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Preview: Saturday Morning Fourballs

By Josh Luckhurst On September 28, 2018 8:30 UTC

Team Europe Captain Thomas Bjørn and the United States Captain Jim Furyk have named the morning fourballs which will kick off day two of the 42nd Ryder Cup in Paris.

The holders took control after Friday's first session at Le Golf National with a 3-1 lead, but Europe stormed back with a historic first ever foursomes whitewash to earn a 5-3 advantage.

Here, we take a look at the four match-ups which could turn the biennial event in either team's favour.

08.10 Rory McIlroy/Sergio Garcia v Tony Finau/Brooks Koepka

Sergio Garcia became the most successful Spaniard in Ryder Cup history when he partnered rookie Alex Noren to a 5 and 4 victory and he has the overall European points scoring record in his sights too.

Garcia has racked up 23.5 points in nine appearances in the event and only needs two more to over take Nick Faldo 25-point haul in his fourballs match of this year's competition.

Rory McIlroy maintained his record of never missing a Ryder Cup session since making his debut in 2010 and despite failing to register a birdie in Friday's first session, he could be inspired by his partner.

The American pair will be buoyed by Friday's one-up victory when they once again line up in the opening clash for a second straight day.

Finau and Koepka trailed throughout their match against Justin Rose and Jon Rahm before the former earned a huge stroke of luck when his tee-shot into the par-three 16th hit wood surrounding the green to land within close range for birdie to level the match.

Koepka capitalised on Rahm's wayward tee-shot and Rose finding water at the last to card a match-winning par, giving confidence that they can remain in the match even if they are behind.

08.25 Paul Casey/Tyrrell Hatton v Rickie Fowler/Dustin Johnson

Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton had looked set for a heavy defeat when Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas took an early three-hole lead thanks to five birdies in the first seven holes from Spieth.

But the English pair rattled off three straight holes from the tenth, and despite eventually falling to a one hole defeat, the experience of playing together and Friday's historic afternoon session could inspire an improved result.

Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler recorded seven birdies on their way to a 4 and 2 win over Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen and as a fourball pairing, look extremely dangerous despite their ordinary records.

They suffered a heavy defeat in the foursomes to Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose but they will be playing for the third straight match together in 24 hours and that will only breed confidence as they aim to hit back from Europe's first whitewash session in 29 years.

08.40 Francesco Molinari/Tommy Fleetwood v Patrick Reed/Tiger Woods

It will be a case of déjà vu for these four players in a repeat of the anchor match of the Friday's fourballs.

Tommy Fleetwood, fresh from collecting two wins on his Ryder Cup debut, and Francesco Molinari, who earned his first two points in the competition at the third time of asking, will be itching to get back on Le Golf National course ahead of their third match as a pair.

They defeated Woods and Reed in a 3 and 1 win to earn Europe's first point of the competition, but the American duo will be looking for revenge.

Woods came into the tournament as one of the most in-form players but his game looked disjointed on Friday and should put in an improved performance on day two.

Reed, who is the pantomime villain for the European fans in Paris, played a starring role two years ago as the United States regained the trophy and will be pumped up to produce another match-winning display to haul his team back into contention.

08.55 Ian Poulter/Jon Rahm v Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas

Ian Poulter has been labelled "Mr Ryder Cup" in the build-up to the biennial event and lived up to the name by adding his 12th point from 18 matches in his fifth appearance in the competition during Friday's foursomes.

Partner Jon Rahm has similar traits to Poulter, with a lot of emotion and drive to win and this pair could blossom but the Spaniard will need to channel his emotions in the right manner.

Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas were made to work hard for their point on Friday morning before they were paired for a heavy defeat in foursomes.

Spieth was the architect for majority of the scoring in the first session on Friday so it could come down to the battle of rookies Thomas and Rahm to determine who will win the anchor match.


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