Presidents Cup match previews: Thursday's foursomes

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MELBOURNE, Australia -- The first day of the 2011 Presidents Cup consists of six foursomes matches. The U.S. has dominated in this format. In 16 sessions since the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994, the Internationals have earned more points just five times. Since 2000, the U.S. holds a 38-1/2 to 15-1/2 points advantage in foursomes.

But in 1998, the last time The Presidents Cup was played in Royal Melbourne, the Internationals dominated both foursomes sessions, winning eight of a possible 10 points in routing the Americans 20-1/2 to 11-1/2 for their only victory in this event.

Here's a preview of each of the six matches on Thursday, with predictions from PGATOUR.COM staffers Mike McAllister and Helen Ross, who are on-site at Royal Melbourne:

Match 1

Bubba Watson Webb Simpson VS. 1:05 p.m. (local) 9:05 p.m. ET (Wed.) Ernie Els Ryo Ishikawa

PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP APPEARANCES/RECORDS
Watson - none.
Simpson - none.
Els - six appearances, 16-12-2 record, including 5-6-1 in foursomes.
Ishikawa - one appearance, 3-2-0 record, including 1-1-0 in foursomes.
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP PARTNERSHIPS
Watson-Simpson - none.
Els-Ishikawa - none.
QUICK LOOK
The American duo told Fred Couples several weeks ago that they wanted to play together. The duo also wanted to go out first. "I get nervous and jittery so I want to go out first and get that out of the way instead of waiting all day," Watson said. If the young players can control their nerves, they should make for a good partnership - Bubba's long and Webb is steady. Els and Ishikawa shared a practice round on Wednesday and their partnership makes sense. Els holds the course record at Royal Melbourne and knows the nuances of Royal Melbourne, which should help counteract Ishikawa's lack of knowledge here and the limited amount of practice time he had after arriving Tuesday afternoon. "I'm really happy that Ernie is with me and that he knows a lot about this course," Ishikawa said.
PREDICTION
Helen Ross - USA. "These two are good friends and excited to play together. They could surprise."
Mike McAllister - USA. "The Watson-Simpson duo will be tough to beat all week."

Match 2

Bill Haas Nick Watney VS. 1:17 p.m. (local) 9:17 p.m. ET (Wed.) Geoff Ogilvy Charl Schwartzel

PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP APPEARANCES/RECORDS
Haas - none.
Watney - none.
Ogilvy - two appearances, 4-5-0 record, including 0-3-0 in foursomes.
Schwartzel - none.
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP PARTNERSHIPS
Haas-Watney - none.
Ogilvy-Schwartzel - none.
QUICK LOOK
FedExCup winner Haas may feel added pressure since he's a Captain's Pick and his dad Jay is an assistant to Fred Couples. But that may also fuel his determination to do well. Watney wasn't a factor in the PGA TOUR Playoffs, but he'll hope to return to the form that won two TOUR events earlier this year. The Ogilvy-Schwartzel combo could be tough, though. Ogilvy is one of the Aussies who knows this course well -- in fact, he grew up 500 yards from the course. Masters winner Schwartzel has one of the best swings in golf, and he comes up big in big events -- he finished inside the top 20 in every major this year. Schwartzel even appears to be growing an Ogilvy-like mustasche.
PREDICTIONS
Helen Ross - International. "The course knowledge that Ogilvy, who used to live in a house adjacent to Royal Melbourne, brings to the table will be the deciding factor."
Mike McAllister - International. "Ogilvy in his best form of the year; Schwartzel's been in good form all year."

Match 3

Dustin Johnson Matt Kuchar VS. 1:29 p.m. (local) 9:29 p.m. ET (Wed.) Aaron Baddeley Jason Day

PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP APPEARANCES/RECORDS
Johnson - none.
Kuchar - none.
Baddeley - none
Day - none.
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP PARTNERSHIPS
Johnson-Kuchar - none.
Baddeley-Day - none
QUICK LOOK
Johnson was rumored to be Tiger Woods' partner earlier in week, but Couples opted to pair him with Kuchar. Johnson's struggles this year came on the greens, where he ranked 171st in Strokes Gained-Putting. Kuchar ranked 26th in that category. Baddeley-Day is the only Aussie pairing on Thursday, so they'll have plenty of support. But Baddeley also admits both players will be nervous.
PREDICTIONS
Helen Ross - International. "The Aussie rookies have something to prove.".
Mike McAllister - International. "It'll be an entertaining match, but the crowd will carry the Aussies."

