Opening fourball pairings announced

Europe and the United States will field one rookie apiece in the opening fourball matches when the 34th Ryder Cup finally gets under way at The Belfry Friday.

Sweden's Niclas Fasth and 2001 U.S. PGA champion David Toms will both make their debuts in the team competition, which was postponed by 12 months following the September 11 attacks on the U.S.

European captain Sam Torrance and his opposite number Curtis Strange were both in calm but optimistic mood Thursday when they named their first pairings during the official ceremony held beside the 18th green at The Belfry.

Torrance, who decided to leave out the struggling Jesper Parnevik from his opening line-up, said the competition could not start soon enough while Strange, who made just one change from the combinations he first chose a year ago, said his selection had a "nice flow" to it.

"I'm as calm as a cucumber -- I feel fantastic," said Torrance, whose first pair out Friday -- Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn -- will take on world number one Tiger Woods and the experienced Paul Azinger.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a while."

"Clarke and Bjorn have been fantastic all week -- they're two great players and they're birdie machines. They're ideal for fourball."

The second match out will pit Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood against 2001 British Open champion David Duval and Davis Love III.

Although Westwood has also battled for form this year, Torrance said he had no concerns.

"Lee, although he has been struggling, has been great through this week in all his matches," said the 49-year-old Scot. "It's not how you're playing; it's how you respond to pressure, and he's very good at that.

Seven-times European number one Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer, who plays in his 10th Ryder Cup this week, take on Scott Hoch and Jim Furyk in the third match out.

"What can I say? They're great," said Torrance of his veteran duo. "They've got a wealth of experience and they're both playing great.

"They were actually a couple of my floaters, they could have gone anywhere. But it was wonderful to pair them up together."

Of the Harrington and Fasth pairing, who go out last in Friday's fourball matches against Toms and Phil Mickelson, Torrance said: "Fasth is the only rookie I'm playing in the morning, but he's well capable of handling it.

"And he's a got a great partner in Harrington. I like them."

The captain said of Parnevik: "Jesper is not on top of his game yet, but he's very close. I didn't want to put the pressure on him when his game is not right in the first place.

"But he's been working hard and he's great in the team room. If he doesn't play until Sunday, he said: 'I'll be absolutely fine with that."'

Strange said he could not be happier with his pairings.

"I like my four best-ball matches and the way they pair up. I had three of them for last year, and I changed one," he said

"I changed the Tiger Woods (one). I had Woods and (Mark) Calcavecchia for a while but when I got here and realized that he (Calcavecchia) was 4-0 in alternate shot and 0-4 in best-ball

"I thought it best for our team that I put Azinger with Woods and leave Calcavecchia for the alternate shot."

Strange, who played in five Ryder Cups between 1983 and 1995, added that he was especially pleased with the order of his fourball pairings for Friday.

"Woods and Azinger, quite frankly, were put out first because they both play fast and wanted to get out there and go," he said.

"I have pretty good book-ends with Tiger Woods starting out and Phil Mickelson bringing up the rear end. I think I have a nice flow there."

Strange said he was confident the U.S. would retain the Cup if they played to their potential.

"I think we will retain it if we play well," said the twice U.S. Open champion. "I have never said that we will win the Cup.

"The outcome is not so much (determined) if you play well -- the outcome is dictated by matchplay a lot of times and who you play and the luck of the draw.

"But, if we play well and play to our potential, I feel confident."

The U.S., who hold the trophy after their victory by 14-1/2 points to 13-1/2 at Brookline in 1999, have won 24 times in the 75-year history of the biennial competition.

Britain (or Europe since 1979) have won seven matches and two have been tied.