A dramatic comeback from David Lynn and Scott Jamieson saw Great Britain & Ireland reduce Continental Europe’s Seve Trophy by Golf+ lead to a single point.
José María Olazábal's Continental Europe team looked set to extend their overnight lead for much of Friday's play but a sterling fightback started by Jamieson left the score at 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 heading into the weekend.
Paul Casey and Simon Khan had given Great Britain & Ireland a good start with a 3 and 2 victory over Mikko Ilonen and Thorbjørn Olesen partly thanks to a brilliant rescue shot from Casey which left them three up after seven.
But the remaining four matches threatened to swing blue and Continental Europe restored their two point advantage when Nicolas Colsaerts and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño equalled the biggest winning margin in the tournament's history.
They built on a 5 and 3 win on the opening day by recording a 6 and 5 success against Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher which boosted Europe's hopes of ending six straight Seve Trophy victories by GB & Ireland.
Although Jamie Donaldson and Marc Warren once again reduced the deficit with a 4 and 2 win over Thomas Björn and Miguel Angel Jiménez, both remaining matches looked like going to Europe until a dramatic late twist.
Italians Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero looked to be sailing home against Jamieson and Lynn as they held a two stroke lead with two holes to play, but Jamieson's birdie on the 17th took it to the final hole.
After Manassero missed his chance from eight feet Jamieson stepped up again to sink a six foot birdie and steal victory in a match the GB pair seldom looked like winning to leave the overall standings all-square.
In the final match of the day, Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Wood came up agonisingly short against Joost Luiten and Gregory Bourdy despite a brave fightback when all seemed lost. The Continental Europe pair were three up after 14 and two up with two to play, but Woods' eagle on the 17th ensured it would go down to the final hole.
Both Wood and Fleetwood had putts to win the 18th and halve the match, but Fleetwood's effort drifted wide from six feet, allowing Luiten and Bourdy to escape with a one hole victory to restore Europe's narrow advantage.
After another thrilling day of match-play GB&I Captain Sam Torrance said: “The golf that was played was beautiful; Jamie Donaldson was nine under on his own.
“I've pretty much got my mindset what I'm going to do with foursomes. Unfortunately I have to leave two players out but that's not going to be easy.”
The Scot’s decision was to leave out English pair Khan and Lynn for the first of Saturday’s four-match foursome sessions, with three new pairings being used.
Lawrie and Gallacher remained in tandem, and had a chance to avenge Colsaerts and Fernandez-Castaño in the first match out.
Donaldson was paired with Warren to face Luiten and Bourdy, while Olazábal unveiled his first re-jigged pairings of the week in the third and fourth matches.
Olesen and Molinari were partnered to face Jamieson and Wood, before Jiménez and Manassero come up against Casey and Fleetwood, with Björn and Ilonen sitting out the morning session.
Afterwards Olazábal commented: “There is just a fraction of disappointment. We let a point go with the Italians; they had the match under control until the very end.
“Overall 3 2 is not that bad - it's pretty much what we've said all along, these guys play great golf, and you have to be on your toes.
“When you play at this kind of level, it's decided on little things, and today was a good proof of that.
“I've left Thomas Björn and Mikko for tomorrow morning. Thomas I think is okay. He played well today but 36 holes tomorrow, it could be just a little too much in the sense that I want him fresh for Sunday.
“I kept two pairings the same way because they have done well so far, and I've had to rest another guy and in this case it was Mikko. But most probably he will be playing in the afternoon.”
