Webb Simpson Paired With Bubba Watson for Four Ball at Ryder Cup

facebooktwitterreddit

The first round of Ryder Cup action has been announced and it seems that we will get our Webb Simpson fix early. At 2:35 AM ET, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson will tee off against Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson in four ball.

More from Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Four ball is a version of match play golf where the team is awarded the best score by either of the two golfers on the course. If one gets birdie and the other gets par, then the team is awarded a birdie for that hole.

Simpson and Watson make for an interesting pairing because Watson’s length can allow him to be more aggressive in trying for shots while Simpson plays more conservatively so that the team does not shoot itself out of the competition. Stenson and Rose have similar games, so they will probably provide a more consistent result. This match will turn on the success of Bubba Watson.

Sep 23, 2014; Auchterdarder, Perthshire, SCT; USA team captain Tom Watson and player Bubba Watson pose for a photo with the Ryder Cup trophy during a practice round for the 2014 Ryder Cup at The Gleneagles Hotel-PGA Centenary Course. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Simpson and Watson were paired together at Medinah in 2012. Simpson lost to Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter twice. Poulter was not paired with Justin Rose this time around, so Simpson misses him rfor now, though he relishes the opportunity if it were to come up.

Simpson and Watson work well together in these team play events. The duo were 3-1 at the 2011 Presidents Cup and 2-1 at the Ryder Cup in 2012. The two friends seem to balance each other’s nerves, or at least Watson seems to balance Simpson’s.
Simpson’s final shoulder chip may be the belief that he is the last man picked, and he will have to show that Tom Watson was correct in looking his way and not elsewhere.