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The 2012 Ryder Cup finally gets underway early Friday morning at Medinah Country Club just outside Chicago. The two captains revealed their lineup for the opening session of foursomes play on Friday morning. Jose Maria Olazabal will lead off the Ryder Cup with his power twosome while Davis Love III will anchor the morning session with his power twosome bringing up the rear. Here's a list of the matches which are played in the alternate-shot format in the morning, typically favoring the Europeans:
8:20 a.m. -- Rory McIlroy/Graeme McDowell (Europe) vs. Jim Furyk/Brandt Snedeker (USA)
8:35 a.m. -- Luke Donald/Sergio Garcia (Europe) vs. Phil Mickelson/Keegan Bradley (USA)
8:50 a.m. -- Lee Westwood/Francesco Molinari (Europe) vs. Jason Dufner/Zach Johnson (USA)
9:05 a.m. -- Ian Poulter/Justin Rose (Europe) vs. Steve Stricker/Tiger Woods (USA)
With 24 of the top 35 players in the world in attendance, both teams are loaded and every match is a clash of supreme talent. McDowell is reportedly struggling with his short game, which could become an issue in alternate shot play. Snedeker, the rookie, will play alongside the veteran Furyk. Captain Love said he wanted to get Snedeker out on the course right away, and both these players are coming off impressive weeks in Atlanta.
The second match features four of the game's biggest stars, with both Donald and Garcia having a legendarily impressive record in Ryder Cup play. The Euro pairing has been nearly invincible over the years, but Mickelson has taken Bradley under his wing over this year and the American duo is certainly capable of hanging with them. Bradley is a St. John's product who had another huge summer on Tour, and he'll certainly be amped up playing in his first Ryder Cup.
The third match will be one for ball-striking purists, with wild drives and off-the-mark iron shots few and far between. All four players are among the best and most accurate ball strikers in the world.
The final match will round out the morning session with Tiger Woods facing the pesky English duo of Justin Rose and Ian Poulter. The two Englishmen had plenty of success together at Valhalla, but Woods has perhaps found his partner in Steve Stricker. He went 5-0 with Stricker at the Presidents Cup in San Francisco, but they were blown out last year in Melbourne. Still, the two have grown fond of being paired together and it was unsurprising to see Love anchor the morning session with Woods and Stricker.
ESPN will have the broadcast of Day 1, coming on the air at 8 a.m. ET. The second session will not begin until 1:05 p.m. ET will the captains setting up the matches in the break between.