golfrewind.com

TIGER WOODS v DAVID HOWELL
PHIL MICKELSON V COLIN MONTGOMERIE
JIM FURYK V LUKE DONALD
CHAD CAMPBELL V SERGIO GARCIA
DAVID TOMS V PAUL CASEY
CHRIS DiMARCO V DARREN CLARKE
VAUGHN TAYLOR V HENDRICK STENSON
JJ HENRY V ROBERT KARLSON
ZACH JOHNSON V LEE WESTWOOD
BRETT WETTERICH V PAUL MCGINLEY
STEWART CINK V JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL
SCOTT VERPLANK V PADRAIG HARRINGTON

Only a mug would say any of these match ups is a certaintity ,the juices are flowing already.

My pairings for the first day would be

am - Fourballs

Woods and Fuyrk v Montgomerie and Harrington
Di MArco and Mickleson v Donald and Garcia
Toms and Campbell v Howell and Casey
Verplank and Cink v Clarke and Westwood

pm - Foursomes

Woods and Henry v Harrington and McGinley
Mickelson and Taylor v Montgomerie and Stenson
Dimarco and Wetterich v Donald and Olazabal
Furyk and Johnson v Howell and Karlson.

Although I don't know the relationships and personalities involved, why not pair the two Swedes together?
What is your reason for not playing Garcia in the afternoon?

1.First day, pairing two rookies together would be dangerous.
2. Resting him for 36 holes the next day while Howell and Montgomerie rest for 18

There are two things I don't like:

1.. One is leading off with Woods and Furyk. Leading off with Tiger the last three times hasn't been good. They'vce done it four times in a row and the U.S. has struggled on Friday. I like Brandel Chamblee putting him and Furyk in the third group.

2. I don't think they need to play everyone the first day either. The weakest players can play in the best ball on Sat. The Europeans may be pressured to play everyone the first day (even karlsson and Stenson, since they are playing well).

Not leading off with Tiger gives everyone the message , you are hiding him...............

It's failed. Why try something that's failed for us in the past. Putting him later in the morning lineup does two things..

1. Puts the pressure on the Europeans to win the first match instead of us.

2. Allows the teams playing before Tiger to focus on their own games instead of Tiger's, which I think has been part of the reason we've fallen behind.

The ones on our team who are not playing with him but are playing need to pretend he is hidden (focus on their own matches).

Resting who for 36 holes?

No, I was resting GArcia on the first afternoon , so he can play 36 the second day.

No sensible golfer wants to 'find ' Tiger , but USA have led with the nose at the last Ryder Cups by declaring Tiger unbeatable and putting him out first. That he then got beat was not the plan Hal had in his mind.

Now , he needs to payback by going out first and winning, giving USA the lead and the points they need. I think he will do it this time and silence his critics.

Whether the rest of the team can back him up,is a different matter. I suspect Tiger will come out of this Ryder Cup with a lot of his critics eating crow.If he wins 5 points and USA lose, no one can blame him.

TIGER WOODS v DAVID HOWELL
PHIL MICKELSON V COLIN MONTGOMERIE
JIM FURYK V LUKE DONALD
CHAD CAMPBELL V SERGIO GARCIA
DAVID TOMS V PAUL CASEY
CHRIS DiMARCO V DARREN CLARKE
VAUGHN TAYLOR V HENDRICK STENSON
JJ HENRY V ROBERT KARLSON
ZACH JOHNSON V LEE WESTWOOD
BRETT WETTERICH V PAUL MCGINLEY
STEWART CINK V JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL
SCOTT VERPLANK V PADRAIG HARRINGTON

Close race, but the American older side is way stronger then Europes, Dimarco i think will beat clarke because he hasnt played in who knows how long, in the end, Americans win 7, Europe 5, and the USA PREVAILS!

Too bad there are more than singles matches.

That's one way of guessing it, other people could argue differently.History shows that unsung players (e.g. Phillip Price,Phillip Walton,Eamon Darcy) ,beat more established players (e.g.Mickleson,Haas and Crenshaw)

[quote=Lefty]No, I was resting GArcia on the first afternoon , so he can play 36 the second day.

No sensible golfer wants to 'find ' Tiger , but USA have led with the nose at the last Ryder Cups by declaring Tiger unbeatable and putting him out first. That he then got beat was not the plan Hal had in his mind.

Again, we need to get the focus off of Tiger, and let the teammates focus on their matches. I think the overfocus on Tiger has been a big distraction for the other teammates.

Now , he needs to payback by going out first and winning, giving USA the lead and the points they need. I think he will do it this time and silence his critics.

I don't agree. Putting him out third or fourth will help the other U.S. teammates focus on their matches, which I believe is part of the problem.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/5318396.stm

Maybe Michelle should go out first and Tiger should be hidden in the pack.

I must admit, for someone who have never actually won anything of any substance, she can talk a huge game.

How many other profesional golfers who have not made a cut in the professional game are talking about their place on the Ryder Cup team..........

Over to you Rodney.....