The Ryder Cup produced the usual ebb and flow of emotion on a chilly and breezy first morning at Gleneagles that left the USA with a one-point advantage after coming from behind in two key matches.
Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose crushed the US lead pairing of Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson who didn’t manage a single birdie between them all morning and went down 5 and 4. But Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher in partnership with Ian Poulter suffered a similar reverse to the youthful rookie American duo of Patrick Reed (25) and Jordan Spieth (21).
The USA came from behind to snatch a half in the second match, Jimmy Walker’s birdie putt at the last after he chipped in twice denying Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer, who had led from the start after birdieing the first two holes.
The most fluctuating contest, however, was the banner match-up of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia with Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in the final fourball.
The Europeans led after Garcia’s dramatic chip-in for a birdie two at the short fourth, but the Amercians won three out of four holes around the turn to stand two-up after 10.
However three bogeys by the US in five holes, including a miss of a short putt on 15 by Mickelson after he had almost holed a 40 footer, handed the lead back to the Europeans. Bradley’s superb eagle on the long 16 squared the match, and then Mickelson birdied the 18th to take the full point for the USA and give them a 2 and a half, one and a half advantage.
Earlier his long awaited debut was all a bit of a nightmare for Gallacher, from a nervy opening tee shot that found a bunker leaving him out of the hole, while Poulter lipped out a three-footer to give the young Americans a lead they were never to relinquish.
The Scot did hole a decent-sized putt for a birdie putt and a half on the second, but that was to be the pairing’s only birdie all day.
Afetr a couple of missed chances, the youngsters took decisive control, Reed’s 25 foot birdie putt at the short sixth starting a run of five birdies in six holes that took them from one-up to six-up.
Poulter’s missed birdie putt from eight feet at the short par four 14th finally ended the misery 5 and 4, the heaviest defeat suffered by “Mr Ryder Cup” in the competition.