GLENEAGLES, Scotland – The tee shots were in play, and Phil Mickelson strode down the first fairway in the Ryder Cup like he has done so many times before. He was in full uniform. He wore golf shoes. And he inserted earphones to listen to the radio coverage of the matches.

He wasn’t a player on Saturday. He was a cheerleader.

For the first time in 10 appearances at the Ryder Cup – the most of any American in history – Mickelson spent an entire day without hitting a single shot. U.S. captain Tom Watson sat him out in the morning, and then he chose not to play Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in the afternoon.

The last time Mickelson played only two matches going into the final round was in 1995 at Oak Hill when he was a Ryder Cup rookie. Asked to comment as he walked down the fairway to watch, Mickelson said, “Whatever it takes to win.”

“I want our team to win, and whatever we have to do is all I care about,” he said.

When asked whose decision it was not to play, Mickelson smiled and kept walking.

Mickelson and Bradley rallied to take down Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia in the opening session of fourballs on Friday, but they lost badly in foursomes when Bradley couldn’t keep it in the short grass and Mickelson couldn’t make enough putts.

“They didn’t perform all that well yesterday afternoon,” Watson said. “They really wanted to go today. These are the best pairings for alternate shot.”

Watson also benched Webb Simpson for all of Saturday. Simpson was his final captain’s pick who lobbied Watson through text message the morning he was chosen.

The decision backfired on Watson when he sent out Rickie Fowler and Ryder Cup rookie Jimmy Walker for a fourth straight match Saturday afternoon. They were the only Americans to go 36 holes both days. Walker, in particular, looked weary, and he even shanked a shot on the third hole from the fairway.

Graeme McDowell and Victor Dubuisson made five birdies against no bogeys, a score that would have beaten anyone in foursomes. They were 4 up after six holes and sailed to a 5-and-4 victory.

“Jimmy Walker hit a shot that not many people in this media center would be proud of,” McDowell said. “I mean, that had to be tiredness. It had to be. I said to Victor, `Listen, let’s show these guys how energetic we are … and really try not to give them an inch.'”

Mickelson asked to play in foursomes on Friday and Watson agreed. Lefty asked to play on Saturday and Watson turned him down.

“I came back up to the clubhouse and walked to him and Keegan and Webb and said they would be sitting in the afternoon,” Watson said. “I expected exactly what Phil said to me. He said, `We can get it done.’ I said, `Well, the way this golf course sets up, the four teams I put out there give us the best chance.’ He lobbied again. He text me. He said, `Give us a chance.’ I had to tell him no.”

Mickelson and Bradley formed America’s best team two years ago at Medinah when they went 3-0, asking to sit out the final session to be fresh for singles. Both wound up losing their singles matches as Europe rallied from a 10-6 deficit to win.

Mickelson, a five-time major champion, has not won a tournament since the British Open last summer at Muirfield, though he finished one shot behind McIlroy in the PGA Championship last month at Valhalla.

Bradley has gone more than two years without winning, and he had to rely on a captain’s pick to make this team. That means two of Watson’s three picks did not play a shot on Saturday. That might lead to even more second-guessing for the 65-year-old captain.

When asked if he regretted not playing Mickelson, Watson shot back, “No.”

Later, he was asked if he had any regrets at all, and whether he took into account that Fowler and Walker had gone all 18 holes and halved their previous three matches.

“When I look back on it, maybe playing the players too much would be one regret,” Watson said. “They got a little tired. And that certainly is something that I thought they could handle, and maybe I regret not understanding that they couldn’t handle it.”

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – Europe seized command of the Ryder Cup on Saturday, winning three foursomes matches and halving a fourth to extend its lead to 10-6 going into the final day’s singles.

For the second day in a row, Europe grabbed 3 1/2 points from the afternoon alternate-shot matches at Gleneagles.

The United States won 2 1/2 points in the morning fourballs to cut the lead to 6 1/2-5 1/2.

Twelve singles will be played on Sunday. Europe needs 14 points to retain the trophy and 14 1/2 to win it outright.

