2010 Ryder Cup

[Big Fo]

It's about to start, one of my favorite events in golf. The US team is a big underdog but we'll see what happens.

I don't have to worry about work in the morning but this still isn't the greatest viewing time. I might be able to stick it out for the entire morning session.

Pairings for the morning fourball session:

Match 1: Phil Mickelson-Dustin Johnson vs. Lee Westwood-Martin Kaymer

Match 2: Stewart Cink-Matt Kuchar vs. Rory McIlroy-Graeme McDowell.

Match 3: Steve Stricker-Tiger Woods vs. Ian Poulter-Ross Fisher.

Match 4: Bubba Watson-Jeff Overton vs. Luke Donald-Padraig Harrington

[bhlloy]

Lovely Welsh weather as usual this morning, really going to be interesting to see if they can get it done by Sunday or if they need the extra day on Monday to finish up. Saturday should be nice, but other than that it's going to be wet, windy and cold. Really makes me miss home watching the rain go sideways on TV :D

I think the US media has made the US team much bigger underdogs than they really are. I can't seperate these two teams in terms of quality - Europe probably is coming into the tournament in better form for the year but the US has way more raw talent IMO. Interesting move by Pavin putting the two rookies in the final morning matchup, if things don't go the US way there will be an unbelievable amount of pressure on them.

[Big Fo]

The online bookies have Europe as big favorites, it isn't just the US media.

I'd love a 2-2 split in the opening session considering what normally happens.

[B & B]

Yes, Im up watching this.

Its pouring rain, buckets.


Yes, Im betting on this. Of course Im backing the Europeans.
Im American, but so is gambling and making money.

[Big Fo]

Good start for the US team, up 2.5 to 1.5 after the first session.

[Young Drachma]

Good to see Tiger and Sticker draw blood in their match.

Also, did Lisa Pavin design that Team USA gear herself? It looks gaudy and awful.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

just tuned in. u.s. is up 6-4 but is losing in all 6 of the matches and have lost 14 consecutive holes. yeesh.

tiger's flailing away per usual.

[mauchow]

just tuned in. u.s. is up 6-4 but is losing in all 6 of the matches and have lost 14 consecutive holes. yeesh.

tiger's flailing away per usual.

Stricker did no favors on a lot of shots, too.. Not all on Tiger by any stretch.

They were really clicking earlier today, Tiger consistently setting him up on irons and Stricker just sinking putts. For this round it eemed like it was the other way around and is not working so well.

[Big Fo]

Can't hit wedge shots, can't make putts, can't even get putts to the fucking hole, an absolutely pathetic and embarrassing performance.

[mauchow]

Can't hit wedge shots, can't make putts, can't even get putts to the fucking hole, an absolutely pathetic and embarrassing performance.

I'm not sure I saw a three putt in this session for the Europeans that actually mattered. That's how good they were putting, nearly everything was being conceded. There will need to be some HUGE, HUGE rounds from the Americans to have any chance tomorrow.

Oh, and BIG TIME SUCKAGE for the last day to be played tomorrow.

[Big Fo]

There weren't many three-putt greens but there were plenty of makeable putts that would have either won or halved holes. And even on some of the ones that were difficult, at least get it to the hole (especially in cases where they were putting for birdie/par and their partner was already assured of a par/bogey).

[Thomkal]

I'm not sure I saw a three putt in this session for the Europeans that actually mattered. That's how good they were putting, nearly everything was being conceded. There will need to be some HUGE, HUGE rounds from the Americans to have any chance tomorrow.

Oh, and BIG TIME SUCKAGE for the last day to be played tomorrow.

Even bigger potential suckage if the final round is not over by tomorrow-the remaining matches on the course will be halved and the Cup will be over.

[Thomkal]

Have they announced the pairings for the final round yet? I wasn't watching it near the end, so wondered if they announced it.

[AlexB]

Even bigger potential suckage if the final round is not over by tomorrow-the remaining matches on the course will be halved and the Cup will be over.

