Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson were 1-up at the turn over Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson in the second afternoon foursomes on the first day of the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles on Friday.
The Englishman and the Swede were in action for a second time, having defeated Bubba Wtason and Webb Simpson 5 and 4 in the morning fourballs.
Wildcard Mahan and former Masters champion Johnson were out for the first time, having been rested by skipper Tom Watson for the first session.
Rose, who had been in superb form in the morning, was the driving force again as he and Stenson nabbed birdies at the first and sixth to ease his two ahead.
Mahan and Johnson, however, pegged that back to one at the next and they were level a hole later when Rose missed a two-footer for a halve.
It stayed that way through the turn, with Johnson missing an eagle putt at the ninth which would have nudged the Americans ahead.