Rose hails ‘incredible rookie’ Wood
When Darren Clarke decided to partner Ryder Cup veteran Justin Rose with debutant Chris Wood he surely envisaged the Olympic champion providing the rookie with a guiding hand through the morning foursomes.
Instead, as they strode up the 18th it was Wood who was leading the way, taking the lead and the initiative as Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker threatened a late comeback.
Wood, the 6ft 5in Bristolian, had not slept much on Friday night as he contemplated his Ryder Cup debut, having been rested for both the foursomes and fourballs on day one as Clarke played it relatively safe with his selections. Yet within 18 holes he had proven himself ready for this stage and equipped for the challenge of facing down a 55,000strong crowd that had scented European blood from the start.
When the European pair floundered it was largely Rose who was under the spotlight, particularly when he chose to go for the 16th green with his second shot and found the water. With the lead two holes at that stage the percentage shot would have been to play it safe, but that was not the way Rose and Wood wanted to do things, having enjoyed success earlier in the match with the same, aggressive approach.
True, Wood had moments where he wobbled and Rose enjoyed times when he excelled, none more so than with his approach to the 10th that put the European pair two up.
The danger, though, was that this tie would be remembered for a mistake by the experienced man rather than the rookie – and with that error so fresh in his mind it was perhaps no wonder that Rose was almost giddy with excitement as he spoke to the Sky television cameras after a narrow victory was secured thanks to solid pars over the final two holes. Rose, playing in his 14th Ryder Cup pairing but with a rookie for the first time, knew his partner had more than held his end up.
“I got a bit of goose bumps after that, honestly he was amazing,” said Rose of Wood, the BMW PGA Championship winner at Wentworth in May. “The captain [Clarke] asked me on the way to the 16th tee how he was doing and I said: ‘incredible’. He ripped it, and his touch on the greens was amazing. I had so much faith in him out there, which was such a cool feeling, and any time, any place I will play with him again.”
The surprise, then, was that Clarke decided to split them up for the fourballs, reuniting Rose with Henrik Stenson, his partner throughout Friday. As they struggled initially against an inspired Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth Clarke may have been questioning his decision but it had been made – Wood, having made such a promising debut, was to be rested again to preserve his energy for the singles. With the day having such a clear emotional effect on him the choice was understandable.
“Well obviously sleeping overnight knowing I’m playing today – there were some nerves there,” admitted Wood. “It’s my first Ryder Cup but when you know you are playing with a guy like this [Rose] next to you then you know there’s nothing to be worried about, he’s such a solid guy to have next to you. To win my first point in my first game is great to get off the mark. The boys are going well behind so we have some momentum.”
That was to prove prophetic as the Spanish pair of Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrero Bello pulled off their escapology act to halve the final match with Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, but Wood was crucial to that momentum.
He had spoken beforehand about his ability to cope with the raucous, intimidating noise on the first tee, claiming he was ready for the worst a fiercely partisan crowd were capable of. Having talked the talk, Wood managed to walk the walk.
“Every single shot you hit there is so much pressure on it,” he said. “I don’t think we dropped a shot today and one up going up the last. Those 20-footers, they are easy on paper but when there is so much on it they take a lot of hitting. I’m so glad to get a point on the board.”