MONTREAL – Some things are unexplainable.
Reality TV, Britney Spears and middle seats on airplanes are common curiosities; and for those whose attention has drifted in the direction of this chilly, Canadian hamlet this week, America’s domination of foursomes play is as arcane as it has been convincing.
A few faces have changed, but the flag hasn’t. But for a handful of bit players, the same U.S. squad that managed to win just one of eight foursomes matches last fall at the Ryder Cup have owned the International squad this week like September owns the Chicago Cubs.
The unrelenting scoreboard is hard to ignore, for the week the Internationals never made it to whole numbers in foursomes play, dropping all five of Saturday’s matches after managing just a half point on Thursday.
If not for U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus’ generous gimme on Thursday in the Phil Mickelson-Woody Austin vs. Vijay Singh-Mike Weir outing the International team would have been blanked in an entire format for the first time in seven Presidents Cups.
“At the Ryder Cup that doesn’t seem to be our strong suit,” said Mickelson, who has improved his foursomes record this week to 5-6-2. “But captain Nicklaus had something to do with that. We knew who we were going to get paired with and were able to practice and figure out what we would do on each hole.”
What they’ve done at Royal Montreal is put on a foursomes clinic.
Just one of Saturday’s foursomes matches made it to the 18th hole and the morning featured two of the week’s most lopsided results — a 5-and-4 drubbing Mickelson and Austin put on Retief Goosen and Stuart Appleby followed shortly by 4-and-3 rout by Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk over Adam Scott and Ernie Els.
Overall, the U.S. has outscored the Internationals in foursome play 42 1/2-29 1/2 in the seven playings of the biennial gathering. The last time the Internationals managed a foursomes session win was on Day 1 two years ago, while the U.S. has won nine of the 14 foursomes frames.
None of those victories, however, seemed as dominating as Saturday’s.
America’s first foursomes haymaker on Thursday staggered the home side, but the Internationals gamely rallied on Day 2 to pull within two points. But Saturday’s blow was more than any dozen could take.
That the U.S. dominated alternate shot is clear. How they have been able to do it is not as obvious.
“The worst thing about alternate shot is the nerves grow and become harder to control the longer the match lasts,” said International assistant captain Ian Baker-Finch. “If things aren’t going your way it’s tough because you don’t want to let your mates down.”
One theory why the United States seems to handle the inherent pressure of the format so well is because America plays foursomes every year at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, whereas the Internationals only endure alternate shot’s capricious ways every 24 months.
“Maybe we should play Africa against Ireland or something,” Els said.
While others suggest that the United States dominates foursomes because there is nowhere for a player to hide if they are struggling with a balky swing or wavering confidence.
In four-ball play a player can get away with a few bad holes while his partner keeps the match tight. In foursomes, the pressure of an unyielding format in inescapable.
“It’s such a weird format for someone who has never played it,” said cup rookie Austin. “I hit my drive way left at No. 3 and didn’t hit another drive until the ninth. You can’t really find any rhythm.”
Despite no foursomes experience and an out-of-sync swing that kept him playing from the left rough most of the day on Saturday, Austin is undefeated in alternate shot (1-0-1).
“Phil said he actually drives it better for his partner than he does for himself because it seems to make him focus better,” Austin said. “For me, I put too much pressure on myself.”
With the United States just three points shy of retaining the cup, there will be little pressure on the American side on Sunday.
“Things don’t look too good. The egg is not sunny side up,” Player sighed before realizing Sunday’s format was singles play, not alternate shot, “but you never know.”
Posted: 9/29/2007
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