SATURDAY FOURBALLS: PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON, benched for Saturday's fourballs, sat in the golf cart. He had that scary look, the one you normally associate with his back-nine charge in a major, on his face.

Except, this time, his focus wasn't on himself; the British Open and US PGA champion was entirely focused on what Graeme McDowell - a rookie playing with all the hardness of a veteran - was doing on the 16th green.

G-MAC, as he is known in the European team-room, was checking out the texture and nuances of the putting surface with the scrutiny of a buyer in a Persian carpet market. And, then, up he went to the 20-foot putt; wiped the clubface and stuck to the routine that involves three steady practice swings before performing the stroke for real.

And, just as he had done repeatedly in his match with Ian Poulter against Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk, McDowell came up trumps. The ball rolled into the tin cup, and the Europeans in the crowd erupted. Working in tandem with the magnificent Poulter, the 29-year-old from Portrush went on to deliver a one-hole win over the USA veterans that gave Europe momentum going to dinner in the team room on Saturday evening.

Harrington's earnest look was replaced by a grin, and a shake of the head. McDowell just never ceased to amaze on Saturday.

If Poulter has been the revelation of the European team, McDowell has stepped up to the plate with a steeliness and grittiness that has moved him to a new level. Saturday's fourballs win gave him a record of one win-one loss-one halve from his three matches before yesterday's singles but, more than that, it reintegrated him into the American consciousness.They won't forget him again.

On Saturday, McDowell played with Poulter - a friend, the two having properties in Lake Nona in Florida where they partake in many a fourballs match - like blood brothers. Each felt the other's joy, each felt the other's pain. It was a seamless partnership that took the match to the two USA players, with Kentuckian Perry, in particular, urged on by his home supporters, and refused to buckle under pressure.

McDowell holed clutch putts on the 15th, for birdie, and the 16th, for par, for critical halves when the Americans looked set to level the match. Then, on the 17th, it was Poulter's turn as he rolled in a 12-footer for birdie; and, on the 18th, the Englishman got up and down from 40 yards for birdie to secure the one hole win.

The win prompted another chorus of Ole-Ole-Ole from the impressively strong travelling supporters - the chant from The K Club two years ago so got under American skins it has been adopted as the unofficial anthem again here by European supporters - and, smothered by team members and captain Nick Faldo by greenside, McDowell and Poulter remained probably the coolest of all. Another point etched up. Job done.

When Poulter walked off the green, he looked at Faldo and remarked, "Is this why you picked me?" To which Faldo could only reply, "I'm proud of you. I'm so proud of you." Yet, Poulter acknowledged the key role played in the fourballs match by McDowell, a player tailormade - mentally and gamewise - for the Ryder Cup.

"G-MAC backed me up when I needed to be backed up. He holed putts at the right time, hit shots at the right time. It was truly awesome to watch . . . and I managed to chip in at the right time," observed Poulter afterwards.

Faldo, too, gave huge praise to McDowell. "He's been absolutely amazing. I didn't know (him well). I'm kind of out of it in this era of golfers but he's come on incredibly. I'm big on visualisation and he's really grasped on to that."

"I have to say, this has exceeded all of my expectations from a lot of points of view," said McDowell. "My play. The atmosphere. How good Nick has been in the team room . . . I wasn't sure what to expect coming in this week. I realised there was a real pressure-cooker environment, and I've never experienced anything like it.

"You say my play has exceeded my expectations? No doubt about it. My level of focus, relaxation, just how comfortable I've been, has surprised me," said McDowell.

No one has been more surprised than the Americans. Furyk remarked on Saturday evening that McDowell's play had been some of the best he'd ever seen at a Ryder Cup.

They won't forget him again.