US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III has insisted that he has "four of the best players in the world" waiting in reserve when the Ryder Cup starts on Friday.

Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson were absent from the foursomes that will begin the competition, and Love III has admitted that it was tough to find the words to explain why they were not selected.

Love said: "I had to talk to four of my guys and somehow come up with a rational explanation of why they weren't going to play.

"But we thought these guys made really, really good alternate-shot teams and that's what we decided to go with.

"I've got four of the best players in the world that love this golf course sitting on the bench and I'm going to have to get them in the game."

The foursomes match between USA's Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker and Europe's Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell will start the 2012 Ryder Cup.