The United States led 10-6 two years ago at Medinah, but Europe pulled off a stunning comeback to win 14 1/2-13 1/2. That was branded the “Miracle of Medinah.” The Americans will need their own remarkable Sunday rally to steal the cup back.

Europe has won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups.

The scoreboard was dominated by European blue all afternoon.

Lee Westwood and rookie Jamie Donaldson got the ball rolling, beating Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar 2 and 1 in the first foursomes. After the Europeans took the lead for good at the ninth hole, Westwood made a short birdie putt at the 16th to put them 2-up.

Then, Graeme McDowell and French rookie Victor Dubuisson extended the lead to 8 1/2-5 1/2, beating Ricky Fowler and Jimmy Walker 5 and 4. Dubuisson has won both of his matches in a sensational debut, while Fowler remains without a win in his Ryder Cup career.

The third win of the afternoon came from Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, who defeated Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan 3 and 2. It was the marquee duo’s first win in three matches after two halves.

“It’s nice to put that first win on the board,” McIlroy said.

In the final match, Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer halved with U.S. rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. With the Americans 1-up going to the final hole, Europe got up and down from a greenside bunker. Rose holed a 5-foot birdie putt to earn the half point.

Earlier, Reed lipped out a 2-footer on the 16th, then bent over with his hands on his knees in despair for several seconds. Reed was in the same bunker as Kaymer on No. 18 but had a bad lie and couldn’t hit the ball toward the hole. Spieth missed a potential match-winning putt from long range.

NEGERI SEMBILAN, Malaysia – Asian Tour rookie Ryan Yip of Canada closed with a superb eight-under-par 63 to win by one-shot at the PGM Port Dickson Championship on Saturday.

Coming from five shots back, Yip recorded an eagle and seven birdies against a lone bogey to top Malaysian Khor Kheng Hwai, who also signed for a 63, with a 20-under-par 264 total at the Port Dickson Golf and Country Club.

Overnight leader Arie Irawan of Malaysia carded a 72 to finish third, four shots behind Yip, while Thailand’s Tirawat Kaewsiribandit settled for fourth place following a 65 at the RM200,000 (approximately US$60,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

Yip, who secured his Asian Tour card at Qualifying School earlier this year, was delighted to emerge victorious in his first appearance on the ADT, which was launched in 2010 as a gateway to the Asian Tour.

“I woke up feeling confident that I can have another go in chasing for the win. I wanted to have a good showing this week to put my game in good shape ahead of next week’s event. I’m glad I managed to do it,” said the 29-year-old Canadian, who walked away with the winner’s prize purse of US$10,812 and six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

Currently ranked 65^th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Yip will be hoping to replicate his ADT success in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour next week.

“I wanted to play on the Asian Tour because I know it is a good platform for me to boost my world ranking with the OWGR points on offer. I’m looking forward to going back to play on the main Tour. Hopefully I can extend my good form into next week’s event,” added Yip.

Despite missing out on his maiden win by a mere one shot, Khor soaked in the positives as he posted his career’s low round and best finish on the ADT.

“My putter worked wonders today. I putted really well today, in fact for all four rounds this week. I have nothing to lose despite missing out on the win. It was a pretty amazing week for me,” said the 29-year-old Malaysian.

Meanwhile Arie, who led in the first three rounds, will have to wait longer for his maiden victory as he failed to fend off his fast-charging rivals.

The young Malaysian reeled in nine straight pars but hit his drive out-of-bounds on the 10^th hole which resulted in a triple bogey. He dropped a shot on the 13^th hole but recovered with three birdies in his last five holes.

Since its inauguration in 2010, the ADT has grown from five events in the first year to a record 20 tournaments in 2014. The top-five finishers on the Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn Asian Tour cards for 2015.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – Henrik Stenson had different playing partners in all five of his team matches at the Ryder Cups in 2006 and `08.

He looks to have found a keeper at Gleneagles.

