Continental captain Seve Ballesteros, 1,240th on the world rankings he led for 60 weeks between 1986 and 1989, had left himself out of the first two sessions, but what an impact the 45-year-old made when he did finally play in the fourballs.

Back alongside Jose Maria Olazabal, with whom he formed the most successful partnership in Ryder Cup history, Ballesteros sent Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley to their only defeat in four games by holing a 60-foot bunker shot at the 17th.

It was only a fitting climax to what had come just before - and it sets up what could be another fascinating battle with Montgomerie in the singles.

Two years ago at Sunningdale Montgomerie lost two and one. Ballesteros holed from 30 feet for a par and a vital half at the 13th, then birdied the 14th and 16th, while Olazabal chipped in at the 10th and halved the 15th in birdies with Harrington.

The Irish pair, almost certain partners at The Belfry in September, were the only home losers as the overnight 5-3 advantage became 8-4, but they felt privileged to have witnessed what might be prove to be the last-ever sighting of Ballesteros and Olazabal together.

‘‘It was vintage Seve and Olly,’’ said McGinley. ‘‘What can you do against it? They were just awesome.’’

Harrington, expecting to have a five-foot birdie putt to take the game down the last, added: ‘‘Seve’s shot to finish was unbelievable. Classic match play.’’

Olazabal, who at the end went down on his knees in adoration of the man with whom he won 11 and halved two of 15 Ryder Cup games together, said: ‘‘It was a very special day for both of us. Just like the old days - exactly the same.

‘‘Seve did what he’s done so often in the past. That’s Seve!’’

Ballesteros said: ‘‘Yes, it was a memorable day for both of us, playing together again and shooting six under on the back nine. Under these conditions it was fantastic.’’

His performance was not enough, however, for him to name himself for the afternoon foursomes all delayed because of the time the earlier games had taken which were shared 2-2.

All four went to the last green. Harrington and McGinley hit back to beat Niclas Fasth and Alex Cejka, Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez beat Montgomerie and Darren Clarke and honours were even between Ian Woosnam and Steve Webster and Thomas Bjorn and Robert Karlsson, then between Paul Lawrie and Andrew Oldcorn and Frenchmen Thomas Levet and Raphael Jacquelin.

Earlier, Montgomerie and Woosnam were comfortable four and three winners over Swedes Karlsson and Mathias Gronberg, while Paul Lawrie and Paul Casey beat Ryder Cup pair Bjorn and Fasth two and one.

Then, in a crawl of a match lasting nearly six hours, Clarke and Lee Westwood defeated Miguel Angel Jimenez and Raphael Jacquelin on the last, Clarke’s par being good enough after Jimenez had chipped in at the 17th to level.

Montgomerie’s own play had not been too shabby. He birdied five out of seven holes from the fifth in a superb burst that took the home pair three up. It was also his 12-foot putt which settled the match on the 15th.

Great Britain and Ireland now need three-and-a-half points from the 10 singles to win the trophy they lost by one point two years ago.