Rain delays European round

Colin Montgomerie
12 April 2012

Europe decided to delay their second round of practice for the Ryder Cup after heavy overnight rain and further downpours on Wednesday morning.

But while they decided to wait until 10.30am in the hope of the weather improving, the Americans were out on schedule at 8.45am - presumably to get used to conditions they may encounter when the contest starts on Friday.

Both captains switched things about, although Colin Montgomerie did stick with his two most obvious pairings - Graeme McDowell with Rory McIlroy and the Molinari brothers Edoardo and Francesco.

Lee Westwood had Ross Fisher as his partner after playing with Martin Kaymer on Tuesday, while Padraig Harrington was with Peter Hanson rather than Luke Donald. Donald became Kaymer's partner and Ian Poulter was with Miguel Angel Jimenez.

As for the Americans, there was more evidence that Tiger Woods would be partnering Steve Stricker on his return to Ryder Cup competition. The pair won four points out of four together in the Presidents Cup last year and were in the same group for the second day running.

World number two Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, was with uncapped duo Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson again and were this time joined by another rookie in Jeff Overton.

Georgia pair Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar were together once more and were playing with Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan, while 21-year-old Rickie Fowler teamed up with Jim Furyk alongside Woods and Stricker.

Pairings for the second offical practice session of the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor on Wednesday.

Europe - 1030 McDowell and McIlroy, Kaymer and Donald; 1045 Hanson and Harrington, Fisher and Westwood; 1100 Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari, Poulter and Jimenez.

Uinted States - 0845 Dustin Johnson and Mickelson, Overton and Watson; 0900 Stricker and Woods, Fowler and Furyk; 0915 Cink and Kuchar, Zach Johnson and Mahan.

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