Wil:
Very poor job of pairing by coach Hal Sutton, particularly in light of Mickelson deciding to use new equipment for this event and in alternate ball having to hit a Nike ball when he regularly uses a Titlest. Different spin and feel to each ball.
If you split these two, you now have 4 matches where it is possible that each one could have carried or helped their partner. Instead, they played together in two matches attempting to win on strength of ranking. Meanwhile Woods is 5-10-2 in the Ryder Cup and Mickelson has lost his last 9 matches.
There were more tactical mistakes made by Sutton in other pairings as well, but I won't get into those here. Regardless, the Europeans clearly outplayed the Americans and deserve every bit of their current lead 6.5 - 1.5 lead. My overall sense is that there will be no comeback like 1999 in this Cup. More likely, the Europeans are going to win the Cup handily and after tomorrow's 4 matches of best ball and 4 matches of alternate ball, may make Sunday's individual matches practically meaningless. It only takes 14.5 points to win the Cup.
Very poor job of pairing by coach Hal Sutton, particularly in light of Mickelson deciding to use new equipment for this event and in alternate ball having to hit a Nike ball when he regularly uses a Titlest. Different spin and feel to each ball.
If you split these two, you now have 4 matches where it is possible that each one could have carried or helped their partner. Instead, they played together in two matches attempting to win on strength of ranking. Meanwhile Woods is 5-10-2 in the Ryder Cup and Mickelson has lost his last 9 matches.
There were more tactical mistakes made by Sutton in other pairings as well, but I won't get into those here. Regardless, the Europeans clearly outplayed the Americans and deserve every bit of their current lead 6.5 - 1.5 lead. My overall sense is that there will be no comeback like 1999 in this Cup. More likely, the Europeans are going to win the Cup handily and after tomorrow's 4 matches of best ball and 4 matches of alternate ball, may make Sunday's individual matches practically meaningless. It only takes 14.5 points to win the Cup.
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - The heavyweight United States duo of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are on track for their second defeat of the day as Europe maintains a stranglehold at the 35th Ryder Cup.
Woods and Mickelson, beaten 2 & 1 in the morning fourballs by Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington, trailed Europeans Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood by one in the foursomes with three holes remaining.
Although the U.S. clinched their first match of the day when Cup rookie Chris DiMarco and veteran Jay Haas beat Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet 3 & 2, Europe followed up with a 4 & 2 win by Montgomerie and Harrington over Davis Love and Fred Funk.
Holders Europe, who led the U.S. by 3-1/2 points to a 1/2 after dominating the morning encounters, were also up in the two remaining afternoon matches at an overcast and breezy Oakland Hills.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Briton Luke Donald, in the final group, led Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink by two with five holes to go.
Playing the alternate-shot format, eight-times major winner Woods and U.S. Masters champion Mickelson had dovetailed superbly early on, reeling off birdies at the second, third and fourth to take control.
They lost momentum, though, with a bogey-five at the 356-yard sixth before the Europeans forged ahead after winning the seventh, 10th and 11th holes.
While Woods and Mickelson wasted their early advantage in front of subdued American galleries, DiMarco and 50-year-old Haas at least gave the U.S. team some inspiration.
"We made some putts, we finally made some putts," said DiMarco, 36, after his partner had set up victory with a brilliant approach to within a foot of the flag at the par-four 16th.
Inspired by a brilliant display of putting, Europe came close to 4-0 clean sweep in the morning foursomes.
FIRST BLOOD
Clarke and Jimenez drew first blood, beating Love and Chad Campbell 5 & 4, before Montgomerie and Harrington outplayed U.S. trump cards Woods and Mickelson.
Garcia and Westwood, a successful combination for Europe at The Belfry in 2002, then grabbed their team's third point with a 5 & 3 victory over former major winners David Toms and Jim Furyk.
The Americans managed to avoid their first clean sweep in the opening fourballs since the 1989 Ryder Cup at the Belfry when Chris Riley and Cink finished all square after a tense battle with Irishman Paul McGinley and Englishman Donald.
