The time for shouting is just about all over. At 7.35 am tomorrow the first tee shots will be hit in the 40th Ryder Cup and once again the eyes of the world will be on Scotland.
The 2014 edition at Gleneagles certainly has a lot to live up to after "The Miracle of Medinah" two years ago, when Europe came from 10-4 down at one stage on the Saturday to win and another superb tournament at Celtic Manor in 2010.
Today's opening ceremony certainly threw up some interesting pairings on both sides for tomorrow morning's opening fourball matches.
Here's how I think they'll go.
Match One: Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson (Eur) V Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson (USA)
A match featuring three Majors and a FedEx Cup winner isn't a bad way to get the Ryder Cup under way. Rose and Stenson are two of the greatest drivers of the ball in the European team, and they aren't too bad at iron play either which should set up plenty of birdies for both of them.
However, they will come up against a very formidable American pair. Two time Masters champion and US Open champion Webb Simpson formed a superb partnership at Medinah as they won two fourball matches 5+4, including one against Rose when he partnered Francesco Molinari.
I expect this one to go down the 18th and such is the standard of golfers on both sides in this match, I'm going to give each team a half for this match.
Match Two: Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer (Eur) V Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker (USA)
The Bjorn/Kaymer partnership took me aback somewhat when it was announced earlier. Bjorn's experience cannot be denied and Kaymer's won two of the biggest tournaments in golf this year, but I was surprised to see McGinley leave out matchplay specialist Graeme McDowell or even Lee Westwood out altogether.
It's still a strong pairing though with Kaymer back to his best this year, after being at this worst in the run up to the 2012 Ryder Cup, where he still managed to hole the winning putt. Bjorn is enjoying a comeback in his 40s like so many golfers do nowadays and is one of the most respected golfers on tour.
However, I think that the US pairing of Fowler and Walker will have too much for them. Fowler has the potential to become a talisman for his side over the weekend having finished in the top five in all four majors this year whilst Walker has enjoyed three wins this season and his long hitting will setup plenty birdie opportunities.
USA to get the first full point of the match in this one.
Match Three: Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter (Eur) V Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed (USA)
The hometown hero and Mr Ryder Cup against two Ryder Cup rookies. I know where my money is going in match three and let's just say it might just get messy for Spieth and Reed.
The noise that will greet Gallacher and Poulter at the first tee at 8.05am tomorrow morning will be unbelievable and will give rookie Gallacher a massive boost. Poulter is of course 'Mr Ryder Cup' and boasts a record of 12 wins out of 15 matches. I've had a few texts from friends saying they think Poulter is due a bad Ryder Cup, but all I see is someone that is fired up to deliver again.
Spieth and Reed are two youngsters who have burst onto the scene in the last year or so and like most rookies, they will be fired up. But Watson has made an error here by putting two rookies together rather than pairing one of them with say a Jim Furyk figure.
Europe to win this one.
Match Four: Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy (Eur) V Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley (USA)
Mouthwatering. That's the only word to describe the final fourball match of tomorrow morning. And after Phil Mickelson's "litigation" jibe towards McIlroy yesterday, it comes with added spice.
McIlroy and Garcia is a partnership which intrigues me as I thought Rory would be paired with Poulter. But the men who pushed each other so close at the Open will team up to form an incredible partnership. McIlroy has been in scintillating form throughout this year, winning back to back majors and cementing his position at the top of the world rankings.
And Garcia looks like a man who is loving his golf again and he isn't far off Poulter in terms of someone who thrives on the Ryder Cup.
But the pair from Northern Ireland and Spain respectively will face the partnership that blew Europe away for two days at Medinah in the form of Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. Neither has been at the top of their game this year but the pair thrive off each other's personality and will be keen to avenge that loss at Medinah more than anyone.
I'm sticking my neck out though and I'll say Europe to win this one on the 18th green to take a 2.5-1.5 lead into the afternoon.
The Ryder Cup is three days of sporting action every two years that has me glued to the television (or in the case of the Medinah match, my friends Sky Go on his phone as I was on a trip to London) and the fact that it is in Scotland makes that little bit extra special this year. Let battle commence.
No comments:
Post a Comment