After Europe won the first two Friday afternoon session matches, the U.S. was desperate for a win to keep Europe in check after they had taken a 3.5-2.5 lead. Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker, with a 2-up lead going into hole 17, halved the match with Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia. You can basically chalk this one up as a loss for the Americans, who needed a win in the afternoon session.
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It was a very back and forth front nine in this match. Rory and Sergio got out to a 1-up lead on the third hole. That was quickly followed by a Fowler/Walker birdie on hole five to take it back to all-square. The next hole, Rory/Sergio took the lead back and the very next hole it was Fowler and Walker taking it back to all-square.
Fowler and Walker won holes 11 and 12 going 2-up. Sergio and Rory won the thirteenth, but then the lead was back to 2-up for the Americans after a hole-15 birdie on a putt made by Jimmy Walker. The match was taken to the 18th hole after a miracle birdie putt was made on the 17th par-3 by McIlroy to win the hole. Both teams found themselves in the rough and going for the green on their second shots on the par-5 18th. Fowler hit a 3-wood into the right front bunker by the green and Sergio Garcia hit a beautiful 3-wood just 25-feet from the hole.
Walker’s bunker shot was decent, but still left Fowler with a tough putt. After McIlroy missed his eagle putt, the U.S. still had a chance to win the match, but Fowler wasn’t able to sink the winning putt.
This is Walker’s first Ryder Cup appearance. The 35-year-old has three PGA Tour wins in 2014 and has soared to 19th in the golf world rankings. He’s now 0-0-2 in Ryder Cup play after halved match against Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn Friday morning.
This is Rickie Fowler’s second Ryder Cup appearance after going 0-1-2 in his first cup in 2012, he now has four ties in five Ryder Cup matches. His Ryder Cup record is now 0-1-4.
The halve made the score 4-3 Europe with one match still to play, Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley vs. Graeme McDowell and Victor Dubuisson.
Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 1 in the world and Sergio Garcia, ranked No. 3 in the world, were heavily favored in both matches on Friday but walked away with a loss in their morning session match to Mickelson and Bradley and a halve in their afternoon session. The pair only hit 3 of 14 fairways in their afternoon match and struggled all day off the tee. While they were impressive fighting back and halving their second match you may not seem them play together tomorrow.
Walker and Fowler make a good team but struggled on the greens today. I would predict that you seem them playing together in one session tomorrow, but probably not both.
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