The South team in atrocious conditions

The fourth renewal of the Ryder Cup Challenge finally got underway today at Owston Hall – but in fact it was a near thing: such were the atrocious weather conditions here in South Yorkshire this morning that even after the course was declared playable by the management there were still serious discussions about re-scheduling or at least re-arranging the order of play.

The principle problem was rain – heavy, driving, persistent rain which showed little sign of abating. Ultimately however it was agreed by the two captains to play on as normal, the only concession to the elements being that the use of buggies was to be permitted – unusual in this event, and the fourball pairings stood on the first tee only a little behind the original schedule.

First off was Hooley & Wilkinson against Hordern & Avis, expected to be a tight contest. Goodness knows what this group thought upon reaching the first green, fully a third of which was underwater, but they must surely have questioned the course management’s decision regarding playability. Nonetheless the hole was negotiated without mishap and the remaining groups soon followed behind.

It is hard to overstate quite how bad the rain was during the first hour or more of play and it was really all the players could do to battle round and try to keep equipment as dry as possible – any thoughts of keeping clothes or bodies dry having long since dissappeared. As the morning wore on – and because of the conditions this was to be a marathon morning, five hours for some – it seemed that the rain grew less, but on reflection perhaps it was more just a question of everyone getting used to it. Squally winds raked the course periodically to add to the challenge.

Apart from the pairing of Bell & Fernandez (who played rather well to remain in contention for the first third or so of the 18 before utterly collapsing) which capitulated 7 down with 5 to play against old stagers Hardwick and Mountain, the other three fourball confrontations were tight affairs. 2007 northern captain Hooley and his playing partner Sam Wilkinson took matters down to the 18th but the South pairing were able to hold them off for a 1 hole win, Simon Hordern showing probably his best ever Ryder Cup form alongside the able-looking Avis.

The other two matches ended on the 17th – one going to each team. “Foz” Forster coached debutant Mark Wallis brilliantly around the course to triumph 2&1 over a solid and probably expectant South pairing of Ben Moyle and Simon Cole, who were later heard to rue missed opportunities having led at some stages. Then shortly afterward the southern Mark Wallis, paired with Gavin Whitworth, having taken a while to finish off “Calla” and “Jack”, two Ryder Cup stalwarts playing together for the first time, finally did the job with a hole to spare.

So with the match score tied a 2-2, and now running somewhat behind schedule, lunch was taken. Or rather most of the players headed directly to their rooms for a change of clothes and an attempt to dry off, but given that there were not so many other brave souls competing for tee-times in these conditions, the start of the afternoon foursomes could be put back a bit and therefore time was made for everyone to grab some much-needed sustenance.

Mercifully the afternoon saw a dramatic improvement in the weather so that by four o’clock play was proceeding bathed in gorgeous sunshine. This will not however have warmed southern hearts as much as might have been expected as they were in the middle of receiving another 4-0 foursomes battering by North – the overall foursomes score now stands at 12½-3½ and the South seem at a loss to explain why this should be, although dark mutterings from Ben Moyle about handicapping for this part of the contest were again heard today.

On this occasion alarm bells had started ringing for the southerners immediately the draw was made over lunch – they can consider themselves unfortunate in the way it turned out, their better pairings finding the best from the North whilst the North’s weaker players faced the very weakest south had put up. Captain Hordern had paired himself with Fernandez, most likely a sacrificial move as both are essentially coming from outside the handicap, and it was no surprise when they went down to Hooley & Callaghan, although the 6&5 scoreline will still have dissappointed the fiercely competitive Hordern.

Elsewhere in the draw South’s best chance looked to be in the 3rd match out, where the solid Mark Wallis and 2007 captain Bell took on North’s Wilkinson and Hardwick, a paring which certainly had the potential to underperform. South started out well enough here and took a lead but Bell’s play degenerated badly and despite some heroics from Wallis the North, with steady but unspectacular play, were able to wrap it up 3&2 on the 16th.

Avis & Cole performed admirably in losing narrowly to the very strong North pairing of Captain “Jack” and Darren Mountain and certainly had their chances there, whilst the “Foz” and Mark Wallis pairing continued their excellent morning form for North to despatch Moyle and Whitworth 4&2.

So, with the match score standing at 6-2 overnight South have it all to do in the Singles tomorrow. But nobody is forgetting that they trailed almost as badly in 2007 and came storming back to tie the fixture so certainly nothing is decided yet.