First cut is not the deepest for relieved Pavin

Published>Sat, Oct 02 10 02:36 AM

Rod Stewart once sang about the first cut being the deepest and U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin breathed a sigh of relief after a format change by officials meant no one could be axed from his team on Saturday.

After heavy rain wiped out more than seven hours of play on Friday's opening day, organisers decided to alter the schedule by squeezing four pairs sessions into three.

The second session at Celtic Manor will now comprise six foursomes and the third will contain two foursomes and four fourballs. That means none of the 24 players can be left out of the remaining pairs matches.

"I feel this makes it a lot easier," Pavin told reporters after his team ended the unfinished four opening fourballs by leading in two matches and trailing in one.

"Sitting four guys out is very brutal to do as a captain. It's nice now that all of the guys are going out.

"I'm pleased the solution was thought of by very smart people, other than myself, because I'm not a smart person."

Pavin also said the new schedule would be welcomed by the rain-lashed spectators at the Twenty Ten course in south Wales.

"It's going to be tremendous for the fans," he said. "They are going to have six matches to watch on the golf course, as opposed to four.

"It's going to be quite a treat for the people who come out to watch it and for the people who watch on TV."

COMPLETE AGREEMENT

Pavin added that he and European skipper Colin Montgomerie were in complete agreement over the changes.

"It allows the Ryder Cup to hopefully finish (as planned) on Sunday, weather permitting," said the U.S. captain.

"There's going to be a lot of golf to watch the next two days... I think it's a very good idea."

Pavin praised the patience of the spectators who waited all day for the two teams to return to the course after play was suspended at 0942 local time (0842 GMT).

"The fans were great," he said. "I was delighted we could at least get out and play some golf because that was a long time to be standing around and waiting."

Pavin also acclaimed the day's outstanding performer, Stewart Cink.

The 2009 British Open champion reeled off five birdies as he and Matt Kuchar went two up on Northern Irishmen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell after 11 holes.

"He (Cink) made some nice putts, he made some long ones and just got it going," said Pavin. "I saw him make two of them out there.

"The way you do well in the Ryder Cup is to make putts. Maybe it will spread to the other guys too."

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