RYDER CUP PRACTICE REVEALS PAIRINGS CLUES

Since Colin Montgomerie revealed that he had already informed his team of their opening day Ryder Cup pairings speculation has been rife as to what they might be. Today’s opening practice session has only added to that with many ‘natural’ pairings going out on their practice rounds together.
Northern Irish duo Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell headed out on the course this morning with Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari. The Molinari’s lifted golf’s World Cup late last year with McDowell and McIlroy finishing one shot back; they are almost certain to go out in the same pairings on Friday.
USPGA Champion Martin Kaymer was out with Lee Westwood, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson. The former two are thought to complement each other extremely well and are expected to be paired together whilst Jimenez would provide the experience to harmonize Hanson’s inexperience.
The final group of four to go out for Europe this morning was Luke Donald, Ross Fisher, Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington. Herein lies the greatest element of doubt as to which two will be paired together for the European team
For the Americans Tiger Woods was sent out in the first practice group alongside Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan. They were followed by Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar and Jeff Overton and finally Phil Mickelson was the old head alongside rookies Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson.
Paddy Power currently offer the best odds of all the online bookmakers on a European victory, they go 7/10 about the hosts. The best price on the USA can be found at Extrabet, it’s 9/5 with them that the holders make it back-to-back Ryder Cup victories.