Saturday Pairings at the Ryder Cup

[Chilli Dipper]

The pairings for the Saturday morning foursomes matches at Valhalla have been announced. They are as follows:

Stewart Cink/Chad Campbell (USA) vs. Ian Poulter/Justin Rose (Europe)
Justin Leonard/Hunter Mahan (USA) vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez/Graeme McDowell (Europe)
Phil Mickelson/Anthony Kim (USA) vs. Henrik Stenson/Oliver Wilson (Europe)
Jim Furyk/Kenny Perry (USA) vs. Padraig Harrington/Robert Karlsson (Europe)

Paul Azinger is presenting an identical lineup for tomorrow's alternate shot play as he did this morning; I would have had Boo Weekley playing alongside Furyk and saved Perry for the fourball competition in the afternoon, but besides that, there is nothing about the morning pairings on the United States side that is cause for any criticism after an opening session to the matches that yielded no losses.

Nick Faldo, on the other hand, has made some personnel changes that can most politely referred to as bizarre. Most notably, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia will not be participating in a session for the first time in either player's Ryder Cup career. Likewise, Soren Hansen, who made a remarkable effort with Westwood in halving their best-ball match with Weekley and J.B. Holmes, will sit out the morning, as will Paul Casey. The European team is trailing going into Saturday for the first time in 17 years, and Faldo responds by benching arguably the two greatest Ryder Cup performers of the last decade. Miguel Angel Jimenez looked horrible at times on Friday; why he is getting the nod over either Lee or Sergio is highly difficult to imagine. Oliver Wilson finally sees playing time, but he would have been better served had he been paired with an experienced hand like Westwood, not Henrik Stenson. Europe is in a big hole right now, and if the Euro squad only digs themselves deeper in that hole tomorrow morning, Faldo's questionable judgment will be something that the golf world will be second-guessing for years to come.

Anyway, my predictions:
Cink/Campbell vs. Poulter/Rose: The only sane pairing made by Faldo for the morning session takes on the Americans who nipped them in their opening match. Poulter and Rose looked much better in their fourball match than they did against Cink and Campbell, but I don't see that change in form will lead them to a full point to begin play tomorrow. Halved
Leonard/Mahan vs. Jimenez/McDowell: McDowell wasn't half bad as Padraig Harrington's partner in the afternoon session today, but Jimenez couldn't match either Leonard or Mahan in their best ball match. The two Americans in this match were unstoppable today, and I don't expect that to change in this matchup. USA, 3&2
Mickelson/Kim vs. Stenson/Wilson: Faldo is really sending his greenest rookie into the jaws of the beast, putting him against the U.S.'s two best players in his first major event on the international stage. Stenson's a better match play golfer than most, but this particular matchup has the potential to get very ugly, very fast. USA, 5&4
Furyk/Perry vs. Harrington/Karlsson: The pair that halved the opening match against Mickelson and Kim are back together to close out the next foursomes session. This match will be Europe's best chance to pick up a point, but I don't think they'll quite get it done. Halved

[iacas]

Yeah, you almost gloss over the Euro side because some picks seem obvious, then at second glance you look and go "WTF? No Sergio"? Sure, the guy was 0-1-1 today, but c'mon!

[Chilli Dipper]

Yeah, you almost gloss over the Euro side because some picks seem obvious, then at second glance you look and go "WTF? No Sergio"? Sure, the guy was 0-1-1 today, but c'mon!

I guess we'll get an explanation from Faldo at some point tomorrow as to why he went with the lineup he settled with. Still, his decisions seem to defy all common sense when it comes to competitions like this. You want your best players on the course at all times; for Europe, that means Garcia and Westwood, regardless of whether they won a match today. When a team has a player as inexperienced on the biggest stages as Oliver Wilson is, you want an experienced player by his side to tutor him on the everything that is the Ryder Cup experience; Westwood is now the veteran member of the European squad, and he should be showing Wilson the ropes in the way Faldo showed him the ropes in 1997. Stenson's a great player, but he's not the right partner for Wilson against Phil and AK.

On paper, I like Europe in on the bookends of the morning session tomorrow. I can't bring myself to predict anything greater than a halve for either match, because there will be ramifications for omitting Garcia and Westwood, who have never been on the sidelines during the Ryder Cup ever. This decision will have a huge effect on the European team's morale over the course of tomorrow's play; if Faldo was trying to send a message, it's going to backfire on him, big time.

[iacas]

Westwood is still getting over tonsillitis, so while I agree in general, it makes a fair bit of sense that he would not play all five matches.

