LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Are the Europeans hitting the panic button?

It was shocking enough to see the Americans with a commanding lead after the first day of the Ryder Cup — or any day, for that matter. But when European captain Nick Faldo submitted his lineup for the Saturday morning matches, two familiar names were not there.

Sergio Garcia.

Lee Westwood.

For the first time in their stellar Ryder Cup careers, they'll be sitting out.

"We need some fresh legs," Faldo said.

The Euros certainly need something. The team that's won the last three Ryder Cups and five of the past six found itself in a major hole after Friday's round.

The Americans rallied from a back-nine deficit four times to take a 5Z\x-2Z\x lead, their largest margin after the opening day since 1979.

Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim twice came back from a 3-hole deficits and picked up 1Z\x points, as many as Lefty earned in the last two Ryder Cups combined. Justin Leonard had never won a match in any Ryder Cup until two blowout victories with Hunter Mahan, one of six U.S. rookies who played like recent European dominance really was ancient history.

"We're in a good place," U.S. captain Paul Azinger said. "Who would have thought?"

The Americans hadn't led after any session since last winning the Ryder Cup in the "Miracle at Brookline" in 1999. But, even with Tiger Woods on the mend from knee surgery, they lost only one of eight matches and left Faldo wringing his hands.

"We've had a tough time," Faldo said. "We lost a few points, but we haven't lost any spirit."

Still, the captain made a curious call when he decided to bench Westwood and Garcia, the longest-serving members of the European team.

By halving his two matches, Westwood stretched his streak of unbeaten matches to 12, tying Arnold Palmer's Ryder Cup record. Garcia had never lost a foursomes match until his pairing with fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez resulted in a rout by Leonard and Mahan.

Westwood had appeared in 27 straight matches, Garcia in 22.

U.S. captain Paul Azinger refused to get involved in Europe's lineup decisions.

"I'm not going to justify why Nick Faldo does what he does. I'm sure he's confident in the guys he put out there," Azinger said. "I respect everybody on their team. I know what they're capable of, and what's on paper doesn't mean anything to anybody."