Colin Montgomerie to start with fourballs
Colin Montgomerie will wait until the end of the weekend before finalising his Ryder Cup team but Europe's captain has already decided to open his challenge against the United States with the fourball format.
Montgomerie today revealed he will follow the example of Seve Ballesteros, who believed that switching from the traditional foursomes start to fourballs made a huge contribution to a victory for Europe at Valderrama in 1997.
Europe's four victories in the last six matches have come with the opening session being fourballs and America's two wins came when Ben Crenshaw, in 1999, and Paul Azinger, two years ago, reverted to foursomes first.
Montgomerie will have at least five rookies in his line-up on the opening day at Celtic Manor on 1 October and said: "Foursomes is the most difficult form of golf, it's easier to get new caps involved straightaway in fourballs."
Following last night's withdrawal through injury of Ross McGowan from the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Francesco Molinari has been confirmed as one of Montgomerie's newcomers.
The Italian was two shots off the lead after 10 holes of today's second round of the Johnnie Walker, as he went from four under par overnight to six under.
His brother Edoardo is in contention for one of Montgomerie's three picks, to be announced on Sunday night, along with Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Luke Donald, who are this week competing in the Barclays Championship in America.
