Anthony Kim of US at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville on Sunday. (AP)

Louisville: Anthony Kim charged three up on Sergio Garcia after nine holes in the top singles match on Sunday to spark a rousing US start on the last day of the Ryder Cup.

Needing a further 5-1/2 points to clinch the trophy for the first time since 1999, the Americans were up in eight matches and down in three.

Holders Europe trailed 7-9 overnight and require another seven points to retain the Cup.

American rookie Kim birdied the first two holes in bright sunshine at Valhalla Golf Club to take an early grip on his contest with Garcia.

The Spaniard lost the sixth hole after taking an unplayable lie off the tee and dumped two shots into the water guarding the front of the seventh green to slip three behind.

Hunter Mahan was two up on Britain’s Paul Casey after eight holes, Kentucky native Kenny Perry, putting superbly, was two up on Swede Henrik Stenson after six and JB Holmes one up on Dane Soren Hansen after five.

Also taking early control for the US were Boo Weekley, one up on Britain’s Oliver Wilson after five holes, Cup veteran Jim Furyk, two up on Miguel Angel Jimenez after four, and Ben Curtis, one up on Lee Westwood after three.

Swede Robert Karlsson and British duo Justin Rose and Ian Poulter provided the only early blue numbers for Europe.

Karlsson was two up on Justin Leonard after seven holes, Rose led Phil Mickelson one-up after six and Poulter birdied the first to go one up on Steve Stricker.

US captain Paul Azinger, opting to throw the dice for a quick kill, had top-loaded his singles line-up for Sunday’s singles encounters.

His first four were the explosive Kim, birdie machine Mahan, rock-steady Leonard and world number two Mickelson.

Hometown favourite Perry and in-form rookie Weekley went out at five and six, followed by big-hitting JB Holmes and the experienced Furyk, Stewart Cink and Stricker.

“We’ve got our 12 guys out in the order we wanted them,” Azinger told reporters after the US ended the second day in front of Europe for the first time since Oak Hill in 1995.

“There was a little bit of discussion about it and we kind of had a big group huddle. I already had in my mind this is how I wanted to do it and I was just getting a little confirmation.”

While Europe led off with Garcia and Casey, captain Nick Faldo has gambled on anchoring his line-up with two of his strongest players at 11 and 12.

Cup veteran Westwood faced Curtis in the penultimate match with three-times major winner Padraig Harrington taking on Chad Campbell in the bottom contest.

Earlier, on Saturday, the heavily favoured European team charged back into contention, refusing to quietly go into the night by finishing what it began in the morning. Birdies at the 18th hole in the final two four-ball matches gave the Europeans half-a-point. (agencies)