Ryder Cup 2014: Live Updates for Day 2 Scoring and Standings for USA vs. Europe
Since the turn of the millennium, the United States has just one win on the Ryder Cup stage. After Friday's action, it appears the hopes of winning another are bleak.
Europe has won the last two Ryder Cups and five of the last six due to several strong finishes. Thanks to a brilliant afternoon session on Friday, however, the team already held a 5-3 lead heading into the weekend.
The Americans need a strong showing on Saturday in order to have the momentum swing in their direction. Here's a look at the latest from the 2014 Ryder Cup and players to watch the rest of the way.
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Key Information
Where: Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland
When: Sept. 26–28
Watch: NBC and Golf Channel
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Live Updates: Official Ryder Cup Site
Players to Watch
Team USA: Jimmy Walker
Despite having no experience on the Ryder Cup stage, Jimmy Walker was a force on Friday for the Americans.
The No. 19 player in the world held his own as a rookie, leading to a halved round against Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia. Following the round, Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel passed along his thoughts on Walker:
America's top pairing on Friday was unable to turn in a crucial win but was a lone bright spot on an otherwise rough day. The pair will play all three matches during the tournament, so the importance of their play is obvious.
Rickie Fowler will need to perform better down the stretch, but Walker is a golfer on top of his game. If the United States is going to stage a comeback, it will likely need a strong performance from Walker.
Team Europe: Justin Rose
Justin Rose may have a lack of experience coming into this year's Ryder Cup, but he looked great on Friday.
Paired with Henrik Stenson on Day 1, the two were dominant in a 2 and 1 win over Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson. It's never easy to maintain momentum, but the two players have clearly brought success to the clubhouse for the Europeans.
Prior to the competition, Rose spoke about having pressure to perform, per Ewan Murray of The Guardian:
"I think you want to be a collective force but I also think the captain will also put a lot faith in me. He'll expect me to go out there and do a good job. I'm comfortable with that, you have to be. It is not easy because you have seen guys like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, who don't have particularly amazing [Ryder Cup] records, relative to how good they are individually or in major championships.
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Having a lead after Day 1 leaves Team Europe comfortable heading into the weekend, but it will need Rose and Stenson to continue playing well. If Friday's play is any indication of where this pair is heading, Europe has a strong pair for the future.
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