<
>

Team USA grades: Phil Mickelson helps spark American rally

CHASKA, Minn. -- After running out of gas in the afternoon matches Friday, the U.S. Team took a hit in the morning but crushed the afternoon. How did each player fare? Here are the U.S. team grades for Saturday.

(Find Team Europe's Day 2 grades here)

Rickie Fowler

Grade: D
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-1-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0
Note: Captain's pick

Fowler helped make miracles on the course Friday, but that magic was nowhere to be found Saturday.


J.B. Holmes

Grade: B+
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-0-0; Four-Ball 1-1-0; Overall: 1-1-0
Note: Captain's pick

Of the seven birdies Holmes made Saturday afternoon in four-balls, none was bigger than the one on the 16th hole, even though it earned only a halve of the hole.


Dustin Johnson

Grade: B-
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-0-0; Four-Ball 0-2-0; Overall: 1-2-0

Sometimes, no matter how many punches you throw, your opponent throws more. DJ just got beat but showed emotions we've never seen before, which bodes well for his future in these matches.


Zach Johnson

Grade: C
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-1-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0

No magical "Zach Attack" comeback at the end of this round means zero points for the U.S. squad.


Brooks Koepka

Grade: B-
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-0-0; Four-Ball 1-1-0; Overall: 2-1-0

Great win in the morning. Even though there was a loss in the afternoon, it was not due to any bad play by Koepka.


Matt Kuchar

Grade: B
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-0-0; Four-Ball 1-1-0; Overall: 2-1-0
Note: Captain's pick

"Kooch" contributed in the afternoon, making three clutch birdies to keep the Euros from winning holes.


Phil Mickelson

Grade: B-
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-1-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 2-1-0

In the morning session, Mickelson looked as though he was trying too hard, then became uninterested. Holy switch flip, Batman! In the afternoon, Lefty looked like the on-course leader of the team, closing with the energy of a 20-something.


Ryan Moore

Grade: B
2016 Record: Foursomes 0-0-0; Four-Ball 1-1-0; Overall: 1-1-0
Note: Captain's pick

Making clutch putt after clutch putt (while Europe's Lee Westwood missed), Moore proved exactly why he earned a captain's pick after the Tour Championship.


Patrick Reed

Grade: A-
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-0-1; Four-Ball 1-1-0; Overall: 2-1-1

It's obvious Thing 2 is the emotional fireplug of the U.S. team, but emotions mean nothing without game. Blowing a 4-up lead in the morning could have led to disaster in the afternoon, but Reed willed himself to greatness.


Brandt Snedeker

Grade: B+
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-0-0; Four-Ball 1-0-0; Overall: 2-0-0

It ain't about how you start ... it's about how you finish. Building on the momentum from Friday afternoon, smart golf again put the lone full point on the board in the morning for the U.S.


Jordan Spieth

Grade: C
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-0-1; Four-Ball 1-1-0; Overall: 2-1-1

Playing the part of Thing 1 in the Dr. Seuss dynamic duo, he seemed to run out of gas in the afternoon match.


Jimmy Walker

Grade: C
2016 Record: Foursomes 1-1-0; Four-Ball 0-0-0; Overall: 1-1-0

Only one of the two bogeys cost his team a hole, but making three birdies total cost them the match.