Ryder Cup 2014 Results: Updated Standings and Predictions After Day 1 Fourball
The United States took a valuable lead in the opening 2014 Ryder Cup fourballs on Friday, emerging from the morning's exchanges with a 2½-1½ advantage.
Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose were the first out on the tees as they faced Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson in the opening pairing of the day, claiming the first point of the competition 5&4 to give the host continent a stellar start.
However, Ian Poulter could not summon his much-vaunted Ryder Cup powers as Team USA hit back, and in the end it was Phil Mickleson and Keegan Bradley who ensured the U.S.A. take a lead into the afternoon.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
It's only early days on a weekend that promises to provide a provoking plot line of twists and hiccups, but already the competition is taking shape as Europe hope to defend their title at Gleneagles.
Read on for up-to-date standings and predictions following the first phase of the competition.
| Europe | 1½-2½ | U.S.A. |
| Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson | Europe Wins 5 & 4 | Bubba Watson/Webb Simpson |
| Martin Kaymer/Thomas Bjorn | Halved | Rickie Fowler/Jimmy Walker |
| Stephen Gallacher/Ian Poulter | U.S.A. Wins 5 & 4 | Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed |
| Rory McIlroy/Sergio Garcia | U.S.A. Wins 1UP | Phil Mickelson/Keegan Bradley |
Friday's Fourball Highlights
Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia always had the potential to cause fireworks after it was announced that the Europeans would team up as a fourball pairing, and it was the Spaniard who provided the first highlight-reel moment of this year's tournament.
Stranded just off the fourth green in a difficult bunker, Garcia proceeded to chip in to spark near hysteria among the Gleneagles onlookers, ESPN describing the effort in all its class:
It was a vital breakthrough at the time for the European duo against Bradley and Mickelson, too, considering the three previous holes had had been shared. However, they were eventually beaten at the 18th as the Americans fought back.
While that particular head-to-head balanced on fine margins, Rose and Stenson ran rampant against Watson and Simpson. Thru 11, the Americans had failed to clinch even a single hole after Rose and Stenson made the turn 3 Up, Betway noting the confident manner in which the pair were functioning:
It took Rose and Stenson just 14 holes to take the tournament's first point and end their fourball session early, Watson and Simpson failing to claim even one birdie, a criminal shortcoming in this format of the sport. Fortunately for Team U.S.A, it was the only pairing they lost in the opening fourballs.
The Ryder Cup is known for its rivalry but also its sportsmanship, and Mickelson had lit the blue touch paper prior to Friday's action, remarking that his United States team don't "litigate against each other," per Bob Harig of ESPN.
The quip was made in reference to an ongoing lawsuit that involves McIlroy and fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell on opposing sides, but we saw both sides of Mickelson come to the fore on Friday.
A camera crew found themselves in hot water after getting too close to the action on the sixth. The referee also had to be called to settle a dispute over a water sprinkler in the line of team-mate Bradley's shot.
After all that, though, Lefty could still laugh off any tensions to climb into a buggy with opponent Garcia for the ride to the ninth hole, showcasing the healthy competition, and friendship, that runs throughout.
Mickelson also had the last laugh when he holed the putt that handed U.S.A the morning victory.
Europe To Take Third Successive Title
For the second time this century, Europe's titans have the opportunity to claim three consecutive Ryder Cup victories, replicating the feat achieved between 2002 and 2006.
Paul McGinley's line-up is in good shape, for the most part, after the first day's events, with only Ian Poulter and Stephen Gallacher letting the team down as a faulty-looking pair on Day 1. McIlroy and Garcia may have succumbed to Mickelson and Bradley in the end, but it's not a question of quality on their part.
Paul Higham of Sky Sports questioned whether Gallacher would even feature again before Sunday's singles action, having not been selected for Friday's foursomes:
Europe had their kinks to work out but were largely equal to their American counterparts, and some pairings may be matched together once more on Saturday, such was their success.
Sole Scotsman Gallacher and Poulter are from from certain to be among that reckoning, however, and Jordan Spieth spoke to BBC Radio 5Live (h/t BBC Sport) regarding his and Peter Reed's dominant win over the Britons:
"It was very quiet around our group today so to take down the local favourite and Poults was great. Hopefully we get put out in alternate shot and we can do the same thing again."
Sky Sports News announced that each captain chose to retain the services of four players from the fourball fixtures. McIlroy, Garcia, Stenson and Rose made the cut for McGinley, while Tom Watson kept Mickelson, Bradley, Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker in play:
The U.S. battled their way back into the first day, per the Independent's Jack de Menezes, and as the chasing outfit, McGinley's men have several minor problems to improve as the tournament progresses:
Moving on from here, the captain now knows an alternative to the Poulter/Gallacher dynamic is needed, and that's a front on which they can hope to compete more fiercely on Saturday.
That being said, the rest of Europe's performers looked confident with one eye on Sunday's singles.
For Watson and Simpson not to manage a birdie between them in the holes played showed a weakness that their European foes can capitalise upon, and Tom Watson has his own issues to address for the remaining days.
Home Hero Gallacher Turns Villain
After Friday's performance in the fourball, McGinley has enough license to justify not selecting Gallacher for the remainder of the competition, his best chance of an impact now Sunday's singles contest.
Neither the Scot nor Poulter performed admirably for the majority of their opening clash, and though the combination itself was off, Gallacher was himself to blame for numerous mistakes, albeit claiming the pair's only hole.
BBC Wales Sport confirmed the extent of the beating:
"The American rookies Spieth/Reed playing well. 5 up against Gallacher/Poulter. Europe lead another 2 matches, 4th is AS #RyderCup
— BBC Wales Sport (@BBCWalesSport) September 26, 2014"
Meanwhile, the Independent's Kevin Garside took a more comical approach to the hammering:
The 39-year-old is attempting to follow in the footsteps of uncle Bernard, a former Ryder Cup captain himself, but by no means is the Dechmont native showing quite as much class as the legacy might suggest.
McGinley may not be a crowd favourite for doing so, but in a competition where short-term results are so critical, chinks in the armour have to be identified and dealt with, the most evident of which right now being Gallacher.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
