Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia rally late for Ryder Cup halve

Top-ranked Rory McIlroy and third-rated Sergio Garcia took the last two holes to rally and halve with Americans Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler in a Ryder Cup foursomes match Friday.

Battling back to avoid their second loss of the day, McIlroy sank a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th and Garcia gave McIlroy a 25-foot eagle attempt at the par-5 18th.

While the Northern Ireland star left the hard-breaking putt just short, the tap-in birdie was enough to win the hole and swipe a half-point after Fowler missed an 18-foot birdie bid.

"We fought as hard as we could," said Garcia. "That half a point is huge."

McIlroy, who captured the British Open and PGA Championship in the past two months, and Garcia lost 1-up to Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in morning foursomes.

In the afternoon, the European tandem took the lead by winning the third hole with a par, but Garcia`s tee shot went out of bounds left at the fifth and the Americans squared the match.

Garcia answered with a long birdie putt to win the par-3 sixth but a bogey at seven squared the match again.

The US duo took its first lead with a birdie at 11 and followed by winning the 12th with a par. Europe took 13 with a par but the Americans won 15 with a par and matched a European birdie at 16 to go 2-up.