Ryder Cup Pairings

Who do you think should be paired, and in which formats. Should Lehman front load the singles or maybe the back?
I would pair Tiger with Furyk and Phil with Dimarco at least once each day I would try to go with as many of the vetrans as possible during alternate shot. But I would try to make sure that everyone had played at least once before singles. I might pair some of the rookies together to take some of the pressure off.

I'll have to do a lot of thinking on this one, and I've already started that thinking process (I'm probably not getting much accomplished at work).

I'd have Tiger and Furyk paired up in the foursomes each morning, and I'd have them going out in the first match. I would have DiMarco and Mickelson also paired in the foursomes each morning, and I would have them going out last.

I'm still wondering if I would have Furyk and Woods paired together in the fourball competitions, or if I would have Woods and Henry together and Furyk and Wetterich (or something like that). Furyk and Woods are playing so well right now that they are going to make a lot of birdies regardless of who they are teamed with.

I'll get back to this topic after I get more than my original two pairings.

I like the idea of pairing the rookies together. What do we have to lose? Our veterans got nothing done in previous Cups.

Id go with this

I think that's one of the worst things we can do this time around. I remember reading an article somewhere that talked about not putting rookies with vets because the rookies feel added pressure instead of less, especially when they play with Tiger. It's more of an "oh I better not screw up attitude" rather than a "I've got Tiger, we're going to kill them" attitude.

Put rookies together in 1 of the 4 matches each session and tell them "hey, no one expects you guys to do well since you're rookies but I've got faith in you guys. Go out and prove that our young guys have game!" Let them have a "hey, we're in this together (as rookies), let's do it" attitude.

Very good logic. If they win it's like stealing points. If they lose, it's no big deal because they were supposed to.

I did some thinking at lunch, and here is what I come up with. I'm no captain, but this is how I would do it.

Friday Foursomes
Woods/Furyk
Johnson/Taylor
Campbell/Verplank
Mickelson/DiMarco

Friday Fourball
Woods/Henry
Furyk/Wetterich
Campbell/Toms
Mickelson/Cink

Saturday Foursomes
Woods/Furyk
Toms/Verplank
Johnson/Taylor
Mickelson/DiMarco

Saturday Fourball
Woods/Furyk
Campbell/Verplank
Toms/Cink
Mickelson/DiMarco

Sunday Singles
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Zach Johnson
Brett Wetterich
Chad Campbell
David Toms
JJ Henry
Scott Verplank
Stewart Cink
Vaughn Taylor
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco

This would put Woods, Furyk, and Mickelson out in all five matches. They are the top three, and they are going to have to lead by example. I'd live with the top three and die by the top three.

Also, it puts DiMarco, Verplank, Toms, and Campbell all out four times each. They are the next guys in line as far as I'm concerned, and they need to be out a lot as well. Verplank mostly goes out four times because of his accuracy for the foursomes. Verplank and Campbell both have similar ball flight and will play well together. All of these guys mix and match well together.

That allows Cink (putter is still iffy to me), Johnson, and Taylor to play three matches, and Henry and Wetterich two matches. Johnson and Taylor are good friends, and their games are similar. They will work well in the foursomes competition, hence the reason they get three matches.

It may not look good to everyone else, but that's how I'd do it. And of course it would change according to who is playing well, and what injuries arise (Verplank's ribs possibly).

Also, for the singles, I started quickly with Woods and Furyk and ended strong with DiMarco and Mickelson. Other than that, I mixed in the rest of the team with the rookies being sprinkled throughout.

Fri. 4-Ball Sat. 4-Ball
Campbell/Henry Cink/Wetterich
Mickleson/Toms Mickleson/Toms
Woods/Taylor Woods/Taylor
Furyk/DiMarco Campbell/Henry

Fri. Alt. Shot Sat. Alt. Shot
Johnson/Verplank Verplank/?
Mickleson/Toms Furyk/DiMarco
Woods/Taylor Woods/Taylor
Furyk/DiMarco Mickleson/Toms

Fri. 4-Ball Note: Woods/Taylor, because of Taylor's hard nosed attitude.
Fri. Alt. Shot: EU often wins cup on the 1st day. US needs 4 pts.
Sat. 4-Ball: Take risk sitting Furyk/DiMarco, let them recharge.
Sat. Alt. Shot: Mix & match.

Pairing that win stay together.
Pairs that lose get split apart. (Unless a 1-up loss, pair playing well)

Toms Really Worries Me!!!!!! He Has Not Played Well As Of Late And I Think We May Be Better Off With Henry Who Has Played Well Lately. As Far As I Am Concerned Tw, Lefty, Furyk, Dimarco, Cink And Henry Should Play Every Round And Alternate As Needed Everyone Else.

Here's an interesting quote from

this article :

Pinpoint accuracy? I wouldn't call

129th on the tour pinpoint. Maybe if the pin is the size of a building.

OK, maybe something from the Europe team. These pairs are just guesses of course and you never know what Woosie is up to, but i think they seem logic:

Harrington/McGinley
Garcia/Olazabal
Montgomery/Donald
Howell/Casey
Clarke/Westwood
Stenson/Karlsson

Probably he will play the top players in foursome and for the fourball the best and the rookies. It sure will be interesting!

Fri 4-Ball Fri Alt. Shot
Harrington/Stenson Westwood/Howell
Montgomerie/Clarke Montgomerie/Clarke
Garcia/Olazabal Garcia/Olazabal
Donald/Casey Donald/Casey

Sat 4-Ball Sat Alt. Shot
Karlsson/McGinley Harrington/Stenson
Montgomerie/Clarke Donald/Casey
Garcia/Olazabal Garcia/Olazabal
Harrington/Stenson Montgomerie/Clarke

If I were EU captain, that how I'd do it.
Of course for Day 2, adjustments would have to
be made based on Day 1 results