Mickelson-Kim to open U.S. Ryder Cup bid

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The team of Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim will be sent out first Friday as part of an American effort to regain the Ryder Cup.

Europe has won the last three playings of the most significant team event in golf, creating the longest American drought since the Ryder Cup matches began in 1927.

The 12-man teams will compete over three days at the Valhalla Golf Club. Four alternate-shot matches and four four-ball matches will be played both Friday and Saturday. The event will conclude with 12 singles matches on Sunday.

Mickelson, making his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, will join up with Kim to face Europe's Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson.

In the other morning matches Friday, it will be Justin Leonard-Hunter Mahan versus Henrik Stenson-Paul Casey, Stewart Cink-Chad Campbell versus Justin Rose-Ian Poulter and Kenny Perry-Jim Furyk versus Lee Westwood-Sergio Garcia.

Leonard is playing in his first Ryder Cup since holing the winning putt in the most recent American victory -- that coming in 1999.

American captain Paul Azinger has said all 12 of his players will compete on Friday, meaning Ben Curtis, Boo Weekley, Steve Stricker and J.B. Holmes should see action in the afternoon foursomes. European captain Nick Faldo will sit out Miguel Angel Jimenez, Oliver Wilson, Soren Hansen and Graeme McDowell in the first session.