Ryder Cup: Key Takeaways from Europe’s Day 2 Play

Stellar Spanish duo earns 1.5 points

In interviews and press conferences, Sergio Garcia often handles questions about his lack of a major championship with poise and calmness. But when heckling American fans remind him of that fact, a little more emotion is stirred within the fiery Spaniard.

Asked to take on arguably the Americans’ top pairing in Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth on Saturday morning, Garcia and rookie partner Rafa Cabrera-Bello appeared dead in the water — down three with just four to play.

But wayward tee balls and burned edges on the greens for the Americans left the door ajar for the newest version of the Spanish Armada. Garcia, motivated to quiet the naysayers, became a ball-striking machine. It was his playing partner, however, who stole the spotlight on No. 17 with a career-highlighting moment. The Americans were in with a par when Cabrera-Bello cooly sunk a mid-range putt from just off the green to knot up the match, which ended with a surprise half-point.

Banking on a somewhat unproven player like Cabrera-Bello to produce in a third consecutive match in the afternoon may have been a lot for captain Clarke to ask, but he could now be questioning his decision to separate the Spaniards. Garcia could not lift a struggling Martin Kaymer in a 2 & 1 four-ball loss to Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar.