Day One Recap of the 27th PGA Cup at CordeValle from PGA of America on Vimeo.

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SAN MARTIN, Calif. - Great Britain & Ireland caught fire Friday morning at CordeValle before the United States found its own spark through a record-tying foursomes performance by Ohioans Jamie Broce and Bob Sowards to post a 4 1/2 to 3 1/2 lead in the 27th PGA Cup.

Bidding to become the first team to win on U.S. soil in the premier international competition for PGA Club Professionals, Great Britain & Ireland jumped out to a 3-1 lead in four-balls. The momentum didn't last through lunch.

The Americans turned on a switch in the afternoon, with former PGA Professional Champion Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, and University of Toledo men's golf coach Jamie Broce of Ottawa Hills, Ohio, routing England's Cameron Clark and Lee Clarke, 8 and 7.

Sowards and Broce sped out to a 6-under-par 29 on the front nine and added two more birdies to match the victory margin record set in 1990 by Sammy Rachels and Stu Ingraham.

"GB&I played phenomenal this morning," said PGA Honorary President and U.S. Captain Allen Wronowski of Bel-Air, Maryland. "We knew it was going to be tough going into this, the talent they were bring over, the preparation that their Captain, Jon Bevan's done. I'm just glad that we were able to turn it around this afternoon and give them a match. For some reason, we play really well in foursomes. They really nailed it."

Said GB&I Captain Bevan, "every half point is important. A half point is enough to win the cup. In the cold light of day, first day is over. Am I happy? I'm ready for them to go again tomorrow."

Wronowski's spirits were uplifted when he sent out 2014 PGA Professional Champion Michael Block of Aliso Viejo, California and Stuart Deane of Arlington, Texas. Each had arrived late to CordeValle after competing in earlier in the week in their respective Section Championships. After five warmup holes together Friday morning, Block and Deane said they were used to the greens and to each other.

They blended for a 4 and 3 victory over England's David Dixon and Scotland's Graham Fox. That triggered the rest of the team rally, as Sean Dougherty of Leawood, Kansas, and Omar Uresti of Austin, Texas, won their second match of the day, 3 and 1, over Ireland's Niall Kearney and England's Alex Wrigley. Dougherty and Uresti prevented a morning four-ball shutout with a 1-up triumph over England's Lee Clarke and Paul Hendriksen.

Rounding out the afternoon, two-time PGA Professional Champion Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, New York, and Ben Polland of Manhasset, New York, halved their match with England's Jason Levermore and Scotland's Gareth Wright. "God bless, Ben Polland for making a 12-foot birdie putt at the end," said Wronowski. "Every half-point adds up in this competition. I'm so impressed by that 25-year-old young man."

Block had never seen CordeValle, nor had he ever competed in alternate shot. Deane, a native of Australia and the head men's and women's coach at the UT Arlington, had brief experience in the Northern Texas PGA Section's Joe Black Cup.

"You could be playing a par-3 course that's 2,500 yards, and if you're not playing well, you're not playing well," said Block. "Today, Stuart and I would have been playing well no matter what course any course in the country."

Said Deane, "It's like playing the same guy. We hit the ball the same and in the same places. It was super comfortable out there for us."

Dougherty summed up his team effort with Uresti, a PGA Life Member. "Pars weren't very good out there today. You had to make birdies," said the PGA head professional at Oakwood Country Club in Kansas City, Missouri. "Omar and I have similar personalities. Our games fit well together. We both like to attack the golf course, but we are still gritty. Seeing our teammates post (U.S.) flags on the scoreboard this afternoon really helped our momentum."

Friday Morning Four-Balls

Michael Watson, Dorset, England & Cameron Clark, West Midlands, England def. Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y. & Matt Dobyns, Glen Head, N.Y., 3 and 2

Graham Fox, Glasgow, Scotland & David Dixon, Somerset, England def. Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio & Jamie Broce, Ottawa Hills, Ohio, 2 and 1

Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas & Sean Dougherty, Leawood, Kan. def. Lee Clarke, Nottinghamshire, England & Paul Hendriksen, Devon, England, 1 up

Jason Levermore, Essex, England & Gareth Wright, Peeblesshire, Scotland def. Alan Morin, Royal Palm Beach, Florida & Grant Sturgeon, Port Chester, New York, 3 and 2

Morning Session Total: Great Britain & Ireland 3, USA 1

Afternoon Foursomes

Michael Block, Aliso Viejo, California & Stuart Deane, Arlington, Texas (USA) def. Graham Fox, Glasgow, Scotland & David Dixon, Somerset, England, 4 and 3

Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y. & Matt Dobyns, Glen Head, N.Y. (USA) halved with Jason Levermore, Essex, England & Gareth Wright, Peeblesshire, Scotland

Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas & Sean Dougherty, Leawood, Kan. (USA) def. Niall Kearney, Dublin, Ireland & Alex Wrigley, County Durham, England (GB&I), 3 and 1

Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio & Jamie Broce, Ottawa Hills, Ohio (USA) def. Cameron Clark, West Midlands, England & Lee Clarke, Nottinghamshire, England (GB&I), 8 and 7

Afternoon Foursomes Total: USA 3 1/2, Great Britain & Ireland 1/2

Day One Total: USA 4 1/2, Great Britain & Ireland 3 1/2