MEDINAH, Ill. — Davis Love III tried to act like it was no big deal he was benching Tiger Woods for today’s morning foursomes at the 39th Ryder Cup. He claimed it was more about getting Woods some rest to ensure he would be at his best for this afternoon’s four-balls and tomorrow’s singles matches.
He said he had been thinking about this for more than a year because “we felt like we didn’t want anybody to play five matches.” Medinah Country Club is such a “big, long” golf course and the matches are so tough, “We just don’t want guys to be worn out,” Love said.
Maybe he has been thinking for a year about sitting Woods for stamina reasons. But if he had any doubts, Woods’ performance in foursomes yesterday should be enough to know he’s making the right call by not starting the 14-time major winner this morning. It’s the best move for Woods and it’s the best move for an American team that proved yesterday it has plenty of depth.
Woods and Steve Stricker will sit out of the foursomes, replaced by Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson. Woods and Stricker are expected to play in the afternoon four-balls. It’s not the first time Woods will sit out a session. He was left out of the second session of four-balls at Wales in 2010 after going 2-1 with Stricker in their previous three pairings at Celtic Manor.
Despite what Love says, today’s benching could be based on performance. Woods couldn’t hit anything straight in the morning as he and Stricker lost 2&1 to the English duo of Ian Poulter and Justin Rose. Woods regained his form in the afternoon four-balls, rolling seven birdies. But he was out-played by Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, Europe’s lone Ryder Cup rookie, who shot 10-under on his own ball with eight birdies and an eagle.
Woods had a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole for birdie that could have halved the match. But his ball grazed the left lip, handing Europe the win, 1-up.
Losing at the Ryder Cup is nothing new for Woods. This was the fourth time in seven Ryder Cups he has lost his two matches on the opening day. But after yesterday, it’s hard to guess which Woods will show up today.
“I didn’t play very good in the morning at all,” Woods said. “I was hitting it awful and not doing anything well. But I hit it good in the afternoon. I drove it great and was in position. But we ran into a guy who just made absolutely everything.”
The American team proved yesterday it has too much talent for Love to make decisions based on ego and reputation. Watson and Simpson deserve to replace Woods and Stricker after whipping Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson, 5&4, in foursomes. The energy they pumped into the crowd helped propel the U.S. to a 5-3 lead after Day One.
“Frankly that’s what we were looking for this morning was somebody to get it going early in the first couple of groups, get us excited, get the fans excited and thankfully Bubba and Webb did that we were off and running in the afternoon,” Love said.
Woods was too busy hitting into trouble to inspire the crowd. His erratic play began with his opening tee shot, a snap hook that sailed way left before stopping against a fence amid a cluster of trees. It continued throughout the morning. His drive off the fifth tee sailed way right toward another fence. He missed the green from the fairway at the sixth hole, and at the eighth he left a chip shot in the rough.
“I didn’t hit it well at all warming up and it just carried into my play in the morning session,” Woods said. “But I rectified it in the afternoon. But unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough.”
Certainly, not good enough to get another start this morning.