Johnson proves his worth on debut

Saturday morning fourballs: John O'Sullivan looks back at Saturday's play and the impression Zach Johnson made for the US.

Johnny Miller, NBC television's golf analyst, is known for his forthright views. A colourful character sartorially, and a flamboyant personality during his stellar playing days, he has a line icandour that wouldn't always be appreciated in the locker-room these days and he's ruffled an aviary's worth of feathers.

During Saturday morning's live transmission, the American station went to an advertisement break but the television feed remained on and Miller was heard to remark that if Zach Johnson hadn't had to drag that deadwood "Verplunk" (Scott Verplank) around the course he'd have won the match six and five by now.

Miller was then apprised of the fact that though the station was on an ad break, the feed was still going live to the locker-rooms. Undaunted, he laughed and added that it was just something else that they could add to the bulletin board in the American team room.

Miller's plaudits for Johnson were entirely justified; the 30-year-old Ryder Cup rookie had produced the best golf of Saturday morning's fourballs to provide the Americans with their only win in that format on the day.

Padraig Harrington, playing alongside Henrik Stenson, had the misfortune to once again run into a form player - as he would do again alongside Paul McGinley in the afternoon when losing three and two to Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk.

It's instructive to note that Harrington had four birdies on his own card - the European partnership was five under - yet found himself stymied by the exuberant excellence of Johnson, whose seven birdies were enough to see off the Irishmen on the 17th green, the margin of victory two and one.

It was apposite that the Iowa native should deliver the coup de grâce, chipping in for birdie.

Johnson's poise was striking, the quiet assurance, the steely eyed focus - evident whenever he removed the shades - remarkable in the context of the tournament.

Johnson began playing the game as a 10-year-old and lists his father, a chiropractor, and mother among his heroes.

A huge Iowa football and basketball fan, he started playing on the Nationwide Tour in 2000 and the following season on the Hooters Tour won three regular-season events and earned the nickname Back-to-back-to-back Zach.

His first season on the US Tour was 2004, when he played 30 tournaments, finishing in the top 10 on five occasions, including a victory in the Bell South Classic. In the process he became only the second golfer in US Tour history to win more than $2 million in his first season.

He has maintained that form ever since without winning - finishing in the top 10 nine times in the last two seasons. The only surprise this week at The K Club was his belated entry into the competitive arena.

From an American perspective it was the only fillip on another difficult morning; their leading two pairings, ensconced in the middle of the fourballs, were completely eclipsed.

The 21st-century incarnation of the Spanish Armada, Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal, took out Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco in emphatic fashion, winning three and two.

Garcia's swashbuckling iron play and his partner's velvet touch on the greens were simply too much for an out-of-sorts Mickelson and his beleaguered acolyte.

The romance of sport was once again manifest when Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood humbled the world numbers one and three, Woods and Furyk.

If the Englishman hadn't been surprisingly errant with the blade on the first three greens, this match could have turned into a rout.

Westwood would more than play his part but it was the in-form Clarke that finally saw off the Americans with a sumptuous chip-in from the back of the 16th green.

Perhaps the pivotal match, and a second clash between the pairings in as many days, involved Robert Karlsson and Paul Casey and Stewart Cink and JJ Henry.

The Americans once again started quickly but it was the Americans who led playing the final hole, Henry hitting the par five in two blows.

His long putt down the slope travelled 10 feet past, the return dying on the lip.

Casey holed a superb putt for birdie and a deserved half. It was a body blow for the Americans, Europe's ascendancy in each session continuing.