Fourball

"I've played some of my best golf in fourball and didn't win." ❋ Unknown (2003)

Is the U.S. as bad as it appears to be in fourball, having lost three of four matches Friday morning? ❋ Unknown (2002)

The 37-year-old American halved with Davies and Raquel Carriedo in fourball ❋ Unknown (2000)

Four of the last five Ryder Cups that we've lost were best ball [also known as fourball] in the morning. ❋ Unknown (2008)

The fourball were a bit on the yobbish side - but when one of them missed a two footer to lose the match, he exploded into stream of profanity which made the china tea cups rattle. ❋ Glyn Davies (2007)

And they use three interesting variations of the match-play format: fourball, foursomes (alternate shot) and singles. ❋ John Paul Newport (2010)

"We are quietly confident," the always taciturn Westwood said after the pairings for tomorrow morning's series of fourball matches were announced. ❋ Lawrence Donegan At Celtic Manor (2010)

There was more where that came from – plenty more, with Montgomerie doing more stirring than the witches in Macbeth after Pavin announced that Tiger Woods, who has led out the USA pairings on the first day of his last three Ryder Cup appearances, would be paired with Steve Stricker in the third fourball match. ❋ Lawrence Donegan At Celtic Manor (2010)

The European team leads the United States 9 1/2 to 6 1/2 after fourball and foursome matches. ❋ Cindy Boren (2010)

In their last official acts before play begins, the captains on Thursday afternoon announced the pairings for Friday morning's probably rainy fourball play, and there were definitely a few surprises. ❋ John Paul Newport (2010)

Phil Mickelson, an underperformer like Mr. Woods in the fourball and foursomes matches, also caught fire Monday. ❋ John Paul Newport (2010)

His partnership with José María Olazábal in foursomes and fourball play holds the scoring record for either team. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Mind you, when it came to the US captain's decision to complete his fourball line-up with the rookie pairing of Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton, the Europe captain dispensed any need for interpretation. ❋ Lawrence Donegan At Celtic Manor (2010)

Officials said Thursday that Friday's fourball competition would be moved up to mid-morning tee times due to the threat of inclement weather in the afternoon. ❋ Unknown (2011)

"The Ryder Cup is in Monty's blood," Torrance said on Saturday, and there was another vivid example of his identification with the competition in 2004, at Oakland Hills, when Bernhard Langer, perhaps the shrewdest and most calculating of all Ryder Cup captains, sent him out with Padraig Harrington to beat Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the world's No1 and No2, in the opening fourball on the first morning. ❋ Richard Williams (2010)

Five foursomes and five fourball matches are scheduled Saturday, with 12 singles matches Sunday. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Maybe that's why they didn't panic after letting seemingly precious points slip away during two-plus days of fourball and foursome matches played in terrible conditions that ranged from soaking rains to 40 mph winds to both. ❋ Unknown (2007)

Even on Sunday, during the conclusion of the weather-delayed fourball matches, Creamer and Brittany Lincicome missed 3-foot tap-ins to cost their team a hole, the lead and eventually a half-point in a tie against Linda Wessberg and Maria Hjorth. ❋ Unknown (2007)

Can you explain why the format was changed from fourball (where each pair of golfers play their own ball) to alternate shot (where pairs alternate shots with the same ball) in the opening game? ❋ Unknown (2008)