Ryder Cup - pick your pairings

The Rooster

Right, the Ryder Cup is starting next week.

As far as I am aware its four fourballs on the first morning and four foursomes in the afternoon this year. Remember in 4ball, everyone plays their own ball, but in 4some its one ball per pair, with players hitting alternate shots.

So how would you pair up Europe's players?

The Europe team is:
Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, David Howell, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Thomas Levet, Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood

Here are the pairings and results of the 4balls and 4somes from the last 2 Ryder Cups:

1999
Foursomes: Morning
David Duval & Phil Mickelson v Paul Lawrie & Colin Montgomerie (3 and 2)
Tom Lehman & Tiger Woods v Sergio Garcia & Jesper Parnevik (2 and 1)
Davis Love III & Payne Stewart (halved) v Miguel Angel Jiménez & Padraig Harrington (halved)
Jeff Maggert & Hal Sutton (3 and 2) v Darren Clarke & Lee Westwood
Fourballs: Afternoon
Jim Furyk & Phil Mickelson v Sergio Garcia & Jesper Parnevik (1-up)
Justin Leonard & Davis Love III (halved) v Paul Lawrie & Colin Montgomerie (halved)
Jeff Maggert & Hal Sutton v Miguel Angel Jiménez & Jose Maria Olazabal (2 and 1)
David Duval & Tiger Woods v Darren Clarke & Lee Westwood (1-up)
Foursomes: Morning
Jeff Maggert & Hal Sutton(1-up) v Paul Lawrie & Colin Montgomerie
Jim Furyk & Mark O'Meara v Darren Clarke & Lee Westwood (3 and 2)
Steve Pate & Tiger Woods(1-up) v Miguel Angel Jiménez & Padraig Harrington
Justin Leonard & Payne Stewart v Sergio Garcia & Jesper Parnevik (3 and 2)
Fourballs: Afternoon
Phil Mickelson & Tom Lehman (2 and 1) v Darren Clarke & Lee Westwood
Davis Love III & David Duval (halved) v Sergio Garcia & Jesper Parnevik (halved)
Justin Leonard & Hal Sutton (halved) v Miguel Angel Jiménez & Jose Maria Olazabal (halved)
Steve Pate & Tiger Woods v Paul Lawrie & Colin Montgomerie (2 and 1)

2002
Fourballs: Morning
Tiger Woods & Paul Azinger v Darren Clarke & Thomas Björn (1-up)
David Duval & Davis Love III v Sergio Garcia & Lee Westwood (4 and 3)
Scott Hoch & Jim Furyk v Colin Montgomerie & Bernhard Langer (4 and 3)
Phil Mickelson & David Toms (1-up) v Padraig Harrington & Niclas Fasth
Foursomes: Afternoon
Hal Sutton & Scott Verplank (2 and 1) v Darren Clarke & Thomas Björn
Tiger Woods & Mark Calcavecchia v Sergio Garcia & Lee Westwood (2 and 1)
Phil Mickelson & David Toms ½ v Colin Montgomerie & Bernhard Langer ½
Stewart Cink & Jim Furyk (3 and 2) v Padraig Harrington & Paul McGinley
Foursomes: Morning
Phil Mickelson & David Toms (2 and 1) v Pierre Fulke & Phillip Price
Jim Furyk & Stewart Cink v Lee Westwood & Sergio Garcia (2 and 1)
Scott Verplank & Scott Hoch v Colin Montgomerie & Bernhard Langer (1-up)
Tiger Woods & Davis Love III (4 and 3) v Darren Clarke & Thomas Björn
Fourballs: Afternoon
Mark Calcavecchia & David Duval (1-up) v Niclas Fasth & Jesper Parnevik
Phil Mickelson & David Toms v Colin Montgomerie & Padraig Harrington (2 and 1)
Tiger Woods & Davis Love III (1-up) v Sergio Garcia & Lee Westwood
Scott Hoch & Jim Furyk ½ v Darren Clarke & Paul McGinley ½

mike65

Monty - Donald
Harrington - McGinley
Clarke - Howell
Garcia - Jiménez
Levet - Casey
Poulter - Westwood

Mike.

iasc

Monty - Howell
Harrington - McGinley
Clarke - Jiménez
Garcia - Westwood
Levet - Poulter
Casey - Donald

The Rooster

There'll be 4 pairings in the morning fourballs and another 4 in the afternoon foursomes.

I'd like to give everyone a run on the day, so I'd go something like this:

Morning 4balls:

Garcia & Westwood
Clarke & Jiminez
Harrington & Monty
Donald & Poulter

Then in the afternoon 4somes:

Levet & Howell
Harrington & McGinley
Donald & Casey
Jiminez & Garcia
- which would be subject to change if any of Harrington, Jiminez, Sergio or Donald played badly in the morning.

Harder to predict the 2nd morning as it will be subject to form a lot, but what the hell:

4balls

Garcia & Jiminez
Casey & Westwood
Monty & Levet
Harrington & Clarke

4somes

Monty & Casey
Clarke & McGinley
Garcia & Donald
any two from Poulter, Harrington, Howell, Westwood and Levet depending on form.

