With Europe’s Ian Poulter taking up Bubba Watson’s challenge in pumping up the volume on Medinah’s first tee, Day 2 of the Ryder Cup is underway as the Americans try to build on their 5-3 advantage.
Poulter, paired with Justin Rose in the alternate-shot format, set his tee in the ground for Saturday morning’s opening match and motioned with his right hand for the crowd to make noise –- the same tactic Watson used to begin Friday’s afternoon session at Medinah Country Club.
After Poulter put his drive in a fairway bunker, Watson raised both arms to increase the sound and ripped his shot past the bunker Poulter occupied.
Europe got the final say, though, when Rose’s shot from the bunker landed 5 feet from the pin and Poulter converted the birdie to take a quick 1-up lead on Watson and Webb Simpson.
“We have to change the momentum,” European captain Jose Maria Olazabal said after Friday’s play. “We need to have a great day [today], both morning and afternoon sessions. And that’s what we are aiming for.”
The Europeans will need to slow the momentum of Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, who went 2-0 in their Friday matches and went out in this morning’s second encounter against England’s Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.
Mickelson, though, continued to turn back the clock by sticking a wedge within 3 feet for an opening birdie. It marked the 16th hole won by the duo – in just 33 holes played.
Nicolas Colsaerts, Europe’s shining light in Friday’s four-balls when he singlehandedly took down Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, went out in the third match with Sergio Garcia as they took on Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner.
The final match sends Americans Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker against world No.1 Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell – a rematch of Friday’s opener that went to the 18th hole before the Northern Ireland duo claimed a 1-up victory.
Missing from the U.S. lineup: Woods, sitting out a session for the first time since his Ryder Cup journey began in 1997. He and Stricker went 0-2 on opening day, though Woods bounced back from a shaky morning performance to notch seven birdies in four-balls.
“We need this team to all be well-rested for this afternoon and tomorrow,” U.S. captain Davis Love III said. “[Woods] agrees with that. He and his partner, they’ve played a lot of golf over the years.”
Love’s squad seeks to take a U.S. lead into the final day for just the third time since the 1981 edition – just the second competition after the Cup was opened up to continental Europe.
The Americans led 9-7 heading to Sunday singles four years ago, when Paul Azinger’s underdogs won at Valhalla to break a string of three straight losses. The score was the same in 1995, though Europe stormed back to win at Oak Hill.
“There’s a lot of golf left,” Mickelson said. “We know the Europeans are going to come out hungry and ready to play. And we know how good they are, so we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
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Poulter, paired with Justin Rose in the alternate-shot format, set his tee in the ground for Saturday morning’s opening match and motioned with his right hand for the crowd to make noise –- the same tactic Watson used to begin Friday’s afternoon session at Medinah Country Club.
After Poulter put his drive in a fairway bunker, Watson raised both arms to increase the sound and ripped his shot past the bunker Poulter occupied.
Europe got the final say, though, when Rose’s shot from the bunker landed 5 feet from the pin and Poulter converted the birdie to take a quick 1-up lead on Watson and Webb Simpson.
“We have to change the momentum,” European captain Jose Maria Olazabal said after Friday’s play. “We need to have a great day [today], both morning and afternoon sessions. And that’s what we are aiming for.”
The Europeans will need to slow the momentum of Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, who went 2-0 in their Friday matches and went out in this morning’s second encounter against England’s Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.
Mickelson, though, continued to turn back the clock by sticking a wedge within 3 feet for an opening birdie. It marked the 16th hole won by the duo – in just 33 holes played.
Nicolas Colsaerts, Europe’s shining light in Friday’s four-balls when he singlehandedly took down Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, went out in the third match with Sergio Garcia as they took on Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner.
The final match sends Americans Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker against world No.1 Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell – a rematch of Friday’s opener that went to the 18th hole before the Northern Ireland duo claimed a 1-up victory.
Missing from the U.S. lineup: Woods, sitting out a session for the first time since his Ryder Cup journey began in 1997. He and Stricker went 0-2 on opening day, though Woods bounced back from a shaky morning performance to notch seven birdies in four-balls.
“We need this team to all be well-rested for this afternoon and tomorrow,” U.S. captain Davis Love III said. “[Woods] agrees with that. He and his partner, they’ve played a lot of golf over the years.”
Love’s squad seeks to take a U.S. lead into the final day for just the third time since the 1981 edition – just the second competition after the Cup was opened up to continental Europe.
The Americans led 9-7 heading to Sunday singles four years ago, when Paul Azinger’s underdogs won at Valhalla to break a string of three straight losses. The score was the same in 1995, though Europe stormed back to win at Oak Hill.
“There’s a lot of golf left,” Mickelson said. “We know the Europeans are going to come out hungry and ready to play. And we know how good they are, so we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
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