Echoes of Brookline 1999 as tensions boil over in McIlroy v Cantlay battle | Sean Ingle

This Ryder Cup had long needed a bit of excitement - and it certainly got that on Saturday afternoon

Halfway through Saturday afternoon, something unexpected happened: the United States finally showed up at this Ryder Cup. And as the top of the scoreboard turned red, and the chants of U-S-A! U-S-A!" climbed in volume and intensity, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay became locked in a battle for the ages. It was one that raged on the course - and, dramatically, later in the car park too.

Because of the characters involved, a fourballs match featuring McIlroy and Matthew Fitzpatrick against Cantlay and Wyndham Clark always promised spice. But with the US team sensing a chance to slice into Europe's lead as the match headed down the 18th, it became far more heated and visceral than that.