The USA tightened their grip on the Ryder Cup with another day of domination at wind-whipped Whistling Straits on Saturday, taking a commanding 11-5 lead over holders Europe, who need to produce a comeback if they are to defend their title.

Comfortably 6-2 in front at the start of the day, the US turned up the pressure in the morning foursomes taking three-of-four points before fending off a fight back from the Europeans in the afternoon four-balls splitting the matches 2-2.

Only nine times in 42 Ryder Cups a team has come from behind on the final day to lift the trophy.

No team has ever rallied from six points down going into Sunday’s singles although twice (the US in 1999 and Europe in 2012) teams have come from four back to capture the title.

“We are going out there until the end,” assured Sergio Garcia, playing in his 10th Ryder Cup for Europe. “We are not going to give up, that’s for sure.”

Heading into the last day’s singles, the US sit just 3.5 points away from the 14.5 they need to secure the little gold trophy. It would mark just the second time in six Ryder Cups and third in last 10 that the US have won the title.

While 40,000 mostly American-flag-waving fans will pour into Whistling Straits in full party mode, US captain Steve Stricker and his men were not popping the champagne just yet. Not since 1975 had the US entered the second day of the Ryder Cup with a four-point cushion and Stricker wisely decided not to mess with success on Saturday, sending out the same four pairings for the foursomes as he did on Friday and returned the same result, a dominating 3-1 romp.

Heading into the afternoon four-balls, Stricker again mostly stuck with a winning formula going back to Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler in one pair and Tony Finau and Harris English in another while throwing out two new combinations. With the situation getting more desperate by the moment European captain Padraig Harrington searched for a lifeline.

In a bid to shake things up, Rory McIlroy was left out of a Ryder Cup session for the first time in his career sitting out the morning foursomes after dropping both his opening-day matches.

But Harrington recalled the Northern Irishman for the four-balls reuniting him with fiery Ian Poulter hoping they may light a fire. The pair once again could not capture any past Ryder Cup magic.

The one bright spot for the Europeans has been Jon Rahm, who has performed like the world's top ranked player right from the outset, having a hand in 3.5 of Europe’s five points. “We’ve still got a chance. You’re never out of the fight,” said Hatton on Saturday.