FARMINGDALE, N.Y. The official pairings for the 45th Ryder Cup are now out, and at long last we can transition from idle waiting to real anticipation. The first match starts at 7:10 a.m. ET, and below is a breakdown of all four foursomes matches from the morning. Here’s what we can expect from the opening session.
Match 1:Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton vs. Bryson DeChambeau/Justin Thomas
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton shake hands after a practice round.
Carl Recine
Record in foursomes: Rahm (4-0-0), Hatton (2-1-0), DeChambeau (0-2-0), Thomas (2-3-0)
U.S. outlook: This is an exciting, untested pairing that is immediately evocative of the disastrous Tiger Woods/Phil Mickelson pairing in 2004, but the difference is that this was almost certainly vetted by the stats gurus on Team USA. There are a lot of potential fireworks here that could get the crowd going early, but they’re playing almost unbelievably tough opponents. A really high risk/reward pairing for Captain Bradley.
European outlook: Rahm has never lost in foursomes, and these two were 2-0 in this format in Rome. It’s a no-brainer pick for Luke Donald, and entirely predictable in the best way. Having these guys at the top of your lineup is a luxury, and Rahm’s excellence, in particular, is why Rory McIlroy immediately advocated for him to be Ryder Cup eligible back when he defected to LIV.
Match 2: Ludvig Aberg/Matt Fitzpatrick vs. Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley
Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley talk during a practice round.
Jared C. Tilton
Record in foursomes: Aberg (2-0-0), Fitzpatrick (0-3-0), Scheffler (0-2-0), Henley (Rookie)
U.S. outlook: You knew this team was coming, since the Scheffler-Burns friendship pairing never really panned out, and Henley paired so well with him in Montreal at the Presidents Cup last year. They went 1-1 together there in this format, and Friday will be their first Ryder Cup test as a pair. It’s also an important day for Scheffler, who is 2-2-3 all-time in the Ryder Cup, and wants to avoid going down the Woods path of being the best player in the world, but routinely getting beat in pairs sessions here, giving the Europeans a major boost in the process. In that sense, Henley might be one of the most important players in the whole Cup as his partner.
European outlook: Our first curveball of the session, with two guys who only practiced together once. Fitzpatrick, in particular, has been rough in foursomes, and it seemed like smart money that Donald would do with him exactly what he did in Rome, which is to play him only in the fourball sessions. Instead, he’s partnered with Aberg, who was very good in foursomes in Rome (including the shocking 9-and-7 victory over Scheffler and Koepka). The fact that this pairing feels so out of left field means it must be one that Euro stat czar Edoardo Molinari really liked.
Match 3: Rory McIlroy/Tommy Fleetwood vs. Collin Morikawa/Harris English
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood laugh during practice round.
Richard Heathcote
Record in foursomes: McIlroy (7-5-1), Fleetwood (4-0-0), Morikawa (2-1-0), English (never played foursomes)
U.S. outlook: Here again, a slight surprise. If anything, it seemed like Morikawa might reprise his successful foursomes partnership with Burns from Rome. (It’s interesting in general to leave a great putter like Burns on the bench in this format.) To be paired with English, who didn’t play foursomes in his only Ryder Cup appearance at Whistling Straits, and who has never played a Presidents Cup, is definitely a head-scratcher. Keep a close eye on Morikawa’s form herehe said this week he’s playing better than he has in a while, and if he doesn’t, this may be the last time he plays before singles. Shockingly, when DataGolf ranked all 132 possible U.S. foursomes pairings at Bethpage, this pairing was dead last statistically. Bradley has opened himself up for some criticism on this one if it doesn’t go the right way.
European outlook: You have to think Donald is licking his chops at this match-up, because the Fleetwood-McIlroy pairing not only went 2-0 in Rome together in foursomes, but they’ve been strong in this format over their entire careers, which goes especially for the undefeated Fleetwood. On paper, it looks like a massive edge for Europe, but that will be mitigated by the home crowd and the general small sample size of these matches. Still, it looks like a pretty glaring mismatch in favor of the visitors here.
Match 4: Robert MacIntyre/Viktor Hovland vs. Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay line up a piutt during the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Mike Ehrmann
Record in foursomes: MacIntyre (hasnt played foursomes), Hovland (2-2-0), Schauffele (2-2-0), Cantlay (2-2-0)
U.S. outlook: The reputation of the Schauffele/Cantlay pairing took a bit of a hit in Rome, when they lost both foursomes matches after winning both at Whistling Straits. The band is back together, and their performance this week will have a pretty big impact on the legacy of their partnership, particularly after a 1-1 showing in Montreal that included a blowout loss. This is the third straight Ryder Cup that they’ve anchored the first session.
European outlook: Hovland and MacIntyre are the only two European players who practiced together every day from Tuesday to Thursday, which telegraphed this. They have not played together in any format in previous Ryder Cups, and this will be MacIntyre’s maiden voyage in foursomes, and the biggest surprise here is that the Aberg/Hovland foursomes pairing from Rome (1-1) was broken up. Again, you have to suspect there’s a statistical reason underlying this, and they’ll have their work cut out for them on the road against the U.S. veterans.