Didn't realise that.... Starts rain dance ;)

[Young Drachma]

Yeah the FedEx cup suckage is responsible for pushing this thing back weeks. Hopefully they'll pick better locales as a result.

[AlexB]

Wouldn't have mattered where it was this weekend - raining everywhere! In 4 years time it's in Scotland, which will likely be the same.

[Ryan S]

Wouldn't have mattered where it was this weekend - raining everywhere! In 4 years time it's in Scotland, which will likely be the same.

Even if they scheduled the Ryder Cup in the middle of the summer they could not guarantee dry weather in Scotland.

[MartinD]

Wouldn't have mattered where it was this weekend - raining everywhere! In 4 years time it's in Scotland, which will likely be the same.

Choosing to play an event like this on an inland course at this time of year runs the risk of getting more rain than the course can handle, as has happened at Celtic Manor this weekend. That isn't helped by the location of the course - if you have a golf course at the bottom of a valley, there isn't anywhere for the water to go... Unfortunately, the course at Gleneagles that's been selected for the 2014 Ryder Cup is very similar (in that it's an inland course that doesn't drain all that well in an area that gets its fair share of rain) - it seems strange for the powers that be to go chasing money by choosing an inland parkland-type course when you think about all of the top-quality links courses that are available in the UK (where the sandy soil means that drainage is much better, so there's much less chance of an interruption in play because the course is unplayable).

[mauchow]

Interesting lineup. Woods and Mickleson are no where to be found in the top seven matches, which could possibly already decide the Cup...

http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/scoring/round5.cfm

[Thomkal]

Well given that Mickleson hasn't won a point yet, along with my poor guy Dustin Johnson, I'm not surprised he's not in the top 7. Woods hasn't been that great individually, but did at least win a couple matches with Stricker.

And just to put the dagger into Dustin a little deeper, who does he get in his match?-Kaymer,the guy who beat him for the PGA championship when he had that is/isn't it a bunker fiasco. Will feel so bad for him if he can't even get a half point out of this. His personality just isnt really suited for the Ryder Cup-he just isn't the rah-rah or over the top emotional I think you need to be for the Ryder Cup

[Thomkal]

Single matches going on and so far not looking good for the US. :( For a while the only red score on the board was believe it or not Dustin Johnson. That was because Martin Kaymer was playing poorly because Dustin is still missing putts. Few more Americans ahead now including Phil Mickleson who has finally shown up to play making a 50 ft or so putt for birdie, and has won the next two holes now too. Woods is 1 down to one of the Molinari brothers, was 2 down.

[Thomkal]

There are no all square matches right now which is kind of odd. Europe leads 8-4.

[Thomkal]

Dustin Johnson was 2 up through 11 without making birdie, and had just 5 birdies for the event. He has now birdied the next three in a row to go 5 up. Nice of you to show up finally Dustin. Too little too late it seems as Europe has leads of 2 UP or more in the 7 matches they currently lead in

[mauchow]

Cink just choked away a hole on a 3 ft birdie putt that would keep him 1-up. Instead now McIlroy will probably take that match and that would probably SEAL it.

[Thomkal]

And Dustin claims the first match for the US 6&4. Steve Stricker surprisingly beats Lee Westwood as well, so 2 wins so far for the US, none for Europe.

[mauchow]

Man, the outlook could be a WHOLE LOT different if Cink could have holed that 3 footer. If he can still win, that would be great, but it would be a heckuva lot better if he just made that stupid putt. At worst he can halve out the last two to keep the US in it.

Furyk also missed a 3 1/2 footer that he took way too much time on. Now he's two down with 3 to play instead of 1 down. And Donald just nailed a big putt to keep it 2 down for Furyk. Dang.

[mauchow]

Poulter is playing out of his mind! WoW!

[Thomkal]

Woods finally up in his match now.

[Thomkal]

Poulter is playing out of his mind! WoW!