Stenson combined with close friend and neighbor Justin Rose on Friday to win two points for Europe on the first day of the 2014 Ryder Cup, helping the team secure a 5-3 overnight lead.

Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, ranked No. 1 and 3 in the world, were widely viewed as Europe’s powerhouse combination this week but now there’s a different duo for the Americans to worry about. Unsurprisingly, Rose and Stenson were paired together for Saturday’s morning fourballs, too, and have expressed a desire to play all five matches.

Rose’s reliability makes him the ideal partner, as Ian Poulter discovered in 2008 and ’12 when the English pair won four of their five matches. Poulter, the Ryder Cup’s ultimate showboater, garnered most of the headlines then but don’t underestimate the importance of Rose’s steady influence.

Stenson certainly doesn’t.

“He’s a solid player all around,” the Swede said. “He’s got a sharp short game … made some crucial putts and he was driving the ball nicely, as well. So if you’re out there with no real weaknesses, then it’s hard not to produce some good golf.

“I could have found worse partners, I promise you.”

Stenson and Rose were bumping fists all day on the PGA Centenary course as they rolled in a combined 11 birdies in a 5-and-4 win over Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson in the morning fourballs and a 2-and-1 victory over Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson in the afternoon foursomes.

They exchanged a warm embrace on No. 17 after Rose’s birdie sealed their second point of the day under gloomy evening skies. It is a friendship born from living within 50 yards of each other on a street in Lake Nona, Orlando.

They have kids of a similar age that get on. Their caddies are friends. They travel to PGA Tour events together. Their games are pretty similar, too.

All in all, they are a natural fit – and it’s a combination that won’t be easily penetrated by Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar on Saturday morning.

“He stays focused the whole day, just like Ian does,” Rose said of Stenson. “He’s a partner you can rely on. If you miss a shot, you always feel like he’s there and he’s got your back, and I think that’s what you want from a partner.

“If you believe in their game, it makes a massive difference.”

It is the first time a European partnership has won both matches on the opening day of the Ryder Cup since Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington in 2004.

“They have a really good dynamic,” Europe captain Paul McGinley said. “These two guys are together for a particular reason. It’s based on my understanding of them as people as well as golfers.”

The modest Rose, who took his overall record across three Ryder Cups to 8-3-0, rejected talk that he was now Europe’s unofficial “team leader.”

But in three sessions, McGinley has twice put Rose and Stenson as Europe’s first pairing. The atmosphere was electric on the first tee Friday as the opening fourballs match got under way amid soccer-style chanting. Simpson skied a shot that traveled 190 yards, barely reaching the fairway. Watson found the rough, while Rose and Stenson found the middle of the fairway.

It was Rose’s first experience of playing at home in a Ryder Cup and he loved it.

“Just looking down the first fairway and seeing 10, 20 people deep from tee to green was just an amazing sight,” he said. “First morning, first shot, the anticipation, the crowd, the build-up, first tee on a Ryder Cup Friday morning, it’s just amazing.”

Rose was stung on his right thumb by a bee as he searched for his ball in a water hazard on No. 9. “It was a well-deserved sting because I hit a terrible shot,” he said.

As the Americans discovered, he didn’t hit many others.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – For the first time in eight years, Europe is ahead after the first full day of play at the Ryder Cup.

Europe grabbed a 5-3 lead after Friday’s two sessions at Gleneagles – even though big guns Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter contributed only half a point.

But it was an improbable half point that felt like a win, gave the home side a momentum boost and could prove decisive in the final outcome as Europe bids for its eighth victory in 10 Ryder Cups.

”We’ve seen in the Ryder Cups over the years how important momentum switches are and how it can really have a domino effect,” European captain Paul McGinley said. “So when the surge came from America at the end of the session this morning, for our guys to react as well as they did in all four matches, shows real strength of character.”

The last time the Europeans led after the opening day was at the K Club in Ireland in 2006. They went on to win 18 1/2-9 1/2. The Americans led after the first full day in each of the last three Ryder Cups.

