As Darren Clarke’s players got their final practice rounds underway before the Ryder Cup starts on Friday, what are the most intriguing pairing possibilities for the European team?
Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Darren Clarke’s European team may tee off on Friday playing under the tag of underdogs, as they’ve done so successfully over the past decade or so, but they certainly won’t be free of any pressure at Hazeltine.
Having won eight of the last 10 Ryder Cup matches and landing on US soil as defending champions, no player on the European squad for 2016 will want to be seen as a blemish or exception to the continent’s impeccable recent record in golf’s showcase event.
With that comes challenges for the players, but before they can even take to the course, the responsibility falls at Clarke’s feet to get his pairings right and maximize the talent at his disposal.
The Europeans have countless wins around the world to their names, as well as major championships and Olympic medals. The Ryder Cup is said to deliver a different kind of pressure, though, and with six rookies suiting up in the blue of Europe in the Twin Cities, Clarke will have to be more mindful of groupings than many of his predecessors have needed to be.
That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and the Northern Irishman certainly has some intriguing routes he could take in forming his pairs for the team formats on Friday and Saturday.
Which combinations make for the most interesting European pairings? Let’s take a look at some of the standout options.
Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson
Not only does this grouping pair together the gold and silver medalists from the Rio Olympics, a US Open and Open champion, and two of the highest ranked players on the European team, but it acts as a continuation of a partnership that already has a great track record.
Rose and Stenson played three of the four team sessions together at Gleneagles in 2014, coming away with commanding wins in each match. Not only did Stenson and Rose win two fourball matches, but they proved they could mesh together in the often more problematic alternate shot, foursomes format.
With so many rookies on his team, it wouldn’t be surprising if Darren Clarke chooses to split two of his veterans up this time around, but that could be a big mistake. With half the team being comprised of rookies, having a group who can act as a lock for points would be a big boost to the Europeans, and this duo are as close to that as they come at a Ryder Cup.
Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Martin Kaymer and Thomas Pieters
Could two of Darren Clarke’s wildcards produce the goods together? This is a pairing that has been rumored ever since Clarke announced his captain’s picks, as both Kaymer and Pieters have spoken about building up something of a rapport on the European Tour this year.
Rumors that these two could see action together as soon as Friday gained further momentum when the duo spent the first two days of last week’s Porsche European Open together, locked intently in conversation while in between shots on Thursday and Friday.
Stylistically, the pair could make a lot of sense too. Both are well-rounded players, meaning there should be little chance of one bringing the other down, even in foursomes. If Pieters’ confidence on the European Tour can carry over, this could become a powerhouse pairing that’s more reminiscent of two Ryder Cup veterans rather than a rookie and a vet.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello
It can be all too easy to overthink what makes a good partnership in team golf. As such there are occasions where you have to make sure not to overlook a good pairing for fear of it being just a little too obvious. Garcia and Cabrera Bello is the perfect example of this.
Cabrera Bello has played in countless big events around the world and been a remarkably consistent performer this year, but still, nerves could play a factor in his first Ryder Cup. What better way is there to combat that and maximize his contribution than to pair him with a fellow countryman and one of the most experienced Ryder Cup players ever?
Spanish Armada ???????????????? ????????@RyderCupEurope @rydercup #TeamEurope #bromance @McIlroyRory pic.twitter.com/AGc9w9SIJA
— Rafa Cabrera Bello (@RCabreraBello) September 28, 2016
Garcia and Cabrera Bello are good friends, who regularly practice together and recently represented Spain at the Ryder Cup. Plus, if the history of Spaniards at the Ryder Cup is anything to go by, pairing both men together could make for a formidable opponent for any US pair.
Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick
Yet another example of where pairing an old hand of the Ryder Cup spectacle with a newcomer would make sense, the oldest and youngest players on the European team would seem like a pretty natural fit together.
Fitzpatrick has burst on to the scene in tremendously convincing fashion over the past 18 months or so, but having only just turned 22 it seems unlikely that he’d be immune to the unique pressures that Hazeltine will offer.
With Westwood’s experience of playing on seven winning Ryder Cup sides, but relative inactivity this year, a pairing where he can mentor a young player who’s playing well enough to help carry him makes sense. Fitzpatrick could deliver that, as evidenced by the duo’s one match together at January’s EurAsia Cup where they prevailed with a dominant 5 and 4 win. Together, the present and future of English golf would seem unlikely to let their team down.
Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett
For as talented as Davis Love’s US team is heading into this year’s matchup, there can be little debating that he’d love the luxury of being able to send the current Masters and FedEx Cup champions out together. As Darren Clarke has that option available to him, he should take it.
The duo have played together on a number of occasions this year, having opened up the US Open together and gone head-to-head in the Irish Open. Not only will this pairing be an imposing challenge for their opponents due to the success they’ve experienced throughout their careers, but both McIlroy and Willett are in great form too.
With two wins in his last three events including last week’s Tour Championship, McIlroy is the in-form man in the event as a whole, while after a tough spell in the mid to late summer, Willett has now played each of his last five rounds on the European Tour in 67 strokes or less, including a runner-up finish at the Italian Open.
Who would your pairings be for the European team? Let us know on Twitter or in the comments below!
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