Captains Davis Love III and Jose Maria Olazabal pose wih the trophy outside Medinah CC's remarkable clubhouse.
The Ryder Cup begins Friday morning with four foursome (alternate shot) matches. Here's the line-up along with BellinghamGolfer's predictions.
Match 1Jim Furyk & Brandt Snedeker
V
Graeme McDowell & Rory McIlroy On paper at least, the European duo would appear to have a slight edge here. Not only is McIlroy the number one-ranked player in the world and a two-time major champion, his partner is also a major winner and, just as importantly, a fellow Ulsterman. The bond between them is therefore strong, as strong perhaps as that between Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal was. At Celtic Manor in 2010, the pair played both foursome sessions together losing to Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar 2&1 but beating Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan 3&1.
Their opponents might not seem as obvious a match-up, but rest assured they will make like very difficult for the Irishmen. Furyk is a veteran of six Ryder Cups, and Snedeker is riding a wave of confidence having just won the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.
It goes without saying this could go to the wire. If the Americns are slightly off and the visitors slightly on, the away team will win, and vice versa. But I think the two Macs might just edge it.
Verdict: Europe 1upMatch 2Phil Mickelson & Keegan Bradley V
Luke Donald & Sergio GarciaIt is six years since Donald and Garcia last teamed up at the Ryder Cup during which time a lot of water has passed under many bridges, especially Garcia's. But, if they gel like they have in the past they will be very hard to beat. Four times they have played together in foursomes - twice at Oakland Hills in 2004, and twice at the K Club in 2006 - and four times they have won, beating some formidable pairs in the process, most notably perhaps Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk at the K Club. Donald, who lives in Chicago, will certainly want to put one over on his 'hometown' supporters and Garcia will be eager to prove himself a great Ryder Cup player again. The Mickelson/Bradley team promises to be one of the Americans' most effective, however, as the two have developed a close friendship over the last couple of years. Plus, they have all the tools the course and the occasion require. Mickelson's frequent waywardness with the driver won't be a problem at wide-open Medinah and though Bradley may be a Ryder Cup rookie, don't forget he was a rookie in the majors when he won the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. This will be another keenly fought contest, in which ten meetings would probably be split right down the middle. My gut though, says Donald and Garcia will rekindle their foursomes magic.
Verdict: Europe 2&1 Match 3Jason Dufner & Zach Johnson V
Lee Westwood & Francesco MolinariDufner & Johnson, like Furyk & Snedeker, might not have been one of Davis Love's obvious pairings coming into the first day, but it's easy to see the two that slugged it out down the stretch at the Colonial in Fort Worth in May forming a dependable unit. Both have quiet characters, so no one's ego will get in the way, and very few players would make as reliable a shepherd for a rookie as Johnson who will be making his third Ryder Cup appearance.
Finding a partner for former world number one and seven-time Ryder Cupper Lee Westwood must have been one of Captain Olazabal's top priorities after arriving in Chicago. Two years ago, the 39-year-old Englishman joined Luke Donald in routing Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods 6&5, and Martin Kaymer in halving with Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler. This time, he will start out with the 29-year-old Italian who lost his only foursome match two years ago when he and his brother Edoardo went down by two holes to Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan. Molinari found a rich vein of form in the middle of the summer, and if he can tap back into it he and Westwood might be irresistible. But Dufner and Johnson may well put up an impenetrable block.
Verdict: All Square
Match 4Steve Stricker & Tiger Woods V
Ian Poulter & Justin RoseThe crowd will have to wait for the first Woods/McIlroy clash, but Woods against Poulter will certainly do for straters. Poulter is the European that gets under American skin the deepest, and Woods will want to bury the mouthy Englishman. It was easy to predict these two pairs given how well they have performed together at past Ryder Cups and, in Woods and Stricker's case, Presidents Cups. That said, they did lose heavily to Donald and Westwood at Celtic Manor, and the last time Woods and Stricker played fousomes together they got routed 7&6 by Adam Scott and KJ Choi, at the 2011 Presidents Cup. Those defeats will soon be forgotten, however, if they make early birdies against the English pair who last teamed up at Valhalla in 2008 when they played two foursomes together, winning one and losing one. Poulter and Rose won't go down without a fight, but they may just run into America's most potent pair.
Verdict: US 3&2Morning session: Europe 2½ - US 1½
Sitting out for the US - Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar
Sitting out for Europe - Peter Hanson, Paul Lawrie, Martin Kaymer, Nicolas Colsaerts
2012 Ryder Cup - BellinghamGolfer's Picks for Friday Morning's Foursome Matches
On Tuesday morning of Ryder Cup week, there's a huge sense of anticipation ahead of the game's most exciting team competition. By Thursday evening, the golf world seems ready to burst. "Will this thing ever start?" it wants to scream. few months before he died, Seve Bllesteros sid the competition should strt on the Thurdy, nd gve list of resons why not one of which ny sensible officil could rgue with. Wall-to-wll coverage of the comptition is great; we know that from being given TV access to the front nine holes at Augusta National duing the Masters. But ceaseless coverage of the preliminaries can reach critical mass at some point after which the viewers lose a little interest and can aactually forget what it is we're here for. The Golf Channel folk are extremely knowledgable and insightful but viewers don't necessarily want to listen to three days of talk about what might happen...but might not.
The most compelling of couse ws tht fns wnt to see more ction. Why mke them wit n extr dy nd hve them listen to nlysts nlysing wht they think might hppen...but might not.
