BROOKLINE, Mass. – There was a single bright light coming from the American team in yesterday’s first-round debacle of a performance against the Europeans in the 33rd Ryder Cup. He was Davis Love III.

Though Love produced only one of the Americans’ two first-day points and didn’t win a match outright, he provided the U.S. with some late-afternoon inspiration by saving a half point in his match with Justin Leonard against Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie.

Love drilled home a 30-foot birdie bomb on No. 18 to force a halve of the match that the Europeans felt was in their pockets.

“It was exciting,” Love said. “It’s hard to know how to feel. I’m excited about this putt, but I wish we could have gotten a whole point out of one of the matches.

“I said to myself [on 18], ‘I know this green owes me one, because I lipped one out this morning that probably should have gone in.”

Before he stepped up to the putt, Love looked to U.S. captain Ben Crenshaw for a read.

“When you have Ben Crenshaw reading it for you then you know you have no excuse,” Love said.