The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Americans get off to Ryder Cup flier
US race to sweep in morning foursomes before superb rally
PUTTING ON THE STYLE: Patrick Reed played a leading role as the United States raced into a 4-0 lead in the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine by sweeping the morning foursomes 4-0. Europe’s golfers were not about to lie down, however, and mounted an afternoon comeback.
“I will take responsibility. I played poorly and Thomas played well” “It’s a tough game to play and we wanted to get momentum”
Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson were leading by example as Europe tried to recover from the shock of being whitewashed in the opening session of the 41st Ryder Cup.
Olympic gold medallist Rose and Open champion Stenson had surrendered their unbeaten record to Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed in the morning foursomes, but were sent out against the same opposition in the first of the afternoon fourballs.
And Darren Clarke’s leading pairing gave the European captain what he needed by combining six birdies in the first eight holes, having managed just one in their 3 and 2 morning defeat.
Stenson was responsible for three of those in succession from the sixth and was inches away from a hole-in-one on the eighth to move two up, while there was also good news in matches two and four.
Spain’s Rafa CabreraBello started his Ryder Cup career with a birdie on the first alongside compatriot Sergio Garcia and also birdied the sixth as the European pair took control against Ryan Moore and JB Holmes.
Rory McIlroy and Thomas Pieters were also ahead of Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar, although Masters champion Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer were well down to Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka.
Perhaps fittingly, the last time the United States won an opening session 4-0 was when the late Arnold Palmer was captain in 1975, albeit against Great Britain and Ireland. Palmer’s bag from that contest had been displayed on the first tee in tribute to the seven-time major winner after his death on Sunday.
The United States have never lost a Ryder Cup on home soil after winning the opening session and looked in irresistible form.
Veteran Lee Westwood shouldered full responsibility for the dreadful 5 and 4 loss to America’s Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar as the hosts took a 4-0 lead after the morning foursomes.
The Englishman, playing in his 10th successive event, was paired with rookie Thomas Pieters and was charged with helping the 24-year-old Belgian get round in his first outing.
However, despite a comforting arm around his partner’s back on the first tee there was little other support from the 43-year-old, who was one of captain Darren Clarke’s picks in order to get some experience into a team which features six debutants.
“I will take responsibility. I played poorly and Thomas played well. He made some putts when we needed to,” said Westwood, who is two points short of Nick Faldo’s alltime Ryder Cup record haul of 25 points.
“I tried to put a bit of pressure on, we didn’t want to be giving holes away.
“I hit a couple of wild drives early on (he drove into a bunker at the first and into the water at the seventh) and can’t afford to do that.
“It’s a tough game to play and we wanted to get momentum.”
Another disappointment for Europe on the opening morning came in Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer’s match against Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson.
The European duo took the lead on the second hole and held it for nine holes but Garcia missed a couple of crucial putts to extend their advantage and US hit back by winning five holes in a row in a 4 and 2 victory.
“When you have chances, you’ve got to take them,” said Garcia. “If you go two up maybe it’s different but unfortunately we didn’t and they did.”
Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth were too strong for Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson in the opening match and Reed said: “I live for those kind of moments, having the whole crowd behind me gets me going. It was an awesome feeling.”
Spieth added: “We knew months ago Rose and Stenson would be thrown out first and we told the captain we’d love to hit the first shots. We got off to a hot start.”
THE RESULTS
Foursomes: Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed beat Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose 3 and 2; Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar beat Lee Westwood and Thomas Pieters 5 and 4; Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler beat Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan 1 hole; Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson beat Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer 4 and 2 (4-0).