Ryder Cup: 5 Key Takeaways From Europe’s Day 1 Play
By Adam McGee
Veterans Not Contributing
Of course, a number of Darren Clarke’s veteran figures performed well on Friday, think Stenson, Garcia and McIlroy, but some of those more experienced players who he was relying on to help his rookies out simply didn’t look up to the task.
Lee Westwood has struggled this season as his personal circumstances have led him to play a limited schedule around the world, but as Darren Clarke explained when he selected the Englishman as his pick, the hope would be that his value would come from his experience. Unfortunately, whether it was opening with a missed three-footer or dumping his ball in the water just a few holes later, Westwood did nothing to make Pieters’ first taste of Ryder Cup play easier.
Having shown some steady ball-striking in the morning alongside Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer was asked to accompany Danny Willett later in the day. The German struggled to make fairways with a number of big wides, and as the only player on the either team to have lost two matches so far, he’ll really have to find something different the next time he’s out on course.
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