[dornoch]

Campbell/Cink vs. Rose/Poulter: US 1 UP
Leonard/Mahan vs. Jimenez/McDowell: EU 1 UP
Mickleson/Kim vs. Stenson/Wilson: US 2 & 1
Furyk/Perry vs. Harrington/Karlsson EU 2 & 1

My crystal ball has been foggy and I'm just making random guesses now. Azinger's pairings have produced, Faldo's hasn't. Azinger deserves kudos thus far. I would've made 2 tweaks: pair Stricker with Furyk and have Leonard/Mahan in the 4th slot. But Azinger has put them in a position with the lead, so who am I?

Faldo's first day pairings weren't strange. Okay, Westwood is still recovering. But having Sergio sit at the same time as Westwood will either turn out to be genius or folly, with nothing in between. I think nobody is above sitting for 1 match when they aren't winning, but that was in the context of the American team. For the EURO's, they've dominated recent cups, and while Day 1 for them is cause for concern, shouldn't be panicking. Not having Darren Clarke around has probably hurt too.

Azinger's management style so far is to be prepared, but let the player's just simply play. His pairings at first glance seem to be of the players choosing, rather than being driven by the stats. The only thing he might want to talk about is the general philosophy of how to approach hole #18.

Overall, one couldn't have imagined such a good first day for the US. On the down side they left at least a half, if not a full point out on the course. A EURO charge is coming in the morning alternate shot. The US team has to stay in the moment. But as a US fan, one must be happy about the fact the US team has some cushion to go 3-4-1 and still finish the team matches with 9 points.

[Chilli Dipper]

Campbell/Cink vs. Rose/Poulter: US 1 UP

No offense dornoch, but you've announced the beginning of the Euro emergence at least three times over the last 24 hours, and the score's still 5 1/2 - 2 1/2. New angle, please.

[dornoch]

I’m sorry for being redundant. But former champions that the EUROS are, even when they don't win, usually try to land 1 last punch.

When Nicklaus, (the idol of many of the US players), said the US will win "easily," perhaps that took a little pressure of Azinger having to stroke their confidence.

General: If one can't be in front of the TV all day, the key times to check in and catch some coverage is 11 AM, 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6 PM. These times are either the halfway point or closing holes of the team matches.

It was good to be able to catch some of the cup online while working. However the online video was grainy. The Ryder Cup website to me is fairly well laid out, but hopefully the PGA will improve the video quality in the future.

[dornoch]

Halfway point of alternate shot. Most of the morning sessions still up for grabs.

[iacas]

Halfway point of alternate shot. Most of the morning sessions still up for grabs.

Yeah, and Mickelson is throwing up all over himself with Winged Foot Specials (with all clubs). Lovely. Cink and Campbell were already blown out of the water. Mahan and Leonard are hanging tough. Furyk and Perry are also hanging tough with the lead.

[iacas]

Is it just me, or are these some of the SLOWEST foursomes matches you've ever seen? These matches would almost go four and a half hours if they finished out.

[dornoch]

For the US it's simple math, 2-2 to get to 9. That was probably Azinger's goal before the 1st tee on Friday.

Mickleson/Kim were wild and playing on the tight rope all Day 1. Alternate shot has a way of making a team eventually pay.

If you go to Dornoch's website it says no 4-somes match should take more than 4 hours. Obviously, pace of play with the pros is not something they worry about. Are their any quickk players on the tour anymore? I can only think of Snedeker.

Both captains have done it their way with interesting pairings, and who sits when. I guess they figure if they're going to the get the bulk of blame or credit, go down with your game plan.

[Dent]

I think putting Perry/Furyk on for another go around in the 4 ball was a bad idea, don't you think they will be drained from their first match?

[dornoch]

All 4 pairings on the course. EUROS cut into the lead a little. It's seat belt fastening time for US fans.

4:00 pm should be about the halfway point of the matches for the final pairing.

[Mr Eagle]

Is it just me, or are these some of the SLOWEST foursomes matches you've ever seen? These matches would almost go four and a half hours if they finished out.

Yes ,why they have to have union meeting before every shot is beyond me.Azinger said in an interview he put out Holmes and Weekly first to "slow the whole process down". If thats the game plan who are we to argue?

[dornoch]

Well when 4-ball matches are well played it's about birdies and momentum. So Azinger, by having 2 slow players go out first, could slow down the tempo of a possible European outburst by making the pairs behind them wait.

Again, can anybody think of a PGA tour player that plays quickly? I can only think of Snedeker.

[Three Putt]

DAMMNNNNNNNN!!!

Nice EAGLE Philly Mick!!!!!
USA, USA, USA!!!!!!

[Mr Eagle]

Yep nice Eagle by the fat bloke with manboobs,The Euros need to get rocking ,those two sweeds need a kick up the butt!

[Chilli Dipper]

The Swedes don't appear to like playing with each other too much. It isn't looking good for them between Lefty and Mahan (who has been the revelation of this competition).