Updated on
Summary The best players don't always make the best partners in the Ryder Cup.
It worked for Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, not so much for Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. U.S. captain Hal Sutton made partners out of Woods and Mickelson, rivals on and off the golf course, and the experiment failed miserably as they lost both matches. Overlooked was the fact that Woods was in the middle of a major swing change in 2004, and Mickelson was in poor form.An argument can be made that Europe has an easier time forming natural partnerships with players coming from different countries. Thats too easy. Nick Faldo (England) and Ian Woosnam (Wales) were formidable, as were Jesper Parnevik (Sweden) and Sergio Garcia (Spain). Bernhard Langer didnt have another German to have as a partner.Ultimately, its all about winning. And thats what makes the following the best partnerships in Ryder Cup history.