Yeah he and Donald and McDowell have been crazy good

[mauchow]

Cink with the huge break on the 17th that could get him 1 up.

[Thomkal]

yep that was a pretty sweet break, unless you are rooting for Europe of course :)

[Thomkal]

ugh and Cink chokes again

[Thomkal]

Europe gets their first win with Poulter dominating Kucher

[Big Fo]

Really need a full point from the Cink - McIlroy match, those two missed putts could be huge. Maybe he can win the 18th.

[Thomkal]

it'll be pretty big for the US if Furyk can win the last hole and halve with Donald.

[Thomkal]

oh man McElroy can't get it out of the bunker on 18

[Thomkal]

Cink really should have won that match, too bad

[Thomkal]

And Woods just hit in the hole from the fairway to go 3 UP.

[Thomkal]

wow Furyk's really got win the last hole now or that's likely the Cup

[mauchow]

Watson and Fowler need to make a come back... And if Furyk wins hole on 18th, that'd be great.

Edit: was behind on my video, furyk now needs to hole it out... not gonna happen.

[Thomkal]

and Furyk hits it in the same bunker McElroy did. :(

[mauchow]

Well, you figure Watson is going to have an advantage on the 15th hole.. so, if he can find a way to win a few holes... *shrug*

edit: and as we speak, jiminez's got a birdie putt to take another hole and that would nearly wrap that match up..

[Thomkal]

Looks like its down to Mahan coming back against McDowell and the rest of our leads staying there if the US is going to win.

[mauchow]

Not sure why Tiger got matched up with the worse of the two Molinari brothers. That could be the difference in this Cup.

[Thomkal]

It was a blind draw wasn't it? Tiger just birdied to go 4 up. all four US leads look pretty comfortable now that Overton has just gone 2 UP.

One thing that would make the Ryder Cup more fun would be to either get rid of the blind draw so we could have seen a Tiger/McElroy match today which both clearly wanted, or to let the fans get into it a bit and let them vote for one matchup they want to see in each round, or even for just one singles match. I mean they are playing for their country or continent right? Why not let us be represented then in a little way.

[mauchow]

My goodness, good putt Watson.. if he drains that he would be in a decent position to come back, but not to be.

[mauchow]

It was a blind draw wasn't it? Tiger just birdied to go 4 up. all four US leads look pretty comfortable now that Overton has just gone 2 UP.

One thing that would make the Ryder Cup more fun would be to either get rid of the blind draw so we could have seen a Tiger/McElroy match today which both clearly wanted, or to let the fans get into it a bit and let them vote for one matchup they want to see in each round, or even for just one singles match. I mean they are playing for their country or continent right? Why not let us be represented then in a little way.

Yeah, I always forget the blind draw. I always imagine the two coaches picking a player to go against the player the other coach chose to put up.

[mauchow]

Mahan may have just cost any chance that he had to come back

[Thomkal]

well when the day began and then again went I went away for breakfast, I felt for sure that this Ryder Cup would not come down to the final match to decide it. I'd like to apologize to Rickie Fowler for all the mean things I said about him, especially after the mistake he made the other day when he dropped the wrong ball. Man what guts to come back from 4 down and make that putt on 18. :)

[Thomkal]

Yeah, I always forget the blind draw. I always imagine the two coaches picking a player to go against the player the other coach chose to put up.

They do that in the President's Cup which is why you might have thought they did that here too

[Thomkal]

nice choke Hunter

[JonInMiddleGA]

Not a big interest event for me but I did get a chuckle or two out of Rick Reilly's column about the various chants going on earlier today.

Rick Reilly: Ryder Cup full of playful banter - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5646913)

[Thomkal]

That would have been a lot of fun if they had to go to 18-last pairing and the Cup on the line. Ah well, congrats Europe, you struggled today but were clearly superior the first 3 days.

[Big Fo]

The US won every session other than that 5.5 - 0.5 debacle yesterday. Even with that, if Cink could have just made one of those putts on 16 or 17...