Houllio

Yeah its usually best to keep fellow country men together like Garcia and Jimenez. Harrington and McGinley or Clarke. Monty and Westwood with either Donald, Casey, Poulter or Howell (although i dont think Howell will be used as much as the others). I would'nt put Casey and Donald or Poulter together i think you need experience with youth. Hard to pick a partner for Levet.

Possible pairings
Foursomes:
Monty and Casey
Westwood and Donald
Garcia and Jimenez
Harrington and McGinley

Fourballs
Monty and Donald
Jimenez and Garcia
Harrington and Clarke
Casey and Westwood

denachoman

Garcia and Jiminez in the foursomes.
garcia and Westwood in the fourballs.

Monty and Donald in the foursomes.
monty and Clarke in the fourballs.

Harrington and McGinley fourball
Harrington and Levet foursomes

Clarke and Casey/Poulter fourball
Rest is anyone's guess.

Back Jimenez at 8.4 to 1 on Betfair to be top European points scorer.

The Rooster

The Rooster wrote:

Morning 4balls:

Garcia & Westwood
Clarke & Jiminez
Harrington & Monty
Donald & Poulter

Swap Poulter for McGinley and I had it bang on!

Genius :cool: :cool:

......... now where's that trumpet of mine

eirebhoy

First out:

Harrington/Monty -v- Woods/Mickelson

What a way to kick it off.

celticfc

eirebhoy wrote:

First out:

Harrington/Monty -v- Woods/Mickelson

What a way to kick it off.

Yep, couldn't pick a much better opener

445279.ie

Harrington/Monty 1 up after 1st

mike65

Europe are bossing the morning play.

Mike.

threebeards

Clarke/Jimenez win 5&4. Great start. Europe leading the other fourballs as well.

mike65

3 and a half to Europe! Thier best ever start. Too early to pop the Champagne of course!

Mike.

mike65

USA 1½-6½ Europe

The best ever first day for Europe and equalls the best ever by the USA.

Mike.

Bateman

Casey/Howell have just taken their game, and stemmed the American tide. The Yanks have dominated the whole day, and Europe still have one and a half.

mike65

Harrington is about to put to win a point....its in! McGinley/Harrington beat Woods/Love.

Luke Donald has a 3 foot put to win a point...and its in! Garcia/Donald beat Funk/Furyk

Europes finnish 6 points clear tonight! Only need 3 tomorrow to retain Cup!!

Mike.

Davey Devil

I haven't left the TV in the last 2 days, everytime I close my eyes all I can see is golf shots. Can't ask for a better first 2 days. Key match today was Howell/Casey pulling it out of the bag when they were one down and two to play. Without that win it could have been a totally different afternoon. Come on Europe!!!!!

KevIRL

Davey Devil wrote:

I haven't left the TV in the last 2 days, everytime I close my eyes all I can see is golf shots. Can't ask for a better first 2 days. Key match today was Howell/Casey pulling it out of the bag when they were one down and two to play. Without that win it could have been a totally different afternoon. Come on Europe!!!!!

Moment of the day yesterday was all the irsih lads singing and shouting as Harrington and McGinley were interviewed after beating Woods and Love. Classness!

KevIRL

today's games


T Woods v P Casey 5pm
P Mickelson v S Garcia 5.11pm
D Love III v D Clarke 5.22pm
J Furyk v D Howell 5.33pm
K Perry v L Westwood 5.44pm
D Toms v C Montgomerie 5.55pm
C Campbell v L Donald 6.06pm
C DiMarco v MA Jimenez 6.17pm
F Funk v T Levet 6.28pm
C Riley v I Poulter 6.39pm
J Haas v P Harrington 6.50pm
S Cink v P McGinley 7.01pm

mike65

Europe wins the Ryder Cup! Again! Monty does it and still 5 games to go.

Mike.

celticfc

\o/ \o/ \o/

G'wan teh Monteh !!

mike65

Score: USA 9½ -18½ Europe, a record margin in the modern era.


This from US golf legend Johnny Miller-

Europe does have one thing working in its favor: Oakland Hills requires persistence, patience and mental toughness, and Europe has excelled in those areas in the past. Whether it's enough to defeat the more talented Americans remains to be seen. However, I can't help but predict a convincing win for the Yanks.

Mike.

eirebhoy

Ireland certainly got represented well over there. Bring on 2006!

MisterAnarchy

Well i'm off down the bookies tomorrow to collect my substantial winnings.
The two best bets of the year in one week.
Cork to beat Kilkenny in the All Ireland Final 6-4, and Europe to beat the USA ,7-4.
I was extremely confident of both bets coming off and put a big wager on both.
I didnt have the double but I'm happy.
I was shocked to discover the USA were favourites considering the players on their team.
Haas,Riley,Funk,Campbell,Perry,Di Marco and Cink are average golfers.
Coupled with the fact that most of their team are suffering from a slump in form,Furyk has just returned from injury and Mickelson has changed his clubs.
I'm delighted we beat the USA .
Their arrogance is astonishing.
They keep on disrespecting the Europeans .
Over 18 holes any golfer ,even the best can be beaten.
Its all how a player reacts on the day.
Roll on 2006.
Hopefully I will be able to get tickets....