Team USA got off to a fast, dominating start early this morning at the 42nd Ryder Cup. Jim Furyk’s boys started quickly and finished off the Europeans for a 3-1 advantage in the morning Fourballs. With the aid of some lack luster play by the Euros, especially their leader, Rory McIlroy the Americans closed out the first three matches with victories.
The only hiccup was when Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed surrendered a two up lead after the tenth hole to lose to Tommy Fleetwood and Francisco Molinari 3&2. The good news for the USA was that Jordan Spieth who has struggled with his putter all year found his stroke and was draining putts as if it were 2015 when he was on fire.
Furyk must have felt satisfied with his charges as he dealt out the pairings for the afternoon alternate shot. And then things turned.
Euro captain Thomas Bjorn started the afternoon with his heavyweight team of Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson and it was over quickly. They went 3 up after seven and got it to 5 up after eleven and coasted in from there for a 3&2 win over Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.
Paired with Ian Poulter in the afternoon, McIroy was reborn and found his game and finally some fairways and sank some big putts. Poulter was his usual clutch self as they came back from a two down deficit to win 4 & 2 over Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson.
The most disappointing match of the day had to be Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau losing to Sergio Garcia and Alexander Noren 5&4. And it wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicates. Team USA was being boat-raced by the Euros and were seven down after nine holes. Phil and Bryson looked lost as neither could put their partner in a good position.
The new power team for the Euros, Fleetwood and Molinari made quick work of Spieth and Thomas in a 5&4 win that saw the Americans card a lone birdie to go with four bogeys.
It was a great morning for Team USA followed by a disastrous afternoon that has to have Capt. Furyk shaking his head.
One of the glaring errors Furyk will be grilled for is the Mickelson/DeChambeau pairing. Phil’s game was not in form and even when it is, fairways aren’t his strong suit. To play him in alternate shot was iffy at best and in reality, a huge mistake. Sitting Phil for the morning Fourballs meant he had to play in the afternoon because Phil would not have accepted sitting all day. I can imagine the pressure he put on Furyk to get on the course. The accepted strategy was to play Phil in Fourballs so he could play his own ball and maybe being paired with DeChambeau, as he wanted, could have worked. As it played out it could be a fatal blow as Team USA surrendered their lead to the Europeans.
Furyk made some bold moves in the fourballs breaking up Spieth and Reed and chose to play DJ with Fowler instead of Koepka as most thought he would. Those moves worked as both teams earned a point in the morning. But they lost their mojo in the afternoon and were swept by the Europeans. With Phil and Bryson and Bubba and Webb all struggling the Europeans made a move that may well win them the cup.
Team USA was a morning beauty but Team Europe was a beast in the afternoon.
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