Practice groups hint at Love’s pod nod
CHASKA, Minn. — The Ryder Cup captains will not officially begin to reveal their pairings until late Thursday afternoon, but there were some significant hints by virtue of some of the groups for Tuesday’s practice round at Hazeltine.
The first U.S. foursome to go out was Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson. The second was Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Moore, Brooks Koekpa and J.B. Holmes. And the third was Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker.
“We had groups of guys that we’ve kind of been looking at for a while just to get out and practice in, and we’ll probably mix it up [Wednesday],” U.S. captain Davis Love III said. “But this was guys that get along well and have played a lot together and obviously spend a lot of time together.’’
Love has never said he’s following the pod system 2008 U.S. captain Paul Azinger incorporated so well in the most recent U.S. victory. But there are significant hints he is using pods, which he did in 2012 when he captained for the first time.
In fact, Spieth on Tuesday referred to being in a “pod’’ with Kuchar, Johnson and Reed. So it seems likely that those three foursomes will be the pods.
The European foursomes that played together on Tuesday were Martin Kaymer, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Danny Willett and Lee Westwood, then Matthew Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Thomas Pieters and finally Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood.
No one involved knows for sure how Arnold Palmer’s death will affect the players, but everyone acknowledged that the King will never be far from their minds.
“I think it definitely affects both teams,’’ Garcia said. “Arnie was a legend, a great man. He helped our game not only in the U.S. but all over the world. We also feel very sad for his loss and we miss him very much. So I don’t know, I don’t know how it will affect the teams — if the U.S. will push on a bit more.
“You don’t want to start the Ryder Cup with sad news like that, but unfortunately it’s the way of life. I’m sure that he’ll be out there looking down, probably talking to Seve [ Ballesteros] a little bit and seeing who is going to win it.’’
Love said: “We are all playing with heavy hearts. I’ve got to rewrite a speech, because I’ve got to change the tone and add Arnold in there obviously. It will always be in the back of our minds [this week], but the guys are still out there working hard, preparing, getting ready to play.’’
The U.S. team got a pep talk from decorated U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps on Monday night. Phelps was in town to play in Tuesday’s celebrity Ryder Cup event and for a sponsorship appearance.