Phil Mickelson has been dropped on Ryder Cup Saturdays before, but maybe not via a text message, as US Captain Jim Furyk has revealed.

The American team face an uphill challenge at Le Golf National, trailing their European counterparts 10-6 after Saturday's fourballs, heading into the final day of play in Paris.

And 48-year-old Mickelson, who has struggled for form over the course of the Friday session, became the victim of captain Furyk's visions on how to take the team forward.

Mickelson is taking part in his 12th Ryder Cup, but found himself sitting out the Saturday session four-years ago after being dropped by then US Team captain Tom Watson.

Speaking in his press conference, Furyk admitted that he had to inform Mickelson of his decision via text message. 

“I had to leave him a message to tell him, which I don’t like to do,” Furyk said.

“I’d rather do it in person. But really need to be out there on the golf course, and I wanted to really kind of cheer on my team.

“I envisioned more, but that’s the way it worked out and that’s the way we thought we had to go.

“You get a guy like him in the team room, he had so much more than his play, if that makes sense.

“I'd be disappointed if he said he thought he was going to play two. I know Phil."

However, the good news for Mickelson is despite him being dropped from the fourballs on Saturday, he will be back in action when he participates in Sunday's singles matches, as the Americans aim to claw themselves back into the contest in the French capital.

Inspired European duo Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari put Europe in the driving seat yesterday, as Thomas Bjorn's battling side aim to win back the trophy they lost on American soil two-years ago.