37th Ryder Cup - USA v Europe
Venue: Valhalla, Kentucky Date: 19-21 September Coverage: Daily highlights on BBC TV and BBC Sport website, Live on BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Sports and updates/commentary on Red Button and BBC Sport website

Garcia and Westwood have impressive Ryder Cup records

Nick Faldo left Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood out of Saturday's foursomes despite Europe being 5½-2½ behind going into day two of the Ryder Cup.

The European captain said Garcia was tired after being on antibiotics last week while Westwood has "whopping great blisters on his feet from new shoes".

"Sergio wanted to be rested," Faldo said. "Lee definitely didn't but I wanted him to be."

Westwood said: "Nick is the captain and he wanted some fresh legs out there."

Ian Poulter and Justin Rose lead off against Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell.

Oliver Wilson makes his debut alongside Henrik Stenson against US star pairing Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim.

"It will be good to get Ollie out and Henrik will look after him," Faldo said. "Foursomes is the consistent one and that's Ollie's forte - consistency."

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell take on Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan and Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson face Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry in the final match.

The pairings were revealed after Nick Faldo's news conference on Friday and during American captain Paul Azinger's.

But Faldo had hinted about the changes.

"You'll probably see from the pairings a few changes because we need some fresh legs."

RYDER CUP BLOG The omission of their top points-scorers will expose captain Faldo to further criticism BBC Sport's Rob Hodgetts

All Azinger would say on the subject was: "I'm not going to justify why Nick Faldo does what he does. I'm sure he's confident in the guys he put out there.

"I respect everybody on their team. I know what they're capable of, and what's on paper doesn't mean anything to anybody."

Westwood had equalled Arnold Palmer's 12-match unbeaten Ryder Cup record with two halves on the opening day.

Garcia's half with Westwood against Perry and Furyk on Friday morning had taken the Spaniard's unbeaten record in foursomes to nine matches.

606: DEBATE Europe are trailing so what does Faldo do? He leaves out two players who have fantastic records Anna T - BBC Sport

BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter said Faldo was taking "a huge gamble" leaving out Westwood and Garcia.

"In dropping Westwood and Garcia he's omitting a player unbeaten in six years and in Garcia someone who has 8½ points in nine foursomes contests in his Ryder Cup career," Carter said. "Neither has ever sat out a session."

Soren Hansen is also left out despite helping Westwood match Palmer's record in the match against JB Holmes and Boo Weekley, when the Dane chipped in at the 16th to keep the European duo in contention.

Faldo's other wildcard, Paul Casey, missed Friday's fourballs and is again on the sidelines on Saturday morning.

Saturday's Ryder Cup foursomes pairings (all times BST, USA first):

1305 Stewart Cink/Chad Campbell v Ian Poulter/Justin Rose
1320 Justin Leonard/Hunter Mahan v MA Jimenez/Graeme McDowell
1335 Phil Mickelson/Anthony Kim v Henrik Stenson/Oliver Wilson
1350 Jim Furyk/Kenny Perry v Padraig Harrington/Robert Karlsson

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