Ryder Cup: Tiger Woods dropped to bench after ‘awful’ day

Tiger Woods was recalled to the US line-up for yesterday afternoon’s fourball matches after being benched for the morning session.

It was the first time in his Ryder Cup career that the former world 
No. 1 had been left out, making Davis Love the first US captain to bench Woods in either the Ryder or Presidents Cup. But Woods could have no complaints following an opening day performance he admitted was “awful”.

Woods and his playing partner Steve Stricker were given the morning off after losing both of their matches on Friday. But Love gave the pair another chance after the American team opened up a commanding 8-4 lead halfway through the second day at Medinah Country Club.

With the luxury of being in front, Love was able to keep all his pairings together over the first two days and give each partnership at least one session off to conserve their energy for today’s concluding singles.

Woods and Stricker were due to take on Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Englishman Luke Donald in the second of Saturday’s fourball matches. Like the Americans, Donald and Garcia were also beaten in their first two matches.

Ryder Cup rookie Jason Dufner and formers Masters champion Zach Johnson paired up against world No.1 Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter in the afternoon fourballs.

Justin Rose was paired with Italian Francesco Molinari against reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson and US Open winner Webb Simpson.

In the other match, Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar was due to take on Nicolas Colsaerts and Scotland’s Paul Lawrie. Lawrie sat out the morning foursomes after he and Peter Hanson lost 5&4 on Friday to Webb and Simpson.