Ryder Cup: 5 Key Takeaways From Europe’s Day 1 Play
By Adam McGee
The Spanish Armada
Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sergio Garcia have all proven to be Spanish stalwarts of Ryder Cup teams down the years, and with an impressive fourballs debut, there’s every reason to believe Rafa Cabrera Bello could join them.
It was something of a surprise to see Garcia paired alongside Kaymer in the morning session, and when that experiment didn’t quite work out, Captain Clarke effectively righted that wrong in bringing Cabrera Bello in to make an all-Spanish duo. All of a sudden, Garcia looked more at home, not only for having a compatriot by his side, but also a player who was playing excellent golf.
Cabrera Bello’s outstandingly consistent play across the globe this year indicated he should be up to the Ryder Cup challenge, and an opening birdie confirmed that to be true. Cabrera Bello carried himself like a veteran throughout the round, with all areas of his game looking in impressive shape. Clarke would be brave to sit either of these men on Saturday.