Trailing the United States 2 1/2-1 1/2 after the morning fourballs, the Europeans won three of the alternate-shot matches in the afternoon. More dramatic was the late rally by McIlroy and Garcia, who came from two shots down with two to play to halve with Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.

McIlroy made a 30-foot birdie putt at the 17th and Garcia hit a beautiful approach from the rough on the 18th to set up another birdie.

“That was probably as good as a win, to come back from where they were,” McGinley said.

The No. 1-ranked McIlroy and No. 3 Garcia had lost their fourballs match in the morning, beaten 1-up by Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. Until the late comeback, it looked like McIlroy would become the first No. 1 player to lose two Ryder Cup matches on the same day since Tiger Woods in 2002.

“Sergio and I battled for all 36 holes out there today,” McIlroy said. “It was a long day for both of us, and just glad that we were able to contribute something to the cause today.”

He called the half-point a “mini-victory.”

“It definitely is a huge halve in terms of momentum for the European team going into tomorrow,” McIlroy said. “It was huge. For Sergio and I, it’s just nice to be able to walk away from today with at least something.”

The 3 1/2 points won in the afternoon set a European team record in Ryder Cup foursomes – beating the 3-point total achieved in five previous contests.

In the morning session, the Americans seemed to strike a big psychological blow by taking down McIlroy and Poulter.

In a stunning performance, 21-year-old Jordan Spieth and 24-year-old Patrick Reed – rookies who formed the youngest pairing in Ryder Cup history – beat Poulter and Scottish rookie Stephen Gallacher 5 and 4.

U.S. captain Tom Watson had singled out Poulter as the one player the Americans wanted to target – even more than McIlroy. Poulter had won seven consecutive Ryder Cup matches and was the catalyst of Europe’s remarkable comeback in Medinah two years ago. This was Poulter’s heaviest ever Cup defeat.

Watson left Spieth and Reed out of the afternoon session, a decision he knows will be second guessed.

“I thought at the time it was the best decision not to play them,” Watson said. “There were a variety of reasons but I won’t go into those. It was a decision that my vice captains and I made. … I take the blame for that.”

Watson said he told his team there is still plenty to play for. He portrays this weekend as a chance for redemption after the epic 2012 defeat in Medinah, where the Americans blew a 10-6 lead going into the final day.

“This is the second quarter of a football game,” Watson said.

The afternoon began with Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson pulling Europe level by beating Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar 2 up. Westwood, playing in his ninth Ryder Cup, enjoyed his role as mentor to the Welsh rookie.

“I love it, kind of watching somebody take to it like a duck to water,” he said.

Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson won their second match of the day, beating Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson 2 and 1.

Graeme McDowell and French rookie Victor Dubuisson secured the final point, defeating Mickelson and Bradley 3 and 2. It’s the first time Mickelson and Keegan have lost together in the Ryder Cup after four straight wins.

“Very fortunate to be playing alongside a player who I think really is Europe’s next superstar,” McDowell said of the 24-year-old Dubuisson, the youngest player on the team. “I really believe that. He was awesome today. He didn’t miss a shot.”

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Blaine McCallister birdied his last two holes Friday at Poppy Hills for a 5-under 66 and the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s First Tee Open.

McCallister, seeking his first Champions Tour victory after winning five times on the PGA Tour career, closed with birdies on the par-4 eighth and par-5 ninth holes.

“I’m swinging it well and hitting the golf ball well,” said McCallister, who has one top-10 finish in 74 career Champions Tour starts. “I’m starting to feel like I belong out here.”

McCallister’s round, which ended 5 1/2 hours after John Cook took the morning clubhouse lead, included a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th – his eighth hole of the day.

“They say golf is about patience, patience, patience,” McCallister said. “Some people have been nice to me with sponsors’ exemptions and I feel it’s finally starting to pay off.”

Cook, Skip Kendall, John Inman, Lee Janzen and Tom Byrum were 4 under. Cook and Kendall shot 67 at Poppy Hills, and Inman, Janzen and Byrum had 68s at Pebble Beach, the site of the final round.

