Pairings begin to take shape

The probable pairings for the opening skirmishes in this year's Ryder Cup looked clearer after the second day of official practice at The Belfry.

Sam Torrance's 12-man European team teed off in groups of four on Wednesday morning, with one or two unexpected line-ups.

And the European captain admitted that he has changed his mind about some of his Ryder Cup pairings several times this week.

"A couple of things have changed already this week," Torrance said. "If they are not right you have to shuffle and re-arrange it to make them right.

"That's what the practice rounds are for, to get the right team for Friday.

"I'm just trying to get what I think is the best pairing together."

On Tuesday, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood played in the same group of four, but against each other rather than in their usual partnership.

Clarke instead partnered Thomas Bjorn and was alongside the Dane again on Wednesday, with Pierre Fulke and Phillip Price also in the group.

Fulke and Price had also played together on Tuesday, although it would surprise many if the two rookies were to form a partnership when the contest begins on Friday.

Woods joined Calcavecchia

The second group saw Sergio Garcia with Bernhard Langer, alongside Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood.

Irish duo Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, strongly tipped to renew their World Cup winning partnership, were accompanied by Swedish pair Niclas Fasth and Jesper Parnevik.

American Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange, who claims to have decided on his line-up for the first day of competition, changed two of Tuesday's partnerships.

Scott Hoch, who had been paired with Jim Furyk on Tuesday, partnered wild card Paul Azinger.

The other change saw Jim Furyk paired with Stewart Cink.

Wednesday's practice pairings
Europe: Bjorn/Clarke, Fulke/Price; Garcia/Langer, Montgomerie/Westwood; McGinley/Harrington, Fasth/ Parnevik.

United States: Azinger/Hoch, Calcavecchia/Woods; Duval/Love III, Mickleson/Toms; Furyk/Cink, Sutton/Verplank.