The highly anticipated 45th Ryder Cup is set to commence on Friday morning at the iconic Bethpage Black course, featuring an exhilarating opening foursomes session. This year’s event promises to deliver thrilling golf action right from the start, as American star Bryson DeChambeau takes the lead alongside his teammate Justin Thomas. They will face off against the European dynamic duo of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
Bryson DeChambeau enters this competition with a foursomes record of 0-2, having suffered both losses during his debut in 2018. In contrast, Rahm and Hatton are a formidable pairing, boasting an undefeated record in their two previous foursomes matches together. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley praised his leading pair, stating, “They bring a spark to our team. Bryson has been an incredible teammate in the locker room, and we really wanted him to lead our team out with Justin in the first match.”
The opening session will feature a total of four matches, with the first contest scheduled to tee off at 7:10 a.m. ET. Following the foursomes matches, the afternoon will see four four-ball matches unfold. Saturday's lineup will mirror Friday's format, culminating in Sunday’s showdown of 12 singles matches.
Historically, the European team has outperformed their American counterparts in the foursomes format, amassing a seven-point lead over the last eight Ryder Cups. However, the home team has triumphed in the last nine editions of this format, highlighting the importance of strong starts. Notably, since the format was adjusted in 1979 to include five sessions, the leading team after the first session boasts a favorable record of 9-5-1.
In other exciting matchups, Scottie Scheffler will reunite with rookie Russell Henley, aiming to build on their 1-1 record in last year’s Presidents Cup. They will compete against the European pairing of Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. Another notable matchup features Viktor Hovland and Bob MacIntyre, who will take on the seasoned U.S. team of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, a duo with a solid 6-3 record in Ryder Cup foursomes.
The third showdown will see Collin Morikawa and Harris English go head-to-head against European heavyweights Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, who previously excelled with a perfect 2-0 record in their last foursomes appearance in Rome. Notably, each team will have some players sitting out, including American rookies J.J. Spaun, Ben Griffin, and Cameron Young, as well as Sam Burns, who made his debut in Rome.
European captain Luke Donald commented on the evolving nature of the players and their partnerships, stating, “It’s two years ago, Rome – players evolve, players change, their profiles change, so again, you’re looking at personality matchups. We have so many options that it’s really quite fun for me as a captain, but we know the U.S. are going to be strong, they’re strong in foursomes and have some amazing partnerships there, and we wanted to bring our best as well. And this is what we feel is our best.”
The complete pairings and starting times for the Friday foursomes are as follows:
7:10 a.m. ET – Bryson DeChambeau/Justin Thomas (U.S.) vs. Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton (Europe)7:26 a.m. ET – Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley (U.S.) vs. Ludvig Åberg/Matt Fitzpatrick (Europe)7:42 a.m. ET – Collin Morikawa/Harris English (U.S.) vs. Rory McIlroy/Tommy Fleetwood (Europe)As the 45th Ryder Cup unfolds, fans eagerly anticipate the fierce competition and memorable moments that are sure to emerge from this storied golfing event.