“It’s taken me awhile to get back to 100 percent,” said Cook, a nine-time Champions Tour winner who missed 10 weeks of the season after a suffering a back injury at his Florida home in February.

Kendall made the field Tuesday in an open qualifier.

“I putted extremely well and I took advantage of my opportunities,” Kendall said.

Two-time defending champion Kirk Triplett had 69 at Poppy Hills.

Davis Love III, making his second Champions Tour start, had a 71 at Poppy Hills. The 20-time PGA Tour winner tied for 64th last week in Hawaii. He won the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach event in 2001 and 2003.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum will stage the 2015 Induction Ceremony at the home of golf in St Andrews, Scotland, in conjunction with The Open Championship.  The Ceremony will be held Monday, July 13 at the University of St Andrews, just blocks from the Old Course, host site of that week’s 144th Open Championship.

The move is part of an expanded biennial schedule for the Induction Ceremony and highlights the Hall of Fame’s ongoing strategic efforts to elevate its awareness and prestige around the world.  That schedule includes returning to World Golf Village for the 2017 event, which will be held the Monday of THE PLAYERS Championship week.  In 2019, the Induction Ceremony will move to Pebble Beach, Calif., and be staged on Monday of U.S. Open Championship week.

The 2015 Ceremony will be held at the University of St Andrews, which has a history of recognizing golf’s greatest players.  The University has conferred honorary Doctor of Law degrees to several Hall of Fame members – including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player – in recognition of their outstanding achievements and contributions to the sport of golf.

“I am absolutely delighted that the first Induction Ceremony to be staged internationally is coming to St Andrews,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.  “The Class of 2015 will have a truly special experience in being recognized in the place where golf began.  There will be many thousands of visitors to St Andrews during the Open Championship and the Induction Ceremony will start the week with real fanfare.”

The Class of 2015 will be introduced later this year.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – As if players don’t already face enough pressure in the Ryder Cup, the walk into golf’s most boisterous arena goes through a tunnel of time.

One side of the short tunnel is painted American red and celebrates past victories, with images of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Paul Azinger and Ben Hogan. The other side is European blue with a roll call of winners that feature Tony Jacklin and Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer.

Emerging from the tunnel, players immediately see blue bunting on a three-story hospitality suite with the words, “Where Legends are Forged.”

Take a breath.

They make their way to the first tee, where a U-shaped grandstand has 1,892 seats filled with fans who are chanting, singing and stomping.

This is no ordinary golf tournament.

“It’s like walking into a football stadium,” said Stephen Gallacher, who grew up near Gleneagles and has never seen the course looking like this. Not with fans 10-deep on both sides of the fairway, draped in flags of the European Union, the nine European countries represented, and yes, even the Stars & Stripes.

“That tunnel has got some iconic images through it, and you’ll hear the crowd, you’ll hear the noise,” Justin Rose said. “You really begin to sense that even on the practice range. The atmosphere really amps up. … I can only imagine that by the time you walk to the tee, you’re fully ready to go. There’s absolutely no doubt.”

And there was one more touch to add inspiration to the home team.

From the first tee, players can’t help but notice a message written across the back of the 50-foot grandstand behind the 18th green to the left. It’s a quote from Seve Ballesteros, forever the face of European golf in the Ryder Cup.

“As a player and captain, there are unforgettable moments when you are competing for the people of your continent.”

Four long days of speculation and anticipation give way to the most frenetic three days in golf, starting with a tee shot unlike any other.

“It’s definitely the most impressive first hole we play throughout our careers,” Sergio Garcia said. “That tee shot on the first is always different, the way they build it up and all the songs you hear and everything.”

It all unfolds onFriday morning when Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson go for a third straight victory in fourballs against Rose and Henrik Stenson.

Considering the last two Ryder Cups – both European victories – were decided by one point, every match matters.

