Inspired US take Ryder Cup initiative

After a nervy start by both sides an inspired US team destroyed the course, and Europe, in the afternoon fourballs to take a much deserved 5-3 lead into day two of the Ryder Cup.

While the US team undoubtedly played the best golf they were helped by some surprising selections from Olazabal, pairing Westwood and Molinari together was a mistake, and in the afternoon picking Westwood again, dropping Poulter, Donald and Garcia, picking Kaymer, and the desperate pairing of Lawrie and Hanson were serious errors that greatly backfired.

In contrast US captain Love seems to have a strategy of pairing a big hitter with a great putter and he’s sticking with it and he’s not mixing up his pairings and that coupled with the great play and home support for his side, can leave him rightly feeling aggrieved at only having a two point advantage at this stage.

In fact if it wasn’t for Woods and Stricker effectively gifting Europe two points then things could be a whole lot worse, and Love has realised his error by dropping Woods for the first time in his Ryder Cup career.

Bizarrely Olazabal has stuck with Westwood when he too should really be benched he was a passenger yesterday and simply can’t hole a putt to save his life under any circumstances let alone under Ryder Cup pressure.

I’m glad Olazabal is sticking with Poulter/Rose and McIlroy/McDowell in today’s foursomes but on the other hand concerned that he’s split Donald/Garcia and has stuck with Westwood.

The European pairings for the morning sessions are:

Rose/Poulter

Westwood/Donald

Colsaerts/Garcia

McIlroy McDowell

When for me it should look more like this:  

Rose/Poulter

Colsaerts/Lawrie

Donald/Garcia

McIlroy/McDowell

A few other things worth mentioning are that I think Kaymer shouldn’t play again until Sunday, and if you’re going to play Hanson in the afternoon then he needs to be paired with a big hitter, and if you’re going to use Molinari he needs to be sent out with a good putter.

As the US have showed pairing a big hitter with a good putter, especially in the fourballs, is the way to go around this course and Olazabal has made a two mistakes by firstly not realising this and secondly mixing up his parings, I think he should have, like Love, picked six parings on Monday and allowed them to play together in all the practice rounds and keep them together at all times during the competition whatever happens.

We may have only had one days play but Europe need to end today 8-8 or 9-7 down at the very least otherwise this could all be over before Sunday, where traditionally the Americans are stronger.

I’m still rooting for Europe but if it goes anything like yesterday then the prospect of Europe keeping hold of the trophy look bleak at best.