Woods and U.S. Masters champion Mickelson had never before played together at the Ryder Cup and U.S. captain Hal Sutton's high-risk strategy backfired as the heavyweight pairing failed to spark.
Montgomerie and Harrington birdied six of the first eight holes and, although Mickelson upped his game after the turn to give the Americans a whiff of a chance, the Europeans never relinquished control.
"It was very important for us to get off to a good start, and we did," Montgomerie told reporters. "We birdied the first four holes and you can't really do much against that.
"It (the win) was psychologically almost worth two points to us. We dovetailed very well and, thanks to my Irish partner here, played fantastic golf."
Europe have dominated the first two days of team play in recent Cup matches and they stayed on track to maintain that trend with a barrage of birdie putts from between 10 and 25 feet.
"We wanted to make a fast start and it doesn't get much better than that," European captain Bernhard Langer told reporters.
"I know how good my guys are. They were ready. They were confident. And I know they will not be complacent."
Woods and Mickelson, beaten 2 & 1 in the morning fourballs by Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington, trailed Europeans Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood by one in the foursomes with three holes remaining.
Although the U.S. clinched their first match of the day when Cup rookie Chris DiMarco and veteran Jay Haas beat Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet 3 & 2, Europe followed up with a 4 & 2 win by Montgomerie and Harrington over Davis Love and Fred Funk.
Holders Europe, who led the U.S. by 3-1/2 points to a 1/2 after dominating the morning encounters, were also up in the two remaining afternoon matches at an overcast and breezy Oakland Hills.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Briton Luke Donald, in the final group, led Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink by two with five holes to go.
Playing the alternate-shot format, eight-times major winner Woods and U.S. Masters champion Mickelson had dovetailed superbly early on, reeling off birdies at the second, third and fourth to take control.
They lost momentum, though, with a bogey-five at the 356-yard sixth before the Europeans forged ahead after winning the seventh, 10th and 11th holes.
While Woods and Mickelson wasted their early advantage in front of subdued American galleries, DiMarco and 50-year-old Haas at least gave the U.S. team some inspiration.
"We made some putts, we finally made some putts," said DiMarco, 36, after his partner had set up victory with a brilliant approach to within a foot of the flag at the par-four 16th.
Inspired by a brilliant display of putting, Europe came close to 4-0 clean sweep in the morning foursomes.
FIRST BLOOD
Clarke and Jimenez drew first blood, beating Love and Chad Campbell 5 & 4, before Montgomerie and Harrington outplayed U.S. trump cards Woods and Mickelson.
Garcia and Westwood, a successful combination for Europe at The Belfry in 2002, then grabbed their team's third point with a 5 & 3 victory over former major winners David Toms and Jim Furyk.
The Americans managed to avoid their first clean sweep in the opening fourballs since the 1989 Ryder Cup at the Belfry when Chris Riley and Cink finished all square after a tense battle with Irishman Paul McGinley and Englishman Donald.
Woods and U.S. Masters champion Mickelson had never before played together at the Ryder Cup and U.S. captain Hal Sutton's high-risk strategy backfired as the heavyweight pairing failed to spark.
Montgomerie and Harrington birdied six of the first eight holes and, although Mickelson upped his game after the turn to give the Americans a whiff of a chance, the Europeans never relinquished control.
"It was very important for us to get off to a good start, and we did," Montgomerie told reporters. "We birdied the first four holes and you can't really do much against that.
"It (the win) was psychologically almost worth two points to us. We dovetailed very well and, thanks to my Irish partner here, played fantastic golf."
Europe have dominated the first two days of team play in recent Cup matches and they stayed on track to maintain that trend with a barrage of birdie putts from between 10 and 25 feet.
"We wanted to make a fast start and it doesn't get much better than that," European captain Bernhard Langer told reporters.
"I know how good my guys are. They were ready. They were confident. And I know they will not be complacent."
