occupied in every sense for Colin Montgomerie in wet Wales - as No 1.

Westwood himself says there are "12 leaders in this team" and, in fairness, Monty's dozen definitely delivered the goods in a third session they won 5.5-0.5 to turn a two-point deficit into a 9.5-6.5 lead heading into the delayed singles.

But the Worksop man has been the catalyst for Europe being in such a strong position to regain the trophy - they only needed five points from the 12 singles - after answering his captain's call to be his on-course leader in spectacular style.

From the second he boomed Europe's opening drive down the middle on Friday Westwood has hardly put a foot wrong and, what's more, he has revelled in the spotlight.

Two years ago, at Valhalla, he looked a broken man after being left out of the Saturday morning session by Nick Faldo but, this time around, Monty has managed to bring the best out of him.

Just ask Woods, who suffered his heaviest matchplay defeat - 6 and 5 - at the hands of Westwood and Luke Donald yesterday.

What has made his performance all the more remarkable, of course, is that a fortnight ago he was heading for East Lothian to play in a charity event not knowing for sure that he would actually be at this Ryder Cup.

He hadn't struck a ball in anger since the beginning of August due to a calf injury and, even when he made it to Celtic Manor, there was serious doubt about the impact he could make.

No-one should have worried and a win over Steve Stricker today - plus, of course, a win for the side - will set him up nicely for that bid to add world No 1 to his European tag.

United States captain Corey Pavin, however, believes his players can stage a Brookline-style fightback and rip the Ryder Cup from Europe's grasp.

Eleven years ago, on American soil, the United States triumphed after heading into the singles 10-6 down, a recovery that included winning the first seven head-to-heads before posting a 14-13 verdict.

On that occasion, then future President George W Bush was invited into the team locker room and read a letter from the Alamo in an attempt to inspire the home team.

Pavin has ruled out a repeat, or anything similar, but his faith in players mauled by their European rivals yesterday has not diminished.

"We have got 12 of the best players in the world," said Pavin, who will start Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - world-ranked number one and two - eighth and tenth, positions that will be irrelevant if Europe collect the five points they require to regain the Ryder Cup early on.

"They (Europe] have 12 of the best players in the world, too. In match play, anything can happen.

"Is it an uphill battle? Yes, of course, because we have to win more points than they do in the singles. But I have a lot of confidence in the guys. I liked what I saw out there on Sunday, even though the results were not what we wanted.

"As far as I know, the event is over on Monday, not Sunday.

"The players have all of the motivation in the world to come out and play their best and try their hardest.

There are many, many reasons for that.

"I've watched them do it for three days now, and they are going to do it again." As for starting Woods - after that crushing defeat in his foursomes match alongside Steve Stricker yesterday - in eighth position, Pavin insisted: "That's a great spot for him.

"You know, if the matches go well to start off, I think the eighth slot is a very important slot.

"They are all going to be important slots, but I think having Tiger there gives someone that I can put in that spot I feel is going to have a great chance to win his match and end up being an important spot, possibly."

Not for the first time at the Ryder Cup, Colin Montgomerie has expressed surprise at a decision by his opposite number.

And the latest one - to leave Woods and Mickelson out of the first seven singles with his side three points behind - might well cost America the match. Woods could be out on the Celtic Manor course when the celebrations start. Likewise Mickelson, who lost the world number two spot to Lee Westwood today and must be itching to do something that matters after being beaten in his first three games.

Faldo was also hammered for his line-up in Louisville two years ago when the last three were man-of-the-match Ian Poulter, most experienced player Westwood and Padraig Harrington, winner of the previous two majors.

"I'm trying to be as diplomatic as possible throughout this week and I continue to be that way," said Montgomerie after studying Pavin's order.

"It does surprise me that match eight and match ten contain one and two in the world.

"But, at the same time, it is a very, very strong American line-up and this job has not been done yet.

"There's another 12 matches to go. It's an enormous day."