Golf: 42nd Ryder Cup at Le Golf National - September 28-30

[Dr John Carlson]

Last big week in golf until Augusta. Made even bigger by a certain feline in good form. Huge questions need to be answered...

Will Captain America save the day again? Or will he be booed into oblivion by the harsh foreign crowds?

Which European will pull a 'Phil in 2014' move and throw Thomas Bjorn out to the wolves if they lose?

And perhaps most importantly: which side's team outfit will be the biggest fashion disgrace?



Rosters:
(OWGR & Sagarin rankings in parentheses, respectively)
Team USA:
Dustin Johnson (1, 3)
Brooks Koepka (3, 5)
Justin Thomas (4, 2)
Bryson DeChambeau (7, 8)
Rickie Fowler (9, 6)
Jordan Spieth (10, 21)
Tiger Woods (13, 4)
Bubba Watson (14, 36)
Patrick Reed (15, 18)
Webb Simpson (16, 13)
Tony Finau (17, 7)
Phil Mickelson (25, 20)

Team Europe:
Justin Rose (2, 1)
Francesco Molinari (5, 11)
Rory McIlroy (6, 9)
Jon Rahm (8, 23)
Tommy Fleetwood (12, 10)
Alex Noren (18, 28)
Paul Casey (21, 15)
Henrik Stenson (24, 16)
Tyrell Hatton (26, 24)
Sergio Garcia (28, 82)
Ian Poulter (34, 39)
Thorbjorn Olesen (45, 68)



Schedule of Events | RyderCup.com

Friday, September 28
8.10am Morning Matches start (fourballs)
1.50pm Afternoon Matches start (foursomes)

Saturday, September 29
8.10am Morning Matches start (fourballs)
1.50pm Afternoon Matches start (foursomes)

Sunday, September 30
12.05pm Singles Matches start

Click to read more...

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Both teams look better than they did in Hazeltine. USA has added three elites in JT (in amazingly his first Ryder Cup), Tiger, and Bryson. Europe has also added three elites in Rahm, Molinari, and Fleetwood. Scrubs like Ryan Moore, JB Holmes, Andy Sullivan, and Chris Wood are gone. However, Olesen is also a scrub, and Bubba is almost a lock to play like a scrub because of his hatred of European soil. So those cancel each other out.

Sergio and Phil seem like the real wildcards here. Phil is historically a miserable RC player and comes into this week in garbage form, but his recent team match play form is shockingly incredible: 18-6-3 in his last 7 team events, which includes 3 RCs where he went a combined 7-3-0. No idea what Phil we will get in France. Meanwhile, Sergio has had a notoriously junk year since dumping his entire week's worth of balls in the drink at Augusta. The entire argument behind him being a captain's pick is his status as the 'soul' of the European team alongside Rory and Poulter, which is backed up by a winning percentage of over 60% in his RC history. Sergio and Phil might be the most interesting storylines to follow this week.

I'll take USA to win 14.5 - 13.5. Barnburner.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

Both teams look better than they did in Hazeltine. USA has added three elites in JT (in amazingly his first Ryder Cup), Tiger, and Bryson. Europe has also added three elites in Rahm, Molinari, and Fleetwood. Scrubs like Ryan Moore, JB Holmes, Andy Sullivan, and Chris Wood are gone. However, Olesen is also a scrub, and Bubba is almost a lock to play like a scrub because of his hatred of European soil. So those cancel each other out.

Sergio and Phil seem like the real wildcards here. Phil is historically a miserable RC player and comes into this week in garbage form, but his recent team match play form is shockingly incredible: 18-6-3 in his last 7 team events, which includes 3 RCs where he went a combined 7-3-0. No idea what Phil we will get in France. Meanwhile, Sergio has had a notoriously junk year since dumping his entire week's worth of balls in the drink at Augusta. The entire argument behind him being a captain's pick is his status as the 'soul' of the European team alongside Rory and Poulter, which is backed up by a winning percentage of over 60% in his RC history. Sergio and Phil might be the most interesting storylines to follow this week.

I'll take USA to win 14.5 - 13.5. Barnburner.

Holy shit that was hilarious. Can we get you to do previews of star players in bad form for every big event?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Here's what the pairings were today. Some of these look real, some look like testing out different partnerships.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Pat is going to lead us to victory this week. Him and that sidekick of his will also claim #2 on the RC pairing points list this week, if Furyk doesn't mess up that pairing. And they are coming for the legendary Spanish duo in the next 3-4 RC's. Tell Phil and Bubba to show up to the first tee on Sunday morning, but they aren't needed before then.

 

[joe89]

Tiger and Bryson would be a neat pairing. I'd do Tiger with one of the younger players for sure.

