If Europe can get off to a great start in Ryder Cups, why can't we? Wouldn't it be great if we had a big enough lead going into Sat. afternoon that we could sit Tiger, Phil, Jim, and Chris and let the others play to get experience without all of that pressure?
Europe got off to a big lead in the U.S. Why can't we do the same in Europe?
The Europeans seem to hole a mile of putts straight away in recent Ryder Cups.They seem to risk more on the putting, and aren`t afraid to leave their partner with a `testy` putt back ! Whereas the Americans seem overly concerned about leaving that dreaded 3 foot return putt imo.
The greens are always much slower when it`s held in Europe. Therefore if I was Lehman, I`d ask the team to always putt aggresively on the first putt !
The first hole in the last Ryder cup says it all. Monty is aggressive from the fairway bunker and hits it to 15 feet. Makes it. Phil has a 40 footer for birdie and doesn't get it to the hole, 20 feet short. and this was the 4 balls part.
One team getting off to that kinda enormous lead is pretty rare. That said, why would you even want to sit out your horses on Saturday afternoon if there's a chance you could put the other team completely out of it before singles?
One team getting off to that kinda enormous lead is pretty rare. That said, why would you even want to sit out your horses on Saturday afternoon if there's a chance you could put the other team completely out of it before singles?
I can point to the 1999 Ryder Cup to point out why. All the Europeans could get was a split on Sat. afternoon. By not playing their rookies and resting some of their players for singles, they dearly paid for it on Sunday's singles.
I can point to the 1999 Ryder Cup to point out why. All the Europeans could get was a split on Sat. afternoon. By not playing their rookies and resting some of their players for singles, they dearly paid for it on Sunday's singles.
They paid dearly because they had an inferior singles lineup, man against man. We'll have the same disadvantage this year...not to mention, the rookies will all play before the singles. Lehman would be silly not to get them in somewhere.
They paid dearly because they had an inferior singles lineup, man against man. We'll have the same disadvantage this year...not to mention, the rookies will all play before the singles. Lehman would be silly not to get them in somewhere.
Plus playing three inexperienced rookies back to back in the front of the lineup instead of spreading them out.
By playing Clarke and Westwood and Jimenez in all of the matches, they were fairly useless for singles, since they were exhausted. Having Sat. afternoon to rest would have done nothing but help.
They paid dearly because they had an inferior singles lineup, man against man. We'll have the same disadvantage this year...not to mention, the rookies will all play before the singles. Lehman would be silly not to get them in somewhere.
Though he may play them once, but once should be enough and preferably in better ball matchups.
Zach Johnson and perhaps Vaughn Taylor may play three matches counting singles. Zach is the only rookie I see playing as many as 4 matches total.
I am not counting on Chad Campbell to play all the matches, and David Toms may not be able to play all the matches due to recovering from injuries (I think back)...
Mark James gave USA a huge boost by not playing three players, including one of his picks , on the first two days. When the final day started the true score was 10-9 as it was obvious none of the three would have a chance.
Tiger and Phil with strong partners should be the first two groups each morning,and with rookies as the first two groups in the afternoon. That would give USA the strongest start and spread the load.
I`m pretty sure the `home` captain gets to decide which format is played first for the first two days. If so, then historically the American team are better at fourball, as opposed to foursome golf.
This could cause Lehman some difficulties, as Woosnam is sure to choose foursomes to start with each day. Therefore he (Lehman) can`t rest the big guns in the afternoon... during their more suited format. I think he`ll have to use his strongest players as much as possible to begin with, because if America can take a lead each day (or be at least tied) going into the afternoon fourballs, then they`ll be in a very strong position. Lehman may not use the rookies until Saturday afternoon.
I`m pretty sure the `home` captain gets to decide which format is played first for the first two days. If so, then historically the American team are better at fourball, as opposed to foursome golf.
This could cause Lehman some difficulties, as Woosnam is sure to choose foursomes to start with each day. Therefore he (Lehman) can`t rest the big guns in the afternoon... during their more suited format. I think he`ll have to use his strongest players as much as possible to begin with, because if America can take a lead each day (or be at least tied) going into the afternoon fourballs, then they`ll be in a very strong position. Lehman may not use the rookies until Saturday afternoon.
I would not count on Chad Campbell and David Toms being dependable enough to play all of the matches. Toms for health reasons, and I am not so sure Campbell is up to the challenge, and he hasn't played well lately. Verplank and Cink could possibly sit out a match.
August 28th, 2006, 07:54 PM
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