Europe has won seven of the last nine times, and it has not lost on home soil since 1993 when Tom Watson was the American captain. Going back in time to change its fortunes, the U.S. team brought back Watson to lead the way. At 65, he is the oldest captain in Ryder Cup history.

Watson stuck with what has worked, and he threw in a few wrinkles. Bubba Watson and Simpson won both their fourballs matches at Medinah, wrapping up both of them on the 14th hole. Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson went 3-0 at Medinah, and they are the anchor match against Rory McIlroy and Garcia, Europe’s most powerful tandem.

“We’re looking to hand them their first defeat tomorrow morning,” McIlroy said.

The new wrinkle? Old Tom Watson created the youngest pairing in Ryder Cup history with 21-year-old Jordan Spieth and 24-year-old Patrick Reed going against Europe stalwart Ian Poulter and Gallacher, another rookie and the lone Scot in a Ryder Cup that has not been held in the home of golf since 1973.

“I would imagine for the rookies, it’s going to be a bit of a shock,” Lee Westwood said of the first tee. “It’s a bit of an intimidating atmosphere, but nothing they can’t handle.”

Watson has been preaching redemption from the Americans’ meltdown at Medinah, where they lost the largest lead ever by a home team. Europe captain Paul McGinley is talking about a template of success, even though his four teams on Friday morning are entirely new.

“The fun is only starting now,” McGinley said. “We relish the challenge.”

Adding to the fun are the final two matches.

Poulter is like a peacock, strutting around Gleneagles, eager as ever to show off his Ryder Cup feathers. He was singled out even ahead of McIlroy – a four-time major champion and golf’s No. 1 player – as the one guy Americans would love to knock off. Watson is sending out a pair of rookies against him who have nothing to lose.

“I told them today, `I’m going to throw you in the ocean without a life preserver. You’re on your own. You get out there and you get it done,'” Watson said.

As for the anchor match involving Mickelson and McIlroy? Watson compared that match with the “main event in the first round.”

“Now see what happens in the next 72 hours,” he said.

On Sunday, the Twitter campaign for the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation came to a close, raising more than $1,200 for the Golf in Schools program.

Running from September 11-21, the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation picked up 1,200+ Twitter followers, including fellow PGA Tour star Ernie Els and big name NHL player John Michael-Liles of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Launched this summer, the Foundation is focused on improving the health and wellness of children and supporting the development of junior golfers at all stages.

In all likelihood, the money raised will go towards adopting three additional schools into the program, which regularly cost $475 per school/package.

Golf in Schools was developed in 2009 by Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada in partnership with Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada. Since its inception, the program has been delivered to over 2,500 elementary and high schools across Canada.

The Golf in Schools program consists of safety-approved golf equipment, along with a relevant teaching resource for teachers to deliver lesson plans to students.

Click here to learn more about Golf in Schools.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the nation’s top 25 scorers who will compete in the CN Future Links Skills Challenge National Event on Sept. 27 at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

The participants, split into three different age groups, were invited based on their scores from individual Skills Challenge events hosted at local clubs throughout the year by CN Future Links instructors. During the season, live results are available online through the National Leaderboard, allowing juniors to compare their scores against others in the country.

“The objective of the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event is to focus on the core skills (chipping, putting, iron play and driving) of the sport and put the spotlight on participants that have achieved the top scores from various events that have happened throughout the season,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “We look forward to hosting all of these talented young players with our partners at CN.”

A trophy will be awarded to the winner of each age group in both the boys and girls divisions. The participants are listed below:

Ages 9-11

Ages 12-14

Ages 15-18

CN is proud to give juniors the chance to partake in friendly Skills Challenge events through the safe, affordable programming of CN Future Links. The National Event is a celebration for juniors across Canada to be involved with the experience of friendly competition against some of the country’s top juniors.

Each participant will receive a travel subsidy from CN of $500, along with a welcome package from Titleist valued at $200. The winners of each age group will also receive an additional package from Titleist, valued at $300.

In addition, the male and female winner of the 15-18 event will be given an exemption into their local 2015 CN Future Links Championship event.