by Jeff Rude, Golfweek.com

What you saw Friday could be filed under the heading, "The first time since the last millennium specifically, or in a long time generally." The U.S. bombarded the Europeans with firsts and, come to think of it, fists also, considering Boo Weekley's cheerleading act.

First time we've heard, felt and seen "USA! USA!" electricity since the 1990s.

2008 Ryder Cup

Day 3:

• Complete Ryder Cup leaderboard

Day 2:

Day 1:

• Rude: Role reversal at Valhalla

Preview:

• Meet the 12 U.S. players
• Meet the 12 European players
• Tait: Faldo outdueling Azinger early
• Tait: U.S. team a Cinderella story
• Golfweek: Why the U.S. will win
• Golfweek: Why the Europeans will win
• Hoggard: Azinger's bomber squad
• Golfweek: Ryder Cup lives up to hype

Video:

Photos:

• Day 3 from the Ryder Cup
• Day 2 from the Ryder Cup
• Day 1 from the Ryder Cup
• Muhammad Ali at Cup practice

First time the U.S. has led the Ryder Cup, any Ryder Cup at any time, since 1999. That's right, the Americans never led in between Justin Leonard putts — the 45-foot bomb that clinched at Brookline in '99 in Leonard's last Ryder appearance and the one at 16 Friday morning that put the U.S. on the 2008 board.

First time the U.S. has led after the opening day since 1995. This time, 5 1/2-2 1/2. First time the U.S. led after the opening-day morning session since 1991. This time, 3-1. First time an American duo has won two Day 1 matches since Corey Pavin and Lanny Wadkins in 1993. This time, Hunter Mahan and Leonard.

First Ryder match win for Leonard ever, and then twice.

First day since 2002 that Lee Westwood didn't win a Ryder match, though with two halves he did extend his undefeated streak to 12 consecutive matches.

First time Sergio Garcia didn't win in foursomes, ending an 8-0 streak. What's more, he went 0-1-1 in doubles Friday after coming in 13-1-2.

First time since forever that a trailing captain has chosen to not play two of his guns. Despite their wonderful records and terrific seasons, Faldo somehow decided Friday night to sit out Garcia and Westwood in Saturday morning foursomes.

First time Phil Mickelson looked charged up for a long while, for he scored 1 1/2 points with the energizing Anthony Kim after going 1-9-1 in his last 11 Ryder matches. First time someone said, "Where is Oliver Wilson?" instead of "Who is Oliver Wilson?"

First time anyone answered the question, "Where is Oliver Wilson?" with "In the Saturday morning lineup instead of Garcia and Westwood."

First time in forever that starved U.S. golfers and fans feasted at a Ryder.

"It's a novelty, isn't it?" Westwood observed of all the differences. "They had a day today like we've had a lot in the last 10 years."

"They're manning up, to a man," U.S. captain Paul Azinger said of his team. "They're a blue-collar team. We haven't led in a long time, so obviously we're happy.

Friday was about comebacks from 3-down by Mickelson and Anthony Kim, one for a 2-up victory, the other for a halve. About Leonard-Mahan going nine under par for 15 holes in afternoon four-ball. About Weekley riling up the crowds. About Westwood's staring with displeasure at Boo's inciting, which the Englishman later called over the top because some of it came before European players hit shots, thus interrupting flow.

It was also about triple-major winner Padraig Harrington's remarkable putting, which netted only a half-point. The Irishman showed that if Tiger Woods isn't the best putter in the world, then he is. You win majors by putting like that. Come to think of it, you win Ryder Cups by putting like that. Europe has five highlight reels from the last six meetings to prove it.

But Friday was different. The feel-good video of the summer belonged to the side smarting from consecutive nine-point losses.

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"(America) threw a Day 1 as good as you can get," European captain Nick Faldo said. "To get a half-point in the last match was great for team morale. We're down in points but up in spirit."

Europe led all four morning alternate-shot matches, including two by 3 up and another by 2 up, but didn't win any of them. Now that's different. The swings were so wild that Azinger had a hard time watching.

"Every five minutes was just this emotional roller coaster," Azinger said. "You're living and dying. After they teed off I really just wanted to go back to the hotel and get under the covers and just wake up around 11:30 and see how we were doing. I really didn't want to watch. It was painful for me."

Imagine, then, the root canal it was for Faldo.

Three European kingpins who live for the Ryder Cup — Harrington, Garcia and Westwood — didn't win a match. And the rookie who panned the tournament, Mahan, won twice.

Azinger's pairings clicked all day. That goes for three of the theme groupings in four-ball: Team SoCal Phenom (Mickelson-Kim), Team Texas Lookalike Country Clubbers (Leonard-Mahan) and Team Small Town Hillbilly (Weekley and J.B. Holmes). Only Team Low-Key Midwesterners (Steve Stricker and birdieless Ben Curtis) lost.

Remarkably, Mahan has gone from blasting the Ryder to owning it. He played as if Ben Crenshaw, the high priest of Ryder Cup passion, had given him an exorcism.

Though he had never played in one before, Mahan said in the August issue of Golf Magazine the Ryder isn't a fun week, that there are too many distacting social functions, that a player is "just a slave that week," that the PGA of America doesn't pay players despite making a large profit, that the PGA of America "could care less about winning it."

A few tongue lashings, written criticisms and apologies later, Mahan has changed his mindset. A week at the Ryder and a day of success has turned him into an ambassador.

"Best day of my life, man," he said after winning in the morning. "It's great. This is an incredible event. I'm proud and excited to be here."

On Friday night, in darkness at Valhalla, in the glow of a 2-0 day, Mahan stood by the "best day" stuff and expressed regret over speaking without knowledge.

"You can't put too much on what I said because I never played the Ryder Cup before," he said. "You can write it up however you want — that I was being immature or being an idiot. I was completely dead wrong.

"It's great to be here."

Particularly in the middle of a happy U.S. party, for a change.