Match 4

Phil Mickelson Jim Furyk VS. 1:41 p.m. (local) 9:41 p.m. ET (Wed.) Retief Goosen Robert Allenby

PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP APPEARANCES/RECORDS
Mickelson - eight appearances, 15-13-10 record including 7-6-2 in foursomes
Furyk - six appearances, 15-10-3 record, including 5-3-3 in foursomes
Goosen - five appearances, 11-10-3 record, including 2-6-2 in foursomes
Allenby - five appearances, 8-13-3 record, including 3-5-2 in foursomes
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP PARTNERSHIPS
Mickelson-Furyk - none
Goosen-Allenby - none
QUICK LOOK
Four veterans of this event follows the match of four Presidents Cup rookies. Mickelson-Furyk were paired together in a losing effort one time at the 1999 Ryder Cup. "Obviously our styles are quite a bit different," Furyk said, "but I think in certain formats and certain golf courses that lends itself to be very well and sometimes it doesn't lend itself to be very well." Allenby is a Captain's Pick that Greg Norman is hoping will pay off because of his course knowlege -- he won at Royal Melbourne in a 1993 event and was runner-up here in the 1995 Australian Open.
PREDICTIONS
Helen Ross - U.S. "Furyk's fairways-and-greens game should give Mickelson license to go-for-broke and the Americans will prevail in a tight battle."
Mike McAllister - U.S. "Going strictly on previous foursomes success in this event."

Match 5

Hunter Mahan David Toms VS. 1:53 p.m. (local) 9:53 p.m. ET (Wed.) Kyung-tae Kim Y.E. Yang

PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP APPEARANCES/RECORDS
Mahan - two appearances, 4-4-1 record, including 2-1-1 in foursomes
Toms - three appearances, 6-7-1 record, including 3-3-0 in foursomes
Kim - none.
Yang - one appearance, 2-2-1 record, including 1-0-1 in foursomes
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP PARTNERSHIPS
Mahan-Toms - none.
Kim-Yang - none.
QUICK LOOK
Kim is the real unknown factor, as he spends most of his time on the Japan Tour. Greg Norman had never seen him play until this week. Kim did play in nine PGA TOUR events this year, though, including a couple of top 10s. Pairing him with a fellow Korean should help ease his nerves. Toms and Mahan have substantial U.S. team experience, but they're bit of an unknown factor together. "Kind of have to go out there and get a feel for it and how it goes," Toms said.
PREDICTIONS
Helen Ross - U.S. "Hard to tell just what to expect with this one but the Americans have experience on their side."
Mike McAllister - Internationals. "Yang and Kim will feed off each other just as Yang did with Ishikawa two years ago."

Match 6

Tiger Woods Steve Stricker Vs. 2:05 p.m. (local) 10:05 p.m. ET (Wed.) Adam Scott K.J. Choi

PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP APPEARANCES/RECORDS
Woods - six appearances, 18-11-1 record, including 9-2-1 in foursomes
Stricker - three appearances, 9-6-0 record, including 4-2-0 in foursomes
Choi - two appearances, 3-6-0 record, including 0-3-0 in foursomes
Scott - four appearances, 8-10-2 record, including 3-4-1 in foursomes
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS CUP PARTNERSHIPS
Woods-Stricker - Won all four matches together in 2009
Choi-Scott - Lost in four-ball match in 2007
QUICK LOOK
Yes, the pre-match focus centers on Woods and Scott's caddie Steve Williams. But once the first tee balls are struck, the attention will be where it should -- on the course. The Choi-Scott duo have the biggest challenge of any International partnership on Thursday, as Stricker-Woods rolled through their opponents two years ago. Woods has struggled since then, but he appears to be rounding into form now after a solid performance last week at the Australian Open. Stricker said his recent neck problems will not be a factor.
PREDICTION
Helen Ross - U.S. "the comfort zone Woods and Stricker have with each other will be the deciding factor."
Mike McAllister - U.S. "Hard to pick against Woods-Stricker, even though they come in with more question marks that 2009."