You are in > manchester.com  > News > USA captain Azinger opts for foursomes to start Ryder Cup

Golf

USA captain Azinger opts for foursomes to start Ryder Cup

31/01/2008

The USA captain Paul Azinger has chosen to change the format of the 2008 Ryder Cup in a bid to give his side the best possible chance of victory.

The 48-year-old, in his first year as a Ryder Cup captain, has chosen to swap the order of play on the opening day - meaning the competition will start with the foursomes instead of the fourballs.

Azinger believes the American players will be stronger in foursomes, which sees two teams of two players take alternate shots with the same ball, than fourballs, where two teams of two play a ball each with the lowest score counting for each team.

The last time the tournament began with foursomes was in 1999 at Brookline – which coincidentally was also the last time the USA won the Ryder Cup.

And Azinger confirmed this was in order to give his players the chance to start well - something he believes has hindered the Americans in the past.

"I've decided to change it back," Azinger said.

"I hope it's the right decision. We're switching, we're going back to alternate shot in the morning and we'll just see how it plays out.

"I felt like the Americans had an edge in alternate shot and I think it's partly responsible for why Europe has gotten off to a pretty hot start [in the last three tournaments]."

This year's Ryder Cup takes place at the Valhalla golf club in Kentucky, beginning on September 19th.