Any Given Sunday

I don't know what to say really. 86 minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. It all comes down to today...
Or something like that.

The final day of a Ryder Cup is guaranteed to be a special day, and the 2012 edition should be no different. Europe have been outplayed by a superior team over the last two days, but some sheer terrifying blood 'n' guts from a certain guy have given them just a sniff at a chance in the singles. Yes, 10-6 is a huge deficit to make up, on foreign soil, against a team as hot as Davis Love III's team. But you can guarantee that José María Olazábal's team will not give up until that 14 1/2 mark is reached by either team.

Looking at the pairings, I feel slightly more optimistic. There's no match there that scares me in particular; even those of our players who haven't performed so far seem to be coming up against their U.S. counterparts (basically Kaymer and Stricker). Olazábal had no option but to put his best foot forward - there's no point holding back some big guns for the later matches if we go out and drop the first three. Love has the option of mixing around his talent to some extent, although he too looks to be trying to get the Cup safe as soon as possible. He has left a certain man until the end though, should things get tough...


Bubba Watson v. Luke Donald

Tough to get two more different players. The wild, unpredictable, crowd-revving Watson against the quiet, tidy Luke Donald. Don't doubt the mutual respect between these two, however. Bubba has been great so far, although Webb Simpson's putter has helped him a lot. Donald did well to hold on to his point last night after Woods and Stricker fought back, and his tee shot to the 17th shows his nerve under pressure. This should be a fantastic opening match.

Donald to win 3&2


Webb Simpson v. Ian Poulter

Ian Poulter's performance last night was, quite simply, one of the greatest performances I have ever seen in sport. The man is a Ryder Cup machine. He wants to get his point in the bag early today and, despite the quality of Webb Simpson's play, it's tough to go against him. He's up against one of the U.S. team's most consistent players so far, but the same was true in Wales, where he handed Matt Kuchar a 5&4 drubbing. I think he's got one more game in him.

Poulter to win 4&3


Keegan Bradley v. Rory McIlroy

Poulter may have birdied the final 5 last night, but McIlroy holed a great putt on the 13th to get the fightback started. That said, he contributed little else in the round, and has looked pretty flat since his first nine holes on Friday morning. Keegan Bradley has been anything but flat - I don't know if I've ever seen an American as pumped as that man. He made it clear that he wanted a shot at McIlroy - he's got it now, and I only see this going one way.

Bradley to win 4&3


Phil Mickelson v. Justin Rose

It's interesting to see that Love has kept his first two pairs as close as possible for each other - does he feel that Mickelson and Bradley will be able to feed off each other from 300 yards? He might be right - it's a different Phil Mickelson in this Ryder Cup - he too will be without a red-hot partner on the greens, but you can tell he's enjoying this. Rose has picked up two points alongside Poulter, but yesterday morning he was beginning to wobble around the greens, and didn't play in the afternoon. Tight match, but I think the home team will make it 2-2 here.

Mickelson to win 2&1


Brandt Snedeker v. Paul Lawrie

Paul Lawrie has played a lot of decent golf for his two losses, and I fancy him to do well today. He's seen it all before, so won't be easily rattled by anything that happens on the course or in the crowds. Snedeker has had a solid debut Cup, and has shown himself again to be a great putter, but I think he'll miss the steady Furyk at his side.

Lawrie to win 1 up


Dustin Johnson v. Nicolas Colsaerts

Don't bother looking at the first 350 yards of any hole in this match. These boys can hit it hard. DJ has picked up two points, but he has Matt Kuchar to thank for plenty. He made a great birdie putt on the 17th yesterday to deny Colsaerts and Lawrie, so you can be sure the Belgian wants revenge. He's been impressive in his first Ryder Cup, and don't forget that he won the European Tour matchplay earlier this year.

Colsaerts to win 2&1


Zach Johnson v. Graeme McDowell

I don't know if there's a tidier player in the world than Zach Johnson, and he's used it to his team's advantage in the 2012 Ryder Cup. He's up against the other big firebrand in the European team who, after a rest yesterday evening, will be itching to contribute to another win. Few players thrive on pressure as much as McDowell, but this is a really tough match to call - I'll go for the first share of the week.

Halved match


Jim Furyk v. Sergio Garcia

He who holes wins here. Both players have played solid stuff, but Sergio needs to make some putts if he's to take a point off Furyk. Ryder Cup time used to be when Sergio found his putter, but it hasn't been great this year, and he lost his last singles back in 2008. You know how much he cares about the Ryder Cup though, and his win last night should have given him some confidence.

Garcia to win 1 up


Jason Dufner v. Peter Hanson

I could just watch Jason Dufner play forever. He mixes sleepiness with mild surprise like no one else. He's also been on fire so far in this tournament - there wasn't much more he and Zach could have done last night against the Poulter juggernaut - you just have to accept it and move on.
Peter Hanson didn't get much of a game on Friday, coming up against the Bubba/Simpson fireworks, and it's tough to say how he's playing. He's as steady as they come, but I would worry that it's a little late for steadiness at this point.

Dufner to win 3&2


Matt Kuchar v. Lee Westwood

Kuchar has been very good. Westwood has been awful. I think Westwood will lift his game for the situation, but there's no way he can match Kuchar on the greens. Nothing more to say here.

Kuchar to win 4&3


Steve Stricker v. Martin Kaymer

Oh God. Really? The way these two have been playing so far, this could be dull. I think they're both great players, but neither is in great form, and even Stricker's putting seems to have gone on holiday. He probably still has enough to see off a simply out of form Kaymer.


Stricker to win 3&2


Tiger Woods v. Francesco Molinari

So. Is Love hiding Tiger or holding him back. The way he plays singles, and the way he's played the back nine this week, I think it's the latter. It's been a tale of two halves for Woods this week, but he's been trying so hard to find a win and, in truth, is unlucky to have 0/3. Molinari started to get going yesterday evening, but had too much ground to make up against Bubba and Simpson. He played (and lost to) Tiger in Wales in 2010, so at least he won't be put off by that. If he makes some putts, the Italian has a chance. I fear, however, that this match won't be crucial.

Woods to win 4&3


So that's that. 6.5 - 5.5, leaving the final score at 16.5 - 11.5.
If it goes like this, we'll be in for an exciting day, with Europe making up some early ground. All in all though, I can't see them limiting the U.S. to 4 points, and the home team should take a very well deserved victory.

Enjoy it - after this, there's no Ryder Cup for two years.