Ryder Cup: Watson not worried with opening day loss to Europe

U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Tom Watson's hopes have not diminished after falling back 5-3 to Europe on the opening day at Gleneagles and he has said that this is just the second quarter of the ball game.

US were leading 11/2 to 21/2 going into the afternoon session but Europe's Justin Rose and Henrik Stinson overturned that to fire the hosts to a 5-3 lead against the Americans.

Watson said of his side that they are disappointed they didn't get it done, but added that they have been disappointed before. He said that he believes in his team and they believe in themselves, The BBC reported.

The American said that this is just the second quarter of the ball game.

Watson surprised many by leaving out Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed from Friday's foursomes session after the US rookies trounced Ian Poulter and Stephen Gallacher. He said that he knows the question is going to be asked about Spieth and Reed, whether 2I should have played them in the afternoon, and he added that he thought at the time it was the best decision not to play them.

The skipper said that there were a variety of reasons, but he does not want to go into those. He added that it was a decision that his vice-captains and he made.

The American skipper has left out veteran Phil Mickelson, playing in his 10th Ryder Cup, and partner Keegan Bradley after the pair enjoyed a narrow win against McIlroy and Garcia but lost heavily to Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell.