McGinley Names Opening Fourball Pairings

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Paul McGinley has selected the pairings for Friday’s opening Ryder Cup fourballs.

However, the Irishman will be happy to adapt his gameplan if any of his selections struggle to make an impact against the Americans.

Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson will lead Europe off against Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, with Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer then taking on Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.

Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter are third out against rookie duo Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, followed by Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy, who have been asking to be paired together for months according to McGinley, against Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson. 

"I've gone with one rookie in the morning and Tom has gone with three. That might be a genius move by Tom, it might not," McGinley said.

"My ideas might backfire, as well, but that's what you do as captain, make your decisions, set out your stall, watch what happens and you adapt to what happens.

"There will be decisions I'll get wrong as captain, I'm prepared for that. But I'd like to think that I'll be able to adjust things and go forward.”

All four of Europe's pairs have not played together in the Ryder Cup before but that does not concern McGinley.

"These guys all know each other very well and you move forward," said McGinley, who had spoken all week about not changing the successful European template.

"Two years down the road, a different view and take on things, and games have evolved in slightly different ways and guys become more experienced.

"Ian Poulter is a very experienced player now. There's going to be a big atmosphere in that group, we'll need a guy with a big attitude for that and I think Ian Poulter fits that bill.

"Justin and Henrik spent a lot of time together at Lake Nona (in Orlando) over the years, know each other very, very well, and you have Sergio and Rory who have formed a real bond and friendship and respect for each other's games during the summer period.

"Things evolve and move. The template doesn't mean pairings have to be the exact same pairings."

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GMAC Responds to Lefty Banter

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Graeme McDowell has responded to comments from Phil Mickelson poking fun at the fact he is involved in Rory McIlroy's court case against former management company Horizon.

On Wednesday the American veteran made a joke about Rory McIlroy's court case against former management company Horizon - which has seen team-mate Graeme McDowell dragged into the dispute as he is still represented by them.

"Not only are we able to play together, we also don't litigate against each other and that's a real plus, I feel, heading into this week," said the five-time major winner.

The remark, whether tongue-in-cheek or carefully placed, did not go unnoticed by the European team but they have brushed it aside with relative disdain.

Horizon still represent McDowell, but the 2010 US Open winner says there is no personal animosity between him and McIlroy because of the lawsuit, and insisted there is no split in Europe’s camp.

He said: “Thankfully, I haven’t been too embroiled in the legal battles. He’s not suing me, thank goodness.

“My involvement was kind of inevitable in the end, I suppose, because I had a foot in both camps.

“Rory is a very good friend and Horizon Sports are still my management company so the inevitability of the awkwardness was there.

“We’re come through that and we’re better friends because of the experiences we’ve been through."

Ian Poulter said: "I did see them (Mickelson's comments) but you need to see how Rory and G-Mac (McDowell) are in the team room," said Ian Poulter.

"They are very comfortable. There's no animosity in there whatsoever. The guys are good so I just have to laugh at the comment."

Martin Kaymer, who holed the putt which retained the Ryder Cup at Medinah two years ago, echoed those sentiments.

"It's not really a topic for us. It's one of those things - you read it, you laugh about it and that's it," said the German.

"I heard about it yesterday for the first time on the bus but I think at the end of the day we should just play golf.

"It's fairly simple. If things like this start I don't know if that's necessary."

Justin Rose said the players took it all in their stride and stressed there was no hint of disharmony in their locker room.

"Of course it's a bit of banter and getting things going. We don't have a problem with that at all," he said.

"There's no real angst between the players from that point of view at all and in our team room, it's a non-issue.

"I've obviously been observing Rory and G-Mac too and they have been getting on great and playing golf and hanging out and having dinners together.

"Of course it was mentioned last night (at the gala dinner). Phil came up to Rory last night and was like 'Hey, this and that'. It's no real big deal.

"I'll call it banter and nothing more serious than that."

The Europeans are not short of a banter or a withering put-down themselves and Poulter's assessment of the American team in a series of pen pics published on Thursday are hardly complimentary.

He described Matt Kuchar as a "20-teeth plodder", said Patrick Reed's admittedly ambitious claim he was one of the best five players in the world was "stretching it" and admitted he could not remember anything wildcard Webb Simpson had done this season.

However, Poulter rejected the suggestion such comments made any difference.

"I think we're all aware and we all want to win this trophy, so I don't really think the mind games come into play," added the Englishman, Europe's talisman in Medinah.

"There's obviously bigger media coverage nowadays than there was so we're more aware of it but I don't think it's a big factor.

"For 103 weeks we're all friends on the golf course and there's no personal vendettas.

"There's no grudges against anybody out there. The fact is, it's healthy for us to be able to go out there as two teams that actually want to win this trophy.

"I see it as great for golf. I see it that we need to bring this thing back to all-square, and they have had the upper hand for so long that we are starting to try to work hard to get that back on an even keel."

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