I am looking for a BIG upset win this week for the American squad. USA wins 15 1/2 to 12 1/2

Our top players will be Furyk and Fowler

Furyk should be great in the Fourball matches , so should Kuchar.

I like the Webb Simpson/B. Watson pairing in the Foursomes.

Captain Watson should get 'em all some of those snaggled up "halloween" teeth so they'll fit in with the euros.

By the way , check our Ricky Fowler's new hairdo. Dude goes falt-top and shaves USA into the side of his
dome !

I also think we have a good shot at an upset here.... I think Fowler and Spieth will be the top 2 U.S. players.

Hell, I'd take them in 4 ball vs anything Europe can throw at us. I know that sounds aggressive, but i think both of them will 'play up' to the circumstance.

I like the optimism on this thread! I think we're underdogs, but we're not going to gun fight holding a bunch knives IMO. Would love to have Horschel on this team but whatever. I'm predicting Mr. 9-17 record, Jim Furyk, to have a great Ryder Cup. He's been close to winning all year and will redeem himself for a terrible Medinah.

Fowler paired with Spieth would be sweet.

Furyk will crap the bed again, sorry but the guy is terrible under pressure.

Bold prediction based on no sound logic:

Friday morning we have a pair that goes out and beats the s##t out of Poulter and Rose. Like 6 & 5 or something. This sets the tone and the US goes on to win.

Since we're in wishful-thinking/underdog mood, I guess I'll join in.

I look for Patrick Reed to win all of his matches. Sure his season dropped not long after his top 5 comment, but the straw I'm grasping at in this situation is that he thrives in competition like this - going back to his Augusta State days.

Supposedly nobody wants to play with Reed and nobody likes him. Don't think we see much of him maybe only once the first 2 days unless he gets a point in his first match.

Absolutely have to start off well Friday morning so ride your 8 best players in the first session. I would go something like this with Keegan/Phil leading it off:
Keegan/Phil
Kuchar/Spieth
Bubba/Webb
Fowler/Furyk

Of those 8 Webb prob is the one that doesn't belong but I would ride the Bubba/Webb combo as they are 5-2 in Ryder/president cups. Also Bubba is hard to play with but Webb doesn't mind. Fowler/Furyk are playing the best of any Americans right now and Fowler said he likes playing with him so they could be a great pairing despite Furyks past struggles.

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Fowler is the only one playing well enough to pick up the slack for Furyk.

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There. FIFY

After many years of the US having what appeared to be the stronger team on paper only to lose, I'll drink the koolaid on the roles reversing this year.

I think I would pair Reed and Furyk . Furyk is fiery but smart , Reed is fiery and could use Furyk's veteran wisdom.

you can get 2-1 odds on the USA at the bookies in the UK!

Fowler/Furyk paired together in Wales. It was the infamous ball in the pocket match for Fowler and cost them the point.

Furyk/reed played together in practice round today so looks like that is going to be a pairing. Seems like an odd pairing to me. Looks like Fowler could be teamed with Walker instead.

Walker / Fowler would be a kickass pairing

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Furyk/reed played together in practice round today so looks like that is going to be a pairing. Seems like an odd pairing to me. Looks like Fowler could be teamed with Walker instead.

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I think tommee is right when talking about the Furyk/Reed combo a couple of posts above. Furyk has a ton of experience and can help settle Reed, and Reed is brash/cocky enough to help light a fire under Furyk if needed.

Looks like we will get to see how it works out, I don't think it will turn out well but hope I'm wrong.

I like the talk of Furyk/Reed combo. What is there to lose with this pairing?

Reed has the talent and balls to not back down in a format like this, I think he does well.

I think the strategy for Reed/Furyk is to make the Euros going against them just think to themselves "holy s##t lets just lose already so we can get the hell away from these guys."

Some other pairings I heard while watching this morning:
Z Johnson/Mahan
Fowler/Bubba
Poulter/Rose

Keegan was out there too but not with Phil. Can't remember who was with him though.

Fowler/Bubba would be sick

I like a Furyk and Reed pairing. I hate cheering for either guy outside of the Ryder Cup, but that team seems like a good combo and I'd back them.

Zach Johnson is a guy I could see paired with anyone not Phil or Keegan.

God dammit I hope Phil and Keegan can fire it up like they did in 2012 again.

No sensor for that cuss? Hmmm

Anyone see the shot FIGJAM launched at the presser?

Something along the lines of 'Not only does this team play well together we don't litigate against each other. Sorry. I couldn't resist.'

Boom

BOOM.

Azinger thinks this crew is loaded once you start looking at potential pairings. I'll defer to him.

Here's a good article on player strengths, weaknesses and potential pairings. Might be what Azinger was alluding to.

http://www.golfwrx.com/241715/statistically-based-pairings-for-the-u-s-ryder-cup-team/

Regarding Furyk, I'm rooting for him to get redemption this year. He's had a great year and played more consistently than another American (except maybe Fowler).

Everyone remembers him bogeying 17 and 18 on Sunday in 2012 and losing his match to Sergio 1-down, in what was an enormously critical match. He missed makeable par putts on both holes too. But most people don't remember the putt he hit on 16 that SHOULD have gone in and left him 2-up with two holes to play. If that putt had dropped, the whole complexion of the Europe comeback would have changed.

Bubba/Webb vs rose/stenson
Fowler/Walker vs Bjorn/kaymer
Spieth/reed vs Gallagher/Poulter
Keegan/Phil vs Sergio/Rory

Sorry yeah it's Walker not Furyk.

Match 4- wow!

Interesting w/ the 2 rooks paired together.

Just noticed golf channel has Fowler/Walker in match 2, not Furyk.

Some of the pairings make obvious sense to me - like Bubba and Webb as well as Keegan and Phil.

But I don't get Spieth & Reed at all. 2 rookies, one with a generally liked temperament, and the other one many people consider a ******. I think depending on how it plays out it may be entertaining to see Reed against Poulter.

I remember reading somewhere that Jackie Burke said for Ryder Cups a strong strat is to put a rookie with a vet, that way the vet doesn't expect a lot and steps up and shoulders a lot of the responsibility, and the rookie goes into a fog at times and just plays good. Don't know about two rookies though.

Spieth has showed some tendency to show dome immaturity. Don't just give him a pass.

From the GolfWRX link posted above:

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Patrick Reed
Strengths: Streaky fantastic play, great past record in match play.
Weaknesses: Streaky poor play, Driving, Hit Fwy %, Shots from the rough and shots from 10-20 yds
Suitable Four-ball Partners: Kuchar, Spieth and Walker
Suitable Foursome Partners: n/a
Reed is an extremely streaky player. His metrics are not very impressive, but what I have recorded is that when he is on, he is as good as he thinks he is. And when he is off, he shuts down and calls it a week.
I would steer clear of putting him in the foursomes format because he is not very accurate off the tee and he is not very good with the Short Game. I think the streaky player likely works best in the four-ball format where they can kind of do their own thing.

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