Johnson gets Ryder Cup pairing with Mickelson

 

As expected, Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson has been paired by U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin with buddy Phil Mickelson in his first match in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales.

Mickelson and Johnson will be the first team teeing off for the U.S. in Friday morning’s fourball (best ball) match against Lee Westwood of England and Martin Kaymer of Germany.

Johnson and Mickelson are both long and aggressive players who are pupils of instructor Butch Harmon.

Westwood is coming off a two-month break because of a calf injury, and Kaymer won the PGA Championship in August.

European captain Colin Montgomerie moved fourball back to Friday morning and foursome (alternate shot) matches to the afternoon. Europe is 9-3 when it wins the Friday morning fourball session. Then U.S. captain Paul Azinger flipped the format in 2008.

ESPN has live coverage of the Ryder Cup from 2:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., with an encore presentation on ESPN2 from 1-10 p.m.

The fourball pairings are:

2:45 am -- Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson (USA) vs. Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer (EUROPE)
3 am -- Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell (EUROPE)
3:15 am -- Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods (USA) vs. Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher (EUROPE)
3:30 am -- Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton (USA) vs. Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington (EUROPE)