Notes from the ryder cup rain delay

They held out as long as they could – perhaps too long judging by the number of puddles on fairways, greens and in bunkers – but play in the Ryder Cup was suspended at 9:45 a.m. because of heavy rain.

The break could be a needed reprieve for the USA, which is already down in three of four matches two hours into play:

— Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are 2 up in the opening match against Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

— The Northern Ireland team of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell is 1 up on Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.

— Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher are back to 1 up on Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods after Poulter birdied the par-3 third hole.

— Surprisingly, the one American team that is ahead is the rookie pair of Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton. Overton holed a putt from the fringe on the first hole for an opening birdie, and Watson followed that with a birdie on the par-5 second. They are 2 up through three holes.

Speculation has begun that play could be three or four hours away from resuming.

“I’m most disappointed for the fans, really,” said Westwood, who hit the first shot for Europe, a drive into the middle of the first fairway. “They’ve been unbelievable. They gave us an incredible reception on the first hole. They’ve been brilliant. I would carry on, but we were struggling to find dry places in the fairway. The greens were holding up.”

Asked if he had played in worse weather, Westwood chuckled. “Not when there wasn’t anything on it. If I was home playing with the lads, I think we would have stayed in the bar.”

NOTES FROM FRIDAY MORNING

The Americans in the media centre can’t believe the European players are stood outside the clubhouse during the delay talking to the TV. The US boys are locked in their team room and there’s been no sign of them since they disappeared.

Sky’s Bruce Critchley had a pop at the FedEx Cup for pushing the Ryder Cup back into October. “It’s normally played in the first two weeks in September,” he said.

Phil Mickelson is experience a first today; wearing two gloves to play golf in, even when he’s putting. Lefty has been using Callaway’s all-weather glove in the torrential rain this morning.

The last Ryder Cup to see play suspended was at Valderrama in 1997, when torrential rain wiped out the first day. The good news is that the managed to finish on Sunday evening.

Lee Westwood has been T-total for seven weeks in the build-up to the Ryder Cup; but he admit if he wins it back on Sunday night he will fall right off the wagon.

NOTES ON FOURBALL PAIRINGS

•    MATCH ONE
Lee Westwood will be playing with his sixth different partner in The Ryder Cup. In his six previous Ryder Cups, he has played with Sir Nick Faldo (1997), Darren Clarke (1999, 02, 04, 06), Sergio Garcia (2002, 04, 08), Colin Montgomerie (2006) and Søren Hansen (2008).This will represent the first time he has played in the opening game in The Ryder Cup.

Phil Mickelson joins Billy Casper (1961-75) as only the second American to play in eight consecutive Ryder Cup Matches. He extends his record of most fourball matches of any American to 14.

•    MATCH TWO
Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell will make Ryder Cup history by becoming the first two players from Northern Ireland to play in the same Ryder Cup Team. They were the leading partnership at the 2009 Vivendi Trophy, winning three points out of four.

Stewart Cink makes American Ryder Cup history by becoming the first player to be selected as a wildcard three times. Has played in four fourball matches and has yet to lose; winning one and halving three.

•    MATCH THREE
Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher played together in the 2008 and 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, finishing sixth in 2008 and fourth in 2009.

Steve Sticker and Tiger Woods continue their partnership from the 2009 Presidents Cup, where they won all four matches together. Stricker becomes the 12th player to partner Tiger Woods in The Ryder Cup. Woods continues his streak of never missing a session of all The Ryder Cups he has played in, bringing the total to 26 consecutive games.

•    MATCH FOUR
Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington are a new pairing. For the sixth consecutive Ryder Cup, Padraig Harrington has been selected for the opening session. Luke Donald’s only previous fourball match was in 2004 on the opening morning, which he halved alongside another Irishman, Paul McGinley.

Bubba Watson becomes just the third left-hander to play in The Ryder Cup, following Peter Dawson (1977) and Phil Mickelson (1995-2010). Watson and Jeff Overton are the first American rookies to be paired together in the opening series of matches since Bill Rogers and Bruce Lietzke in 1981.