Ryder Cup Pairings 2014: Analyzing Day 3's Biggest Singles Battles at Gleneagles
Maybe by the time the 2016 Ryder Cup rolls around, the United States will have annexed all of Great Britain. That way the U.S. can finally win again.
Heading into Day 3, the Europeans are on the precipice of a third straight Ryder Cup title and sixth win in seven years. They own a commanding 10-6 lead, meaning the U.S. needs to win at least 8.5 out of a possible 12 points.
That deficit isn't insurmountable, but it's nearly to that point. The U.S. must be almost perfect on Sunday. One or two bad holes could sink the entire team.
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Here's a look at the 12 matches on tap for tomorrow, followed by the three that will likely have the biggest impact on the final outcome.
Day 3 Pairings
| Graeme McDowell | Jordan Spieth | 6:36 a.m. ET; 11:36 a.m. BST |
| Henrik Stenson | Patrick Reed | 6:48 a.m. ET; 11:48 a.m. BST |
| Rory McIlroy | Rickie Fowler | 7 a.m. ET; 12 p.m. BST |
| Justin Rose | Hunter Mahan | 7:12 a.m. ET; 12:12 p.m. BST |
| Stephen Gallacher | Phil Mickelson | 7:24 a.m. ET; 12:24 p.m. BST |
| Martin Kaymer | Bubba Watson | 7:36 a.m. ET; 12:36 p.m. BST |
| Thomas Bjorn | Matt Kuchar | 7:48 a.m. ET; 12:48 p.m. BST |
| Sergio Garcia | Jim Furyk | 8 a.m. ET; 1 p.m. BST |
| Ian Poulter | Webb Simpson | 8:12 a.m. ET; 1:12 p.m. BST |
| Jamie Donaldson | Keegan Bradley | 8:24 a.m. ET; 1:24 p.m. BST |
| Lee Westwood | Jimmy Walker | 8:36 a.m. ET; 1:36 p.m. BST |
| Victor Dubuisson | Zach Johnson | 8:48 a.m. ET; 1:48 p.m. BST |
Most Important Matchups
Graeme McDowell vs. Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth must be the tone-setter for the Americans. Can you imagine how difficult winning the Ryder Cup would be if Spieth started out the day with a defeat? What is already a small margin for error will drop to microscopic levels.
Spieth had never played in a Ryder Cup prior to this year, but he's been one of the United States' better performers through the first two days, having grabbed 2.5 out of a possible three points.
On Friday, he mentioned that playing in the 2013 Presidents Cup provided him with invaluable international experience, per USA Today's Steve DiMeglio:
"That was at least international professional competition. And a lot of these guys are the same guys that were on that team. So having played practice rounds and gotten fitted for the Team USA clothes last year at the Presidents Cup, it was just all eye-opening.
... Now, having done that, I feel like I've been more focused on my golf this week and tackling the course and tackling the matchups. That part's nice. I think that's going to help me as far as starting off. I know this is a different level. I understand that.
"
The 21-year-old has looked wise beyond his years in Scotland, but the task ahead is unlike any other he's seen in his career so far.
If the Americans are going to make a comeback, then it will almost certainly start with Spieth.
Rory McIlroy vs. Rickie Fowler
Rory McIlroy is unquestionably the best golfer in the world, but you only need to look at Tiger Woods' Ryder Cup record to realize that talent isn't a guarantee of success in this tournament.
The four-time major winner has been solid in Scotland so far, picking out two of a possible four points. McIlroy has a real chance to shine on Sunday, where it will be a head-to-head battle against Rickie Fowler, who's still yet to win a Ryder Cup match.
This match is intriguingly placed on the schedule. In the event Spieth and Patrick Reed pick up wins, the U.S. will have renewed hope. If Fowler could make it three-for-three, then all of a sudden the comeback becomes real.
However, McIlroy could play spoiler by beating Fowler and righting the ship for Europe. It would also be a back-breaking result for the Americans.
Europe won't fall into the trap of patting itself on the back too early. McIlroy said on Saturday that he and his teammates have learned from mistakes of Ryder Cups past, per Owen Gibson of The Guardian:
You don't really need any added motivation to get excited by this match, but considering the stakes, it only adds to the drama.
Sergio Garcia vs. Jim Furyk
By the time Jim Furyk wraps up his round with Sergio Garcia, the United States might have already lost the Ryder Cup. The two face off in the eighth match of the day.
As GolfChannel.com's Rex Hoggard pointed out, Furyk was in a similar position in 1999, when the U.S. made its furious rally at Brookline, Massachusetts. The U.S. entered the final day down 10-6, with Furyk matched up against Garcia, and eventually won the tournament 14.5-13.5:
Considering he's one of the most experienced Americans on the team, Furyk's one win in three matches so far is a bit underwhelming. Of course, fourball has never been his thing anyway, per Jason Sobel of GolfChannel.com:
As one of the bellwethers for the U.S., the 44-year-old can't afford to falter.
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