This yer we hve t lest been spred the discussion on wht impct the lte ivl of three merican cddies who hd to tke different flight to the plyers might hve on the tem, nd how the Captain's wife has taken it upon herself to decide her husband's team's lodging, eating and apparel arrngements. But in their plce we have heard about the Americans' fixation with table-tennis, how the teams are dining each evening, and how they are all good friends because they all live in the same high-end neighborhoods. We've also heard an awful lot about the course and how the set-up, the lack of rough in particular will theretically favor the home team...but might not.
It is encouraging that the subject of starting a daay ealier has at least been boached this week so hopefully we won't wait as long at Gleneagles in 2014 fo the golf to start.
Whatever, we're here now.I hope the prelude hasn't dulled you excitement and that you're ready for three days of pulsating drama. May the better team win.
The Ryder Cup begins Friday morning with four foursome (lternte shot) matches. Here's the line-up along with BellinghamGolfer's predictions.
Match 1PJim Furyk & Brandt Snedeker
V
Graeme McDowell & Rory McIlroy On paper at least, the European duo would appear to have a slight edge here. Not only is McIlroy the number one-ranked player in the world and a two-time major champion, his partner is also a major winner and, just as importantly, a fellow Ulsterman. The bond between them is therefore strong, as strong perhaps as that between Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal was. At Celtic Manor in 2010, the pair played both foursome sessions together losing to Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar 2&1 but beating Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan 3&1. Their opponents might not seem as obvious a match-up, but rest assured they will make like very difficult for the Irishmen. Furyk is a vetrn of six Ryder Cups, nd Snedeker is of couse riding wveof confidence hving just won the Tour Chmpionship nd FedEx Cup.
It goes without sying this could go to the wire. If the visitors re slightly off nd the mericns slightly on the home tem will win, nd viceversa. My gut sys the two Macs will come out on top though.
Verdict: Europe 1upMatch 2Phil Mickelson & Keegn Brdley V
Luke Donld & Sergio GrciIt is six yers since Donld nd Grci hve temed up t yder Cup during which lot of wter hs pssed under mny bridges, especilly Grci's. But if they gel like they hve in the pst they will be very hrd to bet. Four times they have played together in foursomes - twice at Oakland Hills in 2004, nd twice at the K Club in 2006, nd four times they hve won, beting some formidble pirs in the process, most notbly perhps Tiger Woods nd Jim Furk t the K Club. Donald who lives in Chicago will certainly want to put one over on his 'hometown' supporters and Garcia will be eager to prove himself a geat Ryder Cup player again. The Mickelson/Brdley tem promises to be one of the mericns' most effective, however, as the two have developed a close friendship over the last couple of yers. Plus, they have all the tools the course and the occasion require. Bradley may be a Ryder Cup rookie, but he was a rookie in the majors when he won the 2011 PGA Championship. Mickelson's frequent wywardness with the driver won't be a problem t wide-open Medinh. This will be nother keenly fought contest, in which ten meetings would probbly be split right down the middle. My gut though, sys Donld nd Grci will rekindle their foursomes mgic.
Verdict: Europe 2&1 Match 3Json Dufner & Zch Johnson V
Lee Westwood nd Frncesco MolinriDufner & Johnson, like Furyk & Snedeker, might not hve been one of Dvis Love's obvious pirings coming into the first dy, but it's esy to see the two who slugged it out down the strecth t the Colonil in Fort Worth in May forming a dependable unit. Both hve quiet chrcters, so no one's ego will get in the wy nd few plyers would mke s relible a shepherd for rookie as Johnson who will be mking his third Ryder Cup ppernce.
Finding a ptner for former world number one nd seven-time Ryder Cupper Lee Westwood must hve been one of Cptin Olzbl's top priorities fter rriving in Chicgo. Two yers go, the 39-yer-old Englishmn joined Luke Donld in routing Steve Stricker nd Tiger Woods 6&5, nd Mtin Kymer in hlving with Jim Furyk nd Rickie Fowler. This time, he will strt out with the 29-yer-old Itlin who lost his only foursome mtch two yers go when he nd his brother Edoardo went down 2up to Zch Johnson nd Hunter Mhn. Molinri found a rich vein of form in the middle of the summer nd if he cn tp bck into tht he nd Westwood might be irresistible. But Dufner nd Johnson my well put up n impenetrble block.
Verdict: All Square
Match 4Steve Stricker & Tiger Woods V
Ian Poulter & Justin RoseThe crowd will hve to wit for the first Woods McIlroy clsh, but Woods ginst Poulter will certinly do for strters. Poulter is the Europen tht gets under merican skin the deepest, nd Woods will want to bury the mouthy Englishman. It ws esy to predict these pirs given how well they hve performed together at pst Ryder Cups nd, in Woods nd Stricker's cse, Presidents Cups. Tht sid, the lst time Woods nd Stricker plyed fousomes together tey got routed 7&6 by dm Scott nd KJ Choi, t the 2011 President's Cup. Tht will soon be forgotten, however, if they mke ely birdies ginst the English pir who lst temed up t Vlhll in 2008 when they plyed two foursomes together, winning one nd losing one. Poulter nd Rose won't go down without fight, but they my just run into meric's most potent pir.
Verdict: US 3&2Morning session: (Bear in mind, I could be very, very wrong. Let me know what you think of my predictions, and give me some of your own.)
