Edited by Anand Datla
September 25, 2014: Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia will take on Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on the opening morning of the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles on Friday. World Number One McIlroy and Spain’s Garcia were kept till last in the opening fourballs by Captain Paul McGinley and will take on Mickelson and Bradley, who won all three of their matches together at Medinah in 2012.
Another pairing from Chicago, two-time Masters Tournament champion Bubba Watson and wild card Webb Simpson, will take on Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson in the opening clash at 7:35am, followed by Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker against Denmark’s Thomas Björn and Medinah hero Martin Kaymer, the US Open Champion.
The third match sees Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed take on home favourite Stephen Gallacher – who lives just 35 miles from Gleneagles – and Europe’s Ryder Cup talisman Ian Poulter, who has won 11 of his last 12 matches in the biennial contest.
McGinley’s decision means Graeme McDowell, Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson and wildcard Lee Westwood will sit out the opening session, and also that all four European pairs have not played together in The Ryder Cup before.
“We have 12 strong players,” McGinley said. “Arguably people will say there is strength at the top and strength at the bottom. Ian is with a guy who will enjoy the atmosphere Stevie will create with a Scottish following. Ian is looking forward to that role.”
Asked about his opinion on the plans of his counterpart, McGinley refused to be drawn into any conversation. “I haven’t assessed what he (Watson) is doing. I really rate this American team (high) and we will have to be on it if we are going to beat them,” said the European captain. “We’ve had continuity all week and we will be ready coming out of the blocks.”
Schedule: Friday Four-ball pairings
| United States | Match time | Europe |
| Bubba Watson/Webb Simpson | 7:35 a.m. local (2:35 a.m. ET) | Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson |
| Rickie Fowler/Jimmy Walker | 7:50 a.m. local (2:50 a.m. ET) | Thomas Bjorn/Martin Kaymer |
| Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed | 8:05 a.m. local (3:05 a.m. ET) | Stephen Gallacher/Ian Poulter |
| Keegan Bradley/Phil Mickelson | 8:20 a.m. local (3:20 a.m. ET) | Sergio Garcia/Rory McIlroy |
For more news that golfers are talking about, follow golfingindian on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube video channel
Republished from the European Tour website.
- In this article
- Pros
- rory mcilroy
- ryder cup
- sergio garcia
