Ryders cup, golf lead to back to back
Around a day by means of 10 matches were played inside of an enforced switch to
the event’s format, the U.S. team opened up a 6-4 lead after a first round of
four-balls and foursomes matches, but when play finally drew to the close amid
fading light here, Europe had rallied to move forward in each of the six matches
on course by carrying out a captivating final session. “It was necessary a
couple of hours of play which came through it with flying colors,” said Colin
Montgomerie, the European captain. “Momentum is key in these matches and we
hadn’t had any. We lost the initial two series. Suddenly we’re in an, very good
position.” In the new extended third session, which comprised two foursomes and
four four-ball encounters outcome Friday’s lengthy rain delay, Europe took a
commanding position in each match, with your two foursomes contests threatening
to turn suitable into a rout. Definitely fitting that Jose Maria Olazabal had a
role to play in the recovery. The Spaniard, who performed numerous Ryder Cup
heroics during his career as well as favorite to captain the team in 2012, has
been prevented from playing frontline golf forat least a year credited his
chronic rheumatism. But he was able to attend this year’s event at Celtic Manor
and was drafted into Montgomerie’s backroom team towards second and third
sessions, the location where the revised format meant that there are six matches
to watch instead of the usual four. “It’s super to have him on board,” said
Montgomerie. “He was not allowed a buggy and as a result I felt he'd struggle,
but he was up for it and the adrenaline has kept him going throughout the day.
It’s fantastic to have my old friend concerning the golf course with me at
night.” In the foursomes, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald were 4-up through nine
holes about the U.S. pairing of Ken Stricker and Tiger Woods, whose hitherto
dominant displays in the first two sessions had marked them out as arguably the
most feared partnership of the 2010 tournament, while the Northern Irish pair of
Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy were 3-up against Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan
with an opportunity to extend their lead when play resumes following McDowell’s
delightful approach on the eighth just seconds before the players were brought
off for bad light. “The foursomes are key games because they are the tough ones
in this format,” said Montgomerie. “Rory and Graeme have done fantastic and for
Luke and Lee fo be 4-up against possibly the strongest American pairing… it’s
been a superb session from the moment we set off, we started winning from the
first hole.” Europe also gained the upper hand in each of the four foursomes
matches during a final session in which the crowd of 50,000 to deliver Celtic
Manor finally came alive, creating an electric atmosphere in which the lusty
cheers must have carried to the top of the Usk River Valley. “We had to get the
crowd as our 13th man back on our side by good play,” said Montgomerie.
“Obviously the Americans were silencing the crowd, that’s what was happening in
the first couple of sessions.” It didn’t take long for Europe to galvanize their
fans this evening, though. The opening four-ball pair of Padraig Harrington and
Ross Fisher took a lead at the third hole when Fished drained a 25ft putt and
were 1-up against Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson at the close. When Francesco
Molinari knocked in a pin-high chip to give him and brother Eduardo a lead at
the second against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, the crowd burst into a
soccer-style chant of “There’s only two Molinaris…” The Italians were 1-up at
the end of play. Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer were 2-up against Phil Mickelson
and Rickie Fowler at the close, justifying Montgomerie’s decision to break up
his presumed No. 1 pairing of Kaymer and Westwood following this afternoon’s
foursomes, while some inspired play from Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez,
who raked in a glorious 30-foot putt at the second, left them 2-up against Bubba
Watson and Jeff Overton.
