We're in a really good spot right now. In the past, if teams had 6 or 7 good players, they felt they were lucky. The good players needed to play all 5 matches to give their side the best chance to win. Now we find ourselves looking at teams that are easily 12 deep -- the only exception being if a player gets injured or a virus after making the team -- and the only real problem is who will have to sit.
And as I've said before, I think the home team always has the advantage -- not just because they can set up the course (that's less of an advantage these days, at least for the US team) and because they have the home crowd.
Yet, I have to admit the first session pairings (foursomes or alternate shot, whichever you prefer to call it) give me pause:
- Furyk-Snedeker vs McIlroy-McDowell
- Mickelson-Bradley vs Donald-Garcia
- ZJohnson-Dufner vs Westwood-Molinari
- Woods-Stricker vs Poulter-Rose
But still... it's going to take some time before Snedeker or Bradley strikes the same fear into competitors as McIlroy or McDowell!
Welcome to golf's new generation. I can't wait to see if we have some new "big dogs" come Sunday night.
And remember that the Ryder Cup is being carried by ESPN today.
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