2010 Ryder Cup

[bogie]

Europe leads 9.5 to 6.5
Europe needs 5 points to win cup
U.S. needs 7.5 points to retain cup.

Besides the unlikely comeback at Brookline 1999, the biggest deficit overcome is 2 points at Oak Hill 1995.
Considering the way the American played the third session it seems unlikely they will run the table.
However 7-4-1 has been done multiple times before by teams by both sides.

Here is my hypothetical US singles order:

1. Z. Johnson, 2. Overton, 3. Mahan, 4. Mickleson | 5. Furyk, 6. Fowler, 7. Woods, 8. Cink | 9. D. Johnson, 10. Stricker, 11. Watson, 12. Kuchar.

Here is my hypothetical EURO order
1. Westwood, 2. McIlroy, 3. P. Hanson, 4. Kaymer | 5. R. Fisher, 6. Donald, 7. McDowell, 8. Poulter, 9. Harrington, 10. E. Molinari, 11. F. Molinari, 12. Jimenez

Off the tee and in the short game the EUROS outplayed the American in session 3. As for the slow greens that was to be expected, and mentioned in the very first post in this thread. Exactly how slow I don't know but it's anywhere from 7 to 9.5 on the stimpmeter.

I hope for what Johnny Miller called a mini-miracle, but it looks like it's on to Illinois in 2 years. Who will be the U.S. captain then?

[Zeph]

Singles Announced

S. Stricker - VS - L. Westwood
S. Cink - VS - R. McIlroy
J. Furyk - VS - L. Donald
D. Johnson - VS - M. Kaymer
M. Kuchar - VS - I. Poulter
J. Overton - VS - R. Fisher
B. Watson - VS - M. Jimenez
T. Woods - VS - F. Molinari
R. Fowler - VS - E. Molinari
P. Mickelson - VS - P. Hanson
Z. Johnson - VS - P. Harrington
H. Mahan - VS - G. McDowell

[Cornbread]

Yet again the Ryder Cup reveals just how over-rated and over-hyped Woods and Mickelson are weekly on the PGA Tour.

[chriskzoo]

Yet again the Ryder Cup reveals just how over-rated and over-hyped Woods and Mickelson are weekly on the PGA Tour.

LOL - yes the level competition is very good, but it's not just chance that Woods (this year aside) and Mickelson have won so much.

As for tomorrow, Europe is HEAVILY front loaded and if they want to win, they better get out to a good start. I fully expect Watson, Woods, Fowler, Mickelson, and Z. Johnson to win - that's 5 of our 7.5 that we need. I think there is a very good chance it comes down to Mahan and McDowell. Cink will be in Rory's head all day and I think DJ will play much better now that he doesn't have a partner taking 5 minutes to read each putt for him and taking him out of this rhythm.

[iacas]

Yet again the Ryder Cup reveals just how over-rated and over-hyped Woods and Mickelson are weekly on the PGA Tour.

Your comments on the blog were equally as stupid. Enjoy your timeout.

[jamo]

Singles Announced

A lot of exciting matchups.

Stricker/Westwood is #3 and #4 in the world. Cink has been red hot, McIlroy mostly cold. Furyk and Donald are both great ballstrikers. Kaymer and DJ is a PGA rematch (even though they weren't paired together). Kuchar and Poulter are total opposites personality-wise. Overton and Fisher have both been hitting great irons shots. Watson hits is deep, Jimenez does not (and he hasn't been playing well). Tiger is always exciting either way. Fowler played poorly, it will be interesting to see if he rebounds. Mickelson has been playing poorly too. ZJ and Paddy- emmm, I don't know, not overly exciting. Same with Mahan and GMcD.

[zeg]

Wow, probably 80% of putts left short by the Americans. I have never seen that from the pros before.

Yeah, I saw quite a few of those. The ones I didn't understand were the putts to halve ending up short---come on guys, you don't have to make the putt coming back because you'll have lost the hole. There's no excuse for underputting those.

[whatwhatwhat]

A lot of exciting matchups.

I thought rory was fantastic today imho, fowler wasnt terrible either, the americans cant handle the pace of the greens they are really struggling.

Tiger doesnt look bothered as least phil cares even though hes afraid of the rain lol

[jamo]

Yeah, I saw quite a few of those. The ones I didn't understand were the putts to halve ending up short---come on guys, you don't have to make the putt coming back because you'll have lost the hole. There's no excuse for underputting those.

