Ryder Cup Practice Groupings

The first day of practice at the Ryder Cup always produces speculation on the potential partnerships in foursomes and fourballs. Attention was heightened this year when European captain Colin Montgomerie said recently he's already decided on his teams.

So who played with whom today at Celtic Manor? The groupings went out in fours, with Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari leading the way. They were followed by the grouping of Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson; and then Luke Donald, Ross Fisher, Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington.

Do we see Monty's teams in those groups? McIlroy/McDowell seems natural, and the Molinaris will certainly partner one another at some point, and probably throughout. Kaymer/Westwood is thought to be a good fit, and perhaps Jimenez is the veteran presence that Ryder Cup rookie Hanson can benefit from. Donald/Poulter seems a good fit, leaving Fisher/Harrington. Makes sense to me.

What about the American practice groupings?

The first four included Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan. They were followed by Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar and Jeff Overton; and then Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson.

My guess is there'll be more volatility in the American teams than in the European teams, with Corey Pavin moving some guys around to different partners.

But Woods/Stricker will probably go out four times (unless Tiger is spraying tee balls all over Wales); Mickelson and Dustin Johnson is a pairing that most people are expecting to see; and buddies Watson and Fowler seem made for each other. The Furyk/Cink/Kuchar/Overton grouping today seems like it can be mixed-and-matched in any way.