CHASKA, Minn. -- When grading Day 1 of the Ryder Cup, which the U.S. leads 5-3, I tried to look at matches in two ways. First, did the player's team win the match? Second, did he win holes or did his opponent lose them? Birdies and eagles win holes; bogeys or double-bogeys lose holes. There's a big difference between the two when I grade a player's performance.
(Find Team USA's Day 1 grades here)
Grade: B
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-0-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 1-0-0
The rookie looked terrified when I shook his sweaty hand before he teed off, then he hit the first tee shot. He played off Sergio Garcia perfectly.
Grade: C+
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0
The antics to the morning crowd didn't work. In the afternoon there were none, and success followed when he was paired with fellow Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
Grade: D
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 0-1-0; Overall: 0-2-0
Note: Captain's pick
The foursomes pairing with Sergio Garcia didn't work, and neither did the Danny Willett connection in four-ball. This could be a bad omen, like at Medinah.
Grade: B
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0
While McIlroy left his morning rookie, Andy Sullivan, hanging, he made up for it in the afternoon with a different rookie, Thomas Pieters. That eagle and full point won late Friday could come back to haunt the U.S. team.
Grade: A
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0
Note: Captain's pick
Showed the perfect blend of cool and emotion playing with Rory McIlroy in four-ball, and he held his own like a Ryder Cup veteran.
Grade: A
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0
Be very afraid of the twosome of Rose and Henrik Stenson on Day 2. You have to beat them, because they won't lose to you.
Grade: A
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0
When you see Stenson smiling and waving to the camera during a match, his opponent is probably under his spikes.
Grade: C-
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 0-1-0
Nerves are understandable, but even with a foursomes partner in Rory McIlroy who didn't help much, they never seemed to go away.
Grade: D
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-1-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 0-1-0
Note: Captain's pick
The veteran is supposed to show the rookie how to calm the nerves, not the other way around as was the case with Thomas Pieters.
Grade: B+
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-0-0; Four-Ball 0-1-0; Overall: 0-1-0
With all the outside distractions, he still played well and was just beaten by a hotter twosome in Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka.
Grade: A+
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-0-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 0-0-0
Half of the greatest benchwarmers ever assembled.
Grade: A+
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-0-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 0-0-0
The other half of the greatest benchwarmers ever assembled.