When you play every single week on greens that stimp 11+, it's really hard to adjust to greens that are playing this slow. Not only are they cut high, but the rain has slowed them down too. It's just not an easy adjustment to make.

[motteler621]

whats up with that one hole where furyks shot went into the left mud, Fowler had to drop one cause they couldnt find the ball. Rules official tells him to drop a ball. After Fowler hits european spectators move out of the way of the ball and say " here it is". Fowler and Furyk loose the hole for not playing the same ball. wow

[Zeph]

Did Furyk hit it into a hazard? If not, they could not have dropped without finding the ball.

[motteler621]

Did Furyk hit it into a hazard? If not, they could not have dropped without finding the ball.

I dont know it was like way left into deep mudd, I guess they couldnt find it and had a rules official come over who told him to drop his own. After he hits european spectators moved out of the way to a ball buried in the mudd. lost hole. Furyk came over and the spectators were like we tried to tell him, Furyk says " Come on , its not that hard to tell him"

[iacas]

Did Furyk hit it into a hazard? If not, they could not have dropped without finding the ball.

They knew the ball was there. Fowler dropped a ball (same make and model) from his pocket.

What I don't understand is how, since the rules official was there and guided them through dropping, how he didn't feel the need to point out the original ball wasn't being dropped to begin with. Then one guy who clearly knows something is wrong immediately calls out the fact to Fowler and everyone else around AFTER Rickie hit the ball. That's not how golf should be played. If you can prevent a rules infaction, I think you're honor bound to do so.

[Zeph]

But you are normally not allowed to do it right?

Still, if a RO tell you to drop a ball, and the first ball is not found, it's silly to give a penalty when suddenly a spectator finds the ball. I would say the RO messed up here, more than Fowler did.

[motteler621]

They knew the ball was there. Fowler dropped a ball (same make and model) from his pocket.

Oh ok. Yea it was messed up. I saw it right when fowler was about to hit off the cart path and then all the comotion. I was like what the heck is going on, this seems shady

[iacas]

But you are normally not allowed to do it right?

They knew where the ball was the whole time and there was no hazard.

[Acropo]

Guys, you're barking up the wrong tree.

They found Furyk's ball, it wasn't hidden, no skulduggery.

The USA were advised they could have relief. Fowler made a rookie mistake - he wanted to play a clean ball so he dropped a ball he had in his pocket (same make and type - Titleist) and played it.

The person who realised the mistake - the ball was found so it was the one in play - was Jim Furyk. He pointed out the error and conceded the hole immediately.

Kudos for Furyk for pointing it out without delay and accepting the penalty - which was loss of hole.

If the ball had been lost, then a different ball could have been dropped (from where the previous shot was played) under penalty of stroke and distance. But that wasn't the case - the USA was getting relief, no penalty, the ball was in Fowler's hand but he dropped and played a different one - so he played the wrong ball. Penalty in match play: loss of hole. The RO didn't spot it - Furyk did.

Interesting lineup for tomorrow. Especially interesting that Monty has put McIlroy No. 2 - Rors hasn't been putting that well of late. think he was Tiger-chasing - but Corey hid him again!

Looking at the lineup I think both captains are expecting it to come down to the last match - thus McDowell and Cink in the anchor leg.

I have to disagree with whoever said it was a bad day's golf. I was there, by the 16th green and it was fantastic. OK, the result did not go USA's way but it was exciting, the crowd was involved, there was a lot of good-natured banter and exchanges of chants and all but the first foursomes match got to the 16th green. and they pretty much all went on through to 17/18 - the Molinaris snatched a half from the jaws of defeat. their putting was terrible today - Tiger will pick up a pretty easy point unless his opponent starts hitting the ball hard enough to get to the hole!

Speed on the stimpmeter was 10.5 at the start of play. the greens slowed down during the day as more rain fell.

It was a lot of fun - and a big cheer for the group who came dressed as the Minnesota Vikings! excellent cheer routine they had.

I have to get another early night as I shall be back there tomorrow morning...

[Acropo]

Oh, but what an up-and-down by Hanson to force a halve! Someone buy that man a pint of Carlsberg at the 19th hole.

I did, but I couldn't find him - so I had to drink it myself!