The stage is set at Bethpage Black for what promises to be an electrifying Ryder Cup kickoff. Europe’s Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are set to lead out the team in a high-stakes opening foursomes match against the US pairing of Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas.
Fans are already buzzing as captains finally revealed their lineups on Thursday evening.
Rahm and Hatton Back in Action
Rahm and Hatton were unbeatable during Europe’s dominant victory in Rome two years ago, and their fiery partnership returns under the spotlight, this time with former President Donald Trump watching.
On the American side, Bryson DeChambeau will team up with Justin Thomas, forming a pairing designed to challenge the Europeans right from the first tee.
The match kicks off at 7.10am local time, followed by Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick taking on world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and rookie Russell Henley.
The European pairing choice raised some eyebrows, as Luke Donald decided to split the Aberg-Viktor Hovland duo that left Scheffler struggling alongside Brooks Koepka in 2023.
Heavyweight Pairings to Open the Action
Donald emphasized the importance of a fast start, highlighting another key pairing: Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, who also went undefeated in their foursomes two years ago.
They will face Collin Morikawa and Harris English, while Robert MacIntyre and Hovland take on the experienced US duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Meanwhile, Team USA captain Keegan Bradley has chosen to bench several players for the opening session, including US Open champion JJ Spaun, Sam Burns, Ben Griffin, and Cameron Young.
Players like Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, and Rasmus Hojgaard will also wait for their first turn on the course.
Captain Luke Donald’s Strategy
Donald explained his reasoning behind the pairings:
“We want to start strong. Rahm and Hatton have had a lot of success together.
They know how to win, they get along very well and we’re very happy to get them out first.”
He added:
“Rome was two years ago. Players evolve and change. You have to look at personality match-ups.
We have so many options that it’s quite fun for me as a captain. The US are going to be strong.
They are strong in foursomes and we wanted to bring our best as well. This we feel is our best.”
Keegan Bradley Aims to Ignite the Crowd
On the US side, Bradley is keen to use star power to energize the audience. He said:
“Besides the fact they are phenomenal players and bring a spark to our team, Bryson has been an incredible teammate in the locker room and we want him to lead our team out with Justin in the first match.”
He also highlighted the role of personalities in foursomes strategy:
“With foursomes you have to factor in personalities. The analytical data is super important and useful.
Everyone wanted to play with each other and we had to narrow it down because of how willing everybody was to play with each other.”
Ryder Cup Drama About to Unfold
With these lineups, the opening session is shaping up to be a thrilling display of skill, strategy, and personalities clashing on one of golf’s toughest courses.
Europe and the US are ready to ignite the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, and fans can expect fireworks right from the first tee.