Nick Faldo is off his rocker. Those words began my assessment of the Europe captain at the end of the first day of the 37th Ryder Cup when the US led 5 1/2 to 2 1/2.

I referred to Faldo's decision to rest Sergio Garcia, who had not been beaten in nine foursomes appearances for Europe and Lee Westwood, who had just equalled Arnold Palmer's record of 12 games in a row without defeat, from the morning foursomes on the second day.

Was he off his rocker or inspired? Did he know something I didn't know?

I was not alone in laying in to the Europe captain on Friday night. Almost everyone, whether European or American, did the same. "Has Faldo gone completely off his head" asked an American journalist in Louisville, staring mystified at the sheet containing the pairings for the second day's foursomes.

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Follow the final day's play from Valhalla as the 37th Ryder Cup draws to a dramatic conclusion with today's singles matches

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But as time passed so it came clear that as far as Garcia was concerned Faldo had an excuse. Garcia was left out of the morning foursomes because he had complained of not feeling well. He had been ill the week before the Ryder Cup and after two matches he felt that he needed a rest.

Westwood was another matter, however. Faldo decided to rest the strong man of Europe, the player who had not lost since the singles at The Belfry in 2002. Westwood accepted the decision but also questioned it.

"I would play in the Ryder Cup if I had an arm hanging off," Westwood said making it clear that the decision to withhold him from the second morning's foursomes was not his.

Faldo got away with it because Europe mounted a rally. Oliver Wilson and Henrik Stenson, an unheralded pairing, beat the much fancied American pair of Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim as Europe took the morning foursomes 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 and then halved the afternoon fourballs two points each. Nett result was that Europe had clawed one point back on the day, going into the third day's singles two points behind.

Off his rocker? No but Faldo appears to have weighted the bottom end of his order with two of the men who have been inspired this week in McDowell and Poulter, with one of his team's heavyweights, Westwood, in the penultimate position and with Harrington, the Open and US PGA champion bringing up the rear should it all go down to the last pair.

For Faldo's sake, never mind Harrington's, one can only hope that it is not all over by the time it gets down to Harrington. It would round off a memorable year for the Irishman if he were seal victory for Europe.

Draw for Sunday's Ryder Cup singles (US players first):

1703BST Anthony Kim v Sergio Garcia

1714BST Hunter Mahan v Paul Casey

1725BST Justin Leonard v Robert Karlsson

1736BST Phil Mickelson v Justin Rose

1747BST Kenny Perry v Henrik Stenson

1758BST Boo Weekley v Oliver Wilson

1809BST JB Holmes v Soren Hansen

1820BST Jim Furyk v Miguel Angel Jimenez

1831BST Stewart Cink v Graeme McDowell

1842BST Steve Stricker v Ian Poulter

1853BST Ben Curtis v Lee Westwood

1904BST Chad Campbell v Padraig Harrington