2016 Ryder Cup Saturday Morning Foursomes This & That

/

Both captain's have much on the line Saturday morning after each has made bold (questionable?) lineup decisions. Davis Love has sat Dustin Johnson in favor of the Mickelson-Fowler pairing, a surprise given Mickelson's wayward ball-striking Friday. The U.S. takes a 5-3 lead into the day, one that left Davis Love sounding somewhat pleased, writes Brian Wacker for GolfDigest.com.

Playing Mickelson in foursomes seems to be something planned in advance no matter the state of someone's ball striking. A couple of stories on Phil Mickelson reaffirm his leadership role, to the point that wife Amy is wishing someone else would assert themselves following Phil's Hal Sutton comments earlier this week.  Alan Shipnuck writing at golf.com on Phil:

“He felt awful, and he called Hal so many times he was like an ex-girlfriend,” says Mickelson’s wife, Amy. She has been through endless controversies with her college sweetheart, but the scrutiny ever since the Watson confrontation has been at a fever pitch. “It’s exhausting,” Amy says. “I would love to get off this rollercoaster. As much as I appreciate that Phil has been looking out for the other guys, can’t just one time someone else step up and say what needs to be said?”

Karen Crouse in the New York Times also considered the Mickelson influence.

In one of his daily news conferences this week, Love mentioned Mickelson by name 15 times, and that did not count his response to a direct question about Mickelson. Love said that he had been addressing the United States contingent on Tuesday night when he had noticed that Mickelson was leaning forward in his seat, eager to say something. So Love ceded the floor to him.

“Nobody has seen more team golf on our team than him,” said Love, who described Mickelson as “kind of the backbone of the team.”

As I note for GolfDigest.com, Darren Clarke's lineup offers an even bigger roll of the dice in breaking up Rose-Stenson to get two rookies into the action (Chris Wood and Matthew Fitzpatrick). John Huggan writes that Clarke was breathing easier after a successful Friday afternoon got Europe back in the matches. Still...

Clarke has a leaderingship/veteran issue as well: to play Lee Westwood, who is struggling and took himself off the lineup card Friday afternoon. Christopher Clarey of the New York Times profiled their longtime friendship for the New York Times, which could be tested this afternoon if Europe needs to keep their stalwart Ryder Cupper on the bench.

Danny Willett played Friday afternoon and heard it from the fans. Big time. Randall Mell writes

Rory McIlroy's walk-off eagle and reaction was the standout moment from Day 1 at Hazeltine. Alex Myers with the details and video.

Kevin Van Falkenburg at ESPN.com makes a strong case that the heckling is only helping Rory.

American fans needled him, yelling for his ball to "get in the water" every time he took on a hazard, and he responded with fist pumps and icy glares toward the gallery that would have made Seve Ballesteros giddy.

American fans needled him, yelling for his ball to "get in the water" every time he took on a hazard, and he responded with fist pumps and icy glares toward the gallery that would have made Seve Ballesteros giddy.

Rory also said he would apologize to caddie Austin Johnson for a perceived slight following the completion of his four-ball win with Thomas Pieters. (Dave Shedloski with more on Pieters and his great Friday play here.) 

 


 

The oversight...