Don't anticipate any surprise for Europe on Friday morning, I think the Stensons and Garcias will get the nod. Hatton and Olesen to sit, but who sits other than that may come down to chemistry.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Good analysis of Phil. He's hot in match play now. If he and Tiger don't choke, I agree with your prediction. Otherwise, I'll take Europe 14.5 to 13.5.

 

[joe89]

If you consider the pairings for the last day of practice as likely for the competition these pairings seem plausible right now:
Stenson/Rose
Rory/Molinari
Casey/Garcia
Fleedwood/Rahm
Noren/Hatton
Poulter/Olesen

Tiger/Reed
DJ/Fowler
Spieth/Thomas
Koepka/Finau
Phil/Bryson
Simpson/Watson

Although could differ depending on it starts with foursomes or four-balls.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Furyk stop talking omg.

 

[YEM]

US opened as a decent favourite and are now even money to win...

I think everyone agrees that the captains should put their heads together and make sure that Rory and Fatrick play each other on Sunday singles please & thank you

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Tiger Woods, Patrick Reed playing alternate shot in Thursday practice round

Looks like this is going to be a real thing. Obviously this is great news for me as a viewer. Spieth did everything he could at Hazeltine to drag Pat down into the mud with him, and now this year Spieth is coming in bad form. Tiger should be a more reliable partner.

 

[joe89]

Holy shit those curveballs by Björn

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Koepka/Finau vs. Rose/Rahm
DJ/Rickie vs. Rory/Olesen
Spieth/Thomas vs. Casey/Hatton
Pat/Tiger vs. Molinari/Fleetwood

Surprised at the lack of Poulter and Sergio for Europe.

 

[joe89]

Koepka/Finau vs. Rose/Rahm
DJ/Rickie vs. Rory/Olesen
Spieth/Thomas vs. Casey/Hatton
Pat/Tiger vs. Molinari/Fleetwood

Surprised at the lack of Poulter and Sergio for Europe.

Björn benching three of the four most experienced and the winner of the ET event on the course. Hope his plan works out.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Yeah, Noren is a weird omission too. I get the Olesen rationale of him potentially being this year's Pieters, but if there's anybody among the 24 players here who doesn't really belong, it's Olesen.

Stenson is probably going to be a '3 matches only' guy this week because of his elbow, though.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

Man if Europe gets massacred I think their captain gets alot of the heat. His captains picks ignored form for experience, and now his partnerships are weird and have big omissions.

 

[joe89]

Though it needs to be noted fourballs are starting. Straight hitters like Garcia and Stenson, if only playing one match per day(or four at most), are better off starting in the foursomes. Especially with the rough that's around this place.

Rahm seems like a good fit with Rose. He can go after the course and Justin plays a little safer. There's a lot of risk/reward on this course.

Rory and Olesen just stands out as the very odd pairing. If Olesen comes out a little shaky a lot will ride on Rory.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

Didn't realize early pairings are so early in EST. Guess I'll only watch afternoon matches, anyone know what time they go off Sunday?

 

[joe89]

Didn't realize early pairings are so early in EST. Guess I'll only watch afternoon matches, anyone know what time they go off Sunday?

6 AM EST.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

6 AM EST.

Damn

Well, I won't have to worry about missing studying time in the afternoon and evenings because the RC will be over then.

 

[joe89]

Damn

Well, I won't have to worry about missing studying time in the afternoon and evenings because the RC will be over then.

Even as a European I prefer the U.S. times. Starting 2pm first couple of days and 6pm on sunday. Absolutely perfect..

 

[Preds Partisan]

Pretty much same comments as above.

I like Rose/Rahm alot. Win
Hate Rory/Olesen who is going to hit a fairway? Lose.
JT/JS is good. Win
Fleetwood/Molinari won't be intimidated. Win.

Guessing 2-2 after session 1.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There are too many Rory hot-takes from Golf Channel this week.

Every dumb person at Golf Channel is trying to one up the last one on who can say the most outrageous and reactionary thing about Rory.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Koepka/Finau vs. Rose/Rahm
DJ/Rickie vs. Rory/Olesen
Spieth/Thomas vs. Casey/Hatton
Pat/Tiger vs. Molinari/Fleetwood

Surprised at the lack of Poulter and Sergio for Europe.

I hope this means Phil, Bryson and Bubba are taking Friday off. Don't like the idea of any of those three playing alternate shot.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

I haven't seen it excessively, but I'm loving the look of this course from a flyover of each holes. Can anyone tell me what the greens are like? Crazy undulations like August/Merion or flattish with simple breaking putts like Bethpage Black ?