Every Ryder Cup is won on the Sunday simply because there are twelve points up for grabs in the singles matches. For the fans the drama builds as each pairing works their way through the eighteen holes. Momentum builds when the home team start winning matches and Colin Montgomerie will have this in mind as he plans the week.
By the middle of the day when all the pairings have teed off the scoreboard becomes the focus of the drama as hole by hole the score shows how each team is progressing. For the players the scoreboard also lets them know the news adding to the tension.
For the captains though the pairings for Four-ball and Foursomes are also vital as no points need to be lost early so neither team gathers a big lead. The other difficulty is to ensure all the players have been out at least once before the individual battles on Sunday.
This is something 1999 captain, Mark James, failed to do at the Country Club in Brookline when Rookies, Andrew Coltart and Jean Van de Velde, played their only Ryder Cup golf in the white heat of Sunday. Not surprisingly both matches were lost as Coltart drew Tiger Woods and Van de Velde faced the tenacious Davis Love III.
The opening match on the Friday is always a statement of intent so Montgomerie will send out a key pairing at The Celtic Manor. As host captain he has elected to start with the Fourball - which is a reverse of tradition – but is a tactic started by Seve Ballesteros at Valderrama in 1997 and followed by Woosnam at the K Club in 2006.
It is my guess that Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy will start the battle for Europe
No better way to set the tone than have the top US pairing face the current US Open Champion and the winner of the Quail Hollow Championship – which McIlroy did with a stunning final round of 62 on a notoriously difficult course. The other obvious pairing is Franceso and Edoardo Molinari
Lee Westwood could join the winner of this year’s USPGA Championship, Martin Kaymer. The combination of ice cool Luke Donald and Miguel Angel Jimenez would also be strong partnership as the Spaniard is a dogged competitor on the golf course – albeit a real gentleman in the clubhouse. Donald has also shown the US players his talent right the FedEx Cup.
The afternoon Four-ball, which is the stronger format for the US players, should see McDowell join Padraig Harrington and with the controversy about the Dubliner’s selection Monty will feel the need to get him out day one to silence any remaining critics
Fitness will determine if Westwood is used again in the afternoon and the German Rookie, Martin Kaymer, might also be rested. But if they notch up a win Montgomerie will be tempted to put them out again.
The combination of Ross Fisher and Peter Hansen makes sense to me as the Englishman is big hitter and the Swede a very steady player - giving the pairing balance. In Valhalla two years ago Faldo used Poulter almost exclusively with Justin Rose to good effect so in Wales it will be a new combination for the colourful Englishman as Rose is absent this time.
On Sunday the strength will be in the middle order with Harrington up front if he is on form is right and his leadership skills on song. If the dynamics are right and McIlroy is in Quail Hollow type form he could lead the attack. And if drawn against American Rickie Fowler it would be pure Hollywood.
Regardless of how it all starts one match will inevitably become the focus of everyone’s attention on Sunday afternoon when all the other matches are over. When that happens twenty thousand people suddenly converge on the one match.
For me the hullabaloo started on the way to the 18th tee box and after missing the putt for the win on the seventeenth green I was trying to hold my thoughts together. Suddenly I got an almighty smack across the backside accompanied by a deep gruff Scottish voice mumbling some words of encouragement. When my head shot around to catch the culprit all I could see was Sam Torrance urging me to finish the job.
It was the perfect wake up call.
On Sunday someone will be in a similar position as the points never tumble as planned. Without doubt it will be a European player as the team is very strong and Monty is so tactically aware.
My money is on the Samuel Ryder trophy remaining in Wales.
