Clarke hiccups with afternoon pairings
The European Ryder Cup team has a lot of work to do at Hazeltine on Sunday in order to come back from the 9½ – 6½ deficit created by Saturday’s devastating defeat in the four-balls. However, this is the Ryder Cup and, as the history books clearly show, the bi-annual encounter with America which began back in 1927, is always packed with surprises. So anything can happen, and often does. The format of the Ryder Cup, closing with twelve singles matches, ensures every team member plays at least once. It’s up to each Captain to get the mix right in the foursomes and four-balls pairings. And that is an art apart to balance the eager young rookies with the experienced players as well as pre-empt the team order of the opposition.
When Irish eyes were smiling
European Team Captain Darren Clarke was looking happy after Saturday’s morning foursomes. And he had every reason to be content. His pairings worked like a dream. The Spanish duo of Sergio Garcia and rookie Rafa Cabrera-Bello showed grit and tenacity in their match against Jordan Spieth and a seriously on-form Patrick Reed. The Americans started birdie, birdie, birdie to go two-up. Within the first seven holes, they produced five birdies.
It was an adventurous morning at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Minnesota. Great shots were interspersed with a shank from Brooks Koepka, shots into the trees and water, and even a ball which ended up in a spectators pocket! Cabrera-Bello calmly took a drop. The Spanish pairing were four down at one point, but stayed patient. It paid off. The rookie holed a tremendous putt at the 16th to keep their match alive. They were so pumped up: full of adrenalin and great Spanish passion. The next thing they were heading down the last with the match all-square and managed to squeeze a valuable half point for Europe.
The Spanish duo of rookie Rafa Cabrera-Bello (left) and the experienced Sergio Garcia were invincible at Hazeltine.
Those half points scored for a halved match can be crucial for the final outcome of the Ryder Cup. Indeed, as holders of the Ryder Cup, Europe have to win only 14 points in order to fly back home with the coveted trophy. America, on the other hand, has to secure 14 ½ points.
Wildcard rookie Thomas Pieters from Belgian was paired with Rory McIlroy once again for another match made in heaven. Also in foursomes play they proved a formidable team. Three-up after seven holes against the oldest and most experienced player in the American team, Phil Mickelson, partnered by Rickie Fowler, was a great start. They closed the match out at 4&2.
Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka balanced the books with a 3&2 victory over Henrik Stenson and English rookie Matthew Fitzpatrick who was making his first appearance at Hazeltine. The English pairing of Justin Rose and rookie Chris Wood then pulled off a masterstroke beating Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker on the final green, 1 up. All in all, a good morning’s work from Clarke’s team: Europe 2 ½ – USA 1 ½.
Score after Saturday morning foursomes: USA 6 ½ – EUROPE 5 ½
McIlroy and Pieters too hot to handle
But then, just as things were looking more rosy, America hit back hard in the Saturday afternoon four-balls. The thirteenth man (the crowd) playing a small unsporting role in the middle of a few backswings proving to be one of the disadvantages of having 55,000 raucous fans at Hazeltine. Captain Darren Clarke took a gamble and changed a few pairings for which the Northern Irishman will no doubt be under fire. Gone was the Spanish super duo, in its place Garcia partnered by Martin Kaymer. The German wildcard, who had showed nerves of steel to hole the winning putt at Medinah in 2012, was not yet firing on all cylinders in Minnesota. They say, never change a winning team …
Rory McIlroy (right) shares Captain Darren Clarke’s anguish during Saturday’s four-balls.
Tough challenge ahead for Europeans
It must be pretty tough these days to be a Ryder Cup Captain with so much talent to choose from. Presumably that’s why each team has five vice-captains this year. Thankfully, Clarke kept the magical partnership of McIlroy and Pieters intact. They proved once again too hot for the Americans to handle. Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka lost by 3&1. The Belgian is really packing a punch in Minnesota.
US Masters Champion Danny Willett partnered Lee Westwood in the second of the Saturday afternoon four-balls. On paper, a good idea to team-up the Brits, yet Westwood has not really found his form this week – yet. All credit to the Englishmen though, they did take J. B. Holmes and Ryan Moore down the last. Europe was one-down, so they had to win the hole. And they were all set to do just that. America made par leaving just Westwood and Willett both with makeable putts for birdie. First Willett charged his putt well beyond the hole. It was now up to the experienced ten times Ryder Cup player to hole his putt of just a little longer than a tap-in, for glory. Horror of horrors – Westwood also missed! And so Europe missed out on a valuable half point.
Henrik Stenson was paired with Justin Rose in the four-balls and played another terrific match. The Swede is in his element in Hazeltine. He chipped-in for eagle at the 16th to keep their match alive against Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth going down the 17th. At two-down with two holes to go, Europe needed more of that sort of wizardry to sneak a half. The magic came from Reed in the end who sealed victory for America at the 17th.
Europe lost the Saturday four-ball series: USA 3 – Europe 1 which means that the score after two days of play in the Ryder Cup is: USA 9 ½ – 6 ½ Europe.
The third and final day of the 41st edition is now in full swing. As the Ryder Cup only takes place every two years, you’d be crazy to miss it! Do remember to take into account that there are twelve points up for grabs in the singles on Sunday. This can unexpectedly swing the balance of the match and give yet another twist to the Ryder Cup tale. Memories of the magic at Medinah in 2012, when Europe came from 10-6 behind to win, will be fresh on everyone’s minds today. Enjoy!
Wendy Hoad
The Ryder Cup
Hazeltine National Golf Course, Minnesota, USA, 30 September – 2 October 2016
Saturday, 1 October
Foursomes: USA 1 ½ – EUROPE 2 ½
Four-balls: USA 3 – EUROPE 1
SCORE SO FAR: USA 9 ½ – 6 ½ Europe
READ MORE of our blogs over the Ryder Cup
Visit the official site: www.rydercup.com