FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 29th, 2016

NOTABLE QUOTES: GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE RYDER CUP (THURSDAY PRIMETIME)

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Golf Central Live From the Ryder Cup (Thursday primetime)
Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016
Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

**Day 1 coverage of the 2016 Ryder Cup begins Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET on Golf Channel, with live coverage of the morning foursomes matches.**

Friday Morning Foursomes Matches
Match #1 – 8:35 a.m. ET: Rose / Stenson (Europe) vs. Spieth / Reed (United States)
Match #2 – 8:50 a.m. ET: McIlroy / Sullivan (Europe) vs. Mickelson / Fowler (United States)
Match #3 – 9:05 a.m. ET: Garcia / Kaymer (Europe) vs. Walker / Z. Johnson (United States)
Match #4 – 9:20 a.m. ET: Pieters / Westwood (Europe) vs. D. Johnson / Kuchar (United States)

On Match #1
Brandel Chamblee – “Foursomes is about gelling. You’re held accountable to misses. [Spieth and Reed] don’t come in here particularly on a high as it relates to ball-striking. Stenson and Rose are among the best ball-strikers on a very good ball-striking European team.”

On Match #2
Frank Nobilo – “The advantage you would think would go to the American team. But Rickie Fowler is still looking for his first full point in a Ryder Cup. Andy Sullivan appears like the outlier in this group. He’s a rookie, nearly 30 years of age. Andy Sullivan played two foursomes matches in the 2011 Walker Cup and won them both. You know who else was a part of the 2011 Walker Cup? Jordan Spieth. Andy Sullivan will do just fine. This is actually a better match than what it looks like on paper.”
Nobilo – “The American team may need a GPS to find the fairway.”
Colin Montgomerie – “The character of Andy Sullivan… I think he’s up for it. Darren [Clarke] would not have put him with Rory McIlroy if he didn’t think he could cope.”

On Match #3
Chamblee – “This is the most surprising duo in Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker that I could imagine in foursomes. There’s 12 players on this team, and they’re 11th and 12th in ball-striking. Foursomes is about ball-striking. That’s why Sergio Garcia is so proficient, and Martin Kaymer is equally as good [of a ball-striker]. I see this one going for Europe.”
Montgomerie – “On paper, you have to favor Sergio and Martin in that particular pairing.”

On Match #4
Chamblee – “[Westwood] has partnered so well with everybody. He’s an amazing partner and of course Thomas Pieters is the best scrambler on the European team. That is a formidable duo.”
Nobilo – “This is the first time that they’ll play together in foursomes… Remember Dustin Johnson did not play in the 2014 Ryder Cup, and that’s why this duo is being resurrected from 2012.”
Chamblee – “Dustin Johnson has played in two previous Ryder Cups and his captains have only put him out in foursomes once. That will tell you what his captains thought about his overall game. He’s a different player now by a wide margin now. He has rounded out every weakness he had. I would be shocked if he didn’t play all five matches. I see this one going for the United States.”
Montgomerie – “Thomas Pieters is someone who could come of age here in the Ryder Cup.”

-NBC Sports Group-