Very well, it turns out. Spieth drains a tricky putt on the 7th to send the USA's rookie pairing 3-up against Gallacher and Poulter.
Ok ok, that's enough of Match 2. How are the rookies doing in the quest to nullify the Poulter threat?
Bjorn then gets the job done, sinking it to halve the 8th and save Kaymer's blushes. The European duo will be determined to forget that hole and move on.
Walker with the putt to win the hole - can he sink it? No he can't. Just as he plays his shot, a strong breeze whips up, which blows right in the face of his effort.
One of those shots where you thank the powers that be that this is fourballs rather than foursomes. Martin to Thomas: "Umm, you'd better take it from here, buddy."
Crikey! Blimey! What the?! Kaymer just absolutely creams it out of the bunker. All ball and no sand there and he fires it clean over the green and back from whence it came, i.e. the tee box (practically)
Bjorn and Kaymer are going to need some Sergio-style magic to get out of this scrape on the 8th. Both in various bunkers around that green.
What of our man in the hat? Spieth puts it close on the 7th. The American rookies still leading 2-up against Gallacher and Poulter, the Ryder Cup veteran
Shouts of "come on baby" from Phil at the 6th, and come on it did. He puts it closest in the Battle of the Litigate.
Hold the phone, Rory manages to put his tee shot close(ish). It's on the green, at least, which is saying something for the 6th.
Umm, nope. His shot scoots off the back. There's a slight breeze picking up at Gleneagles now - that's not going to help matters.
After sinking the putt for halve at the 5th, Sergio's lining up on the par-3 6th. Players have been struggling to get it to hold on this green. Can the Spaniard...?
Beginners' luck? Playing without fear? Whatever it is, Spieth and Reed go 2-up against Gallacher and Poulter.
I'm glad we're in agreement on that Greg. Baseball caps are over - bring on the golf woolly.
Garcia then saves playing partner McIlroy's bacon on the 5th, sinking the putt for par to halve. They're still 1-up in the last match out.
Mickelson makes par on the 5th, while Bradley's left to do a set of bunny hops down in the rough just to see the pin.
Out at the front of the pack, Europe's Rose and Stenson put their 2nd shots on the 8th in tidy positions just below the hole. Over to Bubba and Webb now.
On the 6th and Match 3, I'd just like to pay tribute to the hat of Jordan Spieth. Where others choose baseball caps, Jordie's gone for the woolly number. It's a good look.
What of the Battle Of The Litigation? Garcia and Mickelson find the ocean-like green on the 5th. Keegan Bradley... not so much. He pumps it into the rough, wide right.
Flicking back a couple of holes, Ian Poulter sinks the putt to halve after local boy Stephen Gallacher spanked it into the trees. Spieth and Reed still 1-up though.
Oh and Rose nearly had my prediction nailed on there. Putt to win the hole at the 7th misses just to the right, skimming the cup and sending European hearts into mouths. Team Europe still 2-up in Match 1.
...Or, as Team Europe fans will hope, I'll be guiding you through their ride off into the distance in this morning session...
The first two hours - yes, two hours! - have elapsed. Europe lead in three matches, USA in one. I will bid you all a good day for the time being and bring to you Tristan Barclay, who will guide you through the inevitable USA fightback of the next two hours.
I would still predict this morning session, never mind any other session still to come, is going to swing back in the USA's favour at some point.
At one stage our poll was at 60-40 in favour of the USA. That's now closed up to 54-46. US confidence is draining faster than Sergio Garcia bunker shots.
There's a little bit of home advantage coming in to play. You know what it feels like when you hit a good shot and your playing partners say nothing at all? You know how demoralising that is? Yeah. That.
Stephen Gallacher having to take a drop. Think he also had to take a cab out of Gleneagles to find his tee shot.
You can't let a moment of Spanish inspiration from a bunker in the Ryder Cup pass without a nod to Seve Ballesteros. That was pure Seve.
SERGIO GARCIA! Are you kidding me? Wow. He's holed from the bunker at the fourth. That's a birdie and the win. Wow. The first proper highlight reel moment of this Ryder Cup, and it's in the blockbuster match of the day.
Stephen Gallacher has hit the worst tee shot of the day - yep, even worse than Webb Simpson's at the first. He's found a part of Scotland that even he didn't know existed.
Henrik Stenson has a putt for the win at the sixth, but it drops off on the low side once again. Rose and Stenson stay 2-up on Simpson and Watson after six.
And that's for the win at the fifth. Back to 2-down for Fowler and Walker against Bjorn and Kaymer.
Rickie Fowler holes a putt! Breaking News: The USA have holed a putt!
Asked Stricker, "Sucks being on this side (of the game) doesn't it?" Steve *sigh* "Mikey, I am such a fish outta water right now." *Grins*by Michael Collins via twitter 9/26/2014 9:06:55 AM
April 10: Free practice 1