Jesper Parnevik was thrashed by David Duval to hand the overall lead to the Americans at Brookline for the first time.

The eccentric Swede was one of the biggest European hopes for the day, but some uncharacteristically wayward golf in the first nine gave the game to the world number two on a plate.

All week Parnevik has had an unerring ability to find the hole - but it was Duval who claimed first blood with a birdie at the second.

Parnevik's skill on the greens suddenly appeared to have deserted him as he missed a straightforward chance at the third to give Duval a two-hole lead.

On the fourth, the American had a 12ft putt to go three ahead and sunk it with assurity, clenching his fist and nodding at the crowd as it went in.

The Swede slumped yet further on the sixth, missing a 25ft putt by inches. Duval two-putted to win the hole and open up a yawning four-hole lead.

By the seventh, the situation looked desperate as the American won the hole convincingly, only for things to get worse on the eighth as he went six up.

But Parnevik refused to lie down and finally found his way to the green with an outstanding chip-on at the ninth to put himself next to the pin and pull a hole back.

He pulled off a difficult putt on the 13th to keep himself in with an incredibly slim chance - at five down with five to play.