Ryder Cup Day 1 Team Europe grades

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FARRELL EVANS via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
September 26, 2014, 4:41 PM ET
20 min read

— -- Jamie Donaldson   
Foursomes: 1-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-0-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 1-0-0

By his poised performance on Friday afternoon, it was hard to tell that the Welshman was playing in his first Ryder Cup match. Paired with European team leader Lee Westwood, Donaldson held off Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar for a tough 2-up win.

Victor Dubuisson   
Foursomes: 1-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-0-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 1-0-0

Stephen Gallacher   
Foursomes: 0-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-1-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 0-1-0

Sergio Garcia   
Foursomes: 0-0-1 | Four-Balls: 0-1-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 0-1-1

Perhaps no one at Gleneagles this week loves the Ryder Cup more than this 34-year-old Spaniard. In the afternoon match, needing to win the hole to earn a halve for his team, Garcia hit a masterful second shot to the par-5 18th that helped them take a win away from the Americans. It was a big moral victory for Europe's best team.

Martin Kaymer   
Foursomes: 0-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-0-1 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 0-0-1

Playing with Thomas Bjorn, the two-time major champion got off to a 3-up lead over Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker in the morning four-balls, but the Americans would earn a halve with two late birdies. The 29-year-old German played solid on the front nine, with birdies in two of his first four holes, but he couldn't keep that momentum going through the inward half.

Thomas Bjorn   
Foursomes: 0-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-0-1 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 0-0-1

Rory McIlroy   
Foursomes: 0-0-1 | Four-Balls: 0-1-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 0-1-1

The world No. 1 put a new driver in the bag for these matches, and he struggled to find the fairway with the club Friday. It almost cost the Europeans two points. But two down with two to play, Garcia and McIlroy birdied the last two holes to halve the afternoon match against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler. In the morning matches, McIlroy and Garcia lost 1 up by Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.

Ian Poulter   
Foursomes: 0-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-1-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 0-1-0

Justin Rose   
Foursomes: 1-0-0 | Four-Balls: 1-0-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 2-0-0

Henrik Stenson   
Foursomes: 1-0-0 | Four-Balls: 1-0-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 2-0-0

Lee Westwood   
Foursomes: 1-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-0-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 1-0-0

Graeme McDowell   
Foursomes: 1-0-0 | Four-Balls: 0-0-0 | Singles: 0-0-0 | Overall: 1-0-0