European Ryder Cup rookie Nicolas Colsaerts has overcome the veteran American pairing of Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker on his own, with playing partner Lee Westwood not contributing a single hole triumph.

Woods was surprisingly picked for the afternoon fourballs after his wayward performance in the foursomes but the world number two proved his worth with a birdie on the opening hole.

Partner Stricker then plopped his tee shot on the par-three second to a few inches but Colsaerts holed out from distance to halve.

Colsaerts, who is the first Belgian to feature in the famous competion, then tickled another one in at the fourth to bring the match back level before ended a run of four halves with a victory on the ninth.

He then eagled 10 to extend the lead to two but Woods birdied the next to bring it back.

Colsaerts continued to impress with a two at the long par-three 13th but Woods again pegged him back before Colsaerts once again went under par at the 15th.

Stricker and Westwood were merely onlookers for the majority of the match and Woods once again rolled in a downhill putt at 16 as the nip-tuck nature of the encounter went on.

Woods stiffed his tee shot on 17 to within a few inches, with Westwood getting to 10 feet away and Colsaerts only finding the front of the green.

However, the Belgian's remarkable round continued as he found the cup to take his own round to a massive 10-under par.

Woods made no mistake from close in and the quartet headed down the 18th with Europe 1 up.

Both Europeans found the fairway on the last but Westwood continued to find times torrid and pushed his approach right.

Yet again it was down to Colsaerts and Woods on the green as Stricker found the sand. Colsaerts lagged his putt up to the hole and so Woods had to make his from 20 feet and he couldn't do so.

The two sides will begin the second day's play at 1.20pm with America leading 5-3 and you can follow live coverage with us on Sports Mole from around 12.30pm.