Roundup: Watson Criticized For Benching Spieth & Reed

Alex Myers on the 5&4 win by Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed over Ian Poulter and Stephen Gallacher that fueled a strong USA start. Most interesting was Spieth's bold statement suggesting a certain Team USA view of Poulter.

"I think everybody on the team wants Poulter and we were able to have him first," Jordan Spieth said.

Larry Fine of Reuters recounts the silencing of Europe's "cup wizard" and notes this from Patrick Reed about not getting to play the afternoon.

"It was very, very quiet out there compared to what I think Patrick and I expected in the first round of a Ryder Cup over here, and that's the goal," Spieth said.

"Whenever you feel like you're playing really well...I felt like in alternate-shot, him and I would have been great to go back out and take the momentum of what we just had done," said Reed.

"But at the end of the day, Captain Watson, he picks pairings for a reason."

As it became apparently the winning duo was not playing again in the afternoon, the outrage was strong in part because Spieth revealed Watson said strong morning play would get them a look for an afternoon tee time.  However, because of timing issues, to play the young Americans would have meant benching Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley who beat Europe's top team of Garcia and McIlroy.

Jason Sobel reports that Spieth and Reed expressed their displeasure with Captain Tom Watson for benching them.

“They were very upset with me for not playing them this afternoon,” Watson admitted. “I said, ‘I know you're going to be mad at me, but you'll be playing tomorrow, for sure.’”

John Strege with the roundup of second-guessing on social media by the likes of Dave Stockton and Peter Kostis.

It did not take long for criticism to surface, only moments after U.S. Captain Tom Watson chose not to send out victorious rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed in the afternoon foursomes on the opening day of the Ryder Cup.

Hank Gola noted Johnny Miller's criticism.

The move brought wholesale criticism, including from NBC’s Johnny Miller.

“The way that Reed and Spieth played, they should be playing this afternoon,” Miller chirped. “Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson, they need a guide dog. They’ve been all over the golf course, whereas Reed and Spieth shot 6-under this morning, I think, the best of anybody.

Monty piled on at Sky, questioning how Mickelson and Bradley could be sent back out even after pulling out a win over McIlroy-Garcia.

They wanted to play and I was amazed that they didn’t play in the afternoon and Mickelson and Keegan Bradley did.

“Phil and Keegan got out of jail first up [to beat Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy 1 up] but they are not a foursome pairing as they don’t hit enough fairways.”

“I now fear for this American team without Mickelson playing his best – and I wonder who is going to be the team leader out on the course.

“With Phil struggling and no Tiger Woods, nobody is really pulling out ahead here and going: ‘Come on lads, we can do this’, and that’s why I think Europe are firmly in the driving seat.
“If America don’t win Saturday’s first session, I think Europe will win this Ryder Cup.”

Watson addressed the topic right off the bat in his press conference and follow-up stories will be added as they are posted.