DeChambeau and Thomas Lead Team USA Against Europe’s Rahm and Hatton

The opening match of the Ryder Cup features Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas representing Team USA, while Jon Rahm leads Team Europe alongside Tyrrell Hatton. This highly anticipated event takes place in New York at 7:10 a.m. local time (12:10 p.m. UK time) on Friday. DeChambeau returns to the Team USA lineup after missing the 2023 contest, while Rahm competes in his fourth consecutive Ryder Cup.

DeChambeau and Thomas will face Rahm and Hatton, who have established an unbeaten partnership during their successful campaign in the 2023 Ryder Cup, where Team Europe achieved a historic clean sweep in the Friday foursomes. Keegan Bradley, Team USA’s captain, has opted for a mix of experience and recent standout performances, as he seeks to maintain the home advantage.

Strong Pairings on Both Sides

Among the competitive pairings, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood team up once again, facing off against Collin Morikawa and Harris English. McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, brings his experience from the previous Ryder Cup, where Fleetwood secured the winning point in Rome.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, known for their successful collaborations in team competitions, will take on Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland. Hovland expressed confidence in his partnership with MacIntyre, stating, “He’s obviously a great player and had an amazing year this year. I think we really vibe well off of each other.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will partner with Russell Henley, who have played together multiple times, including during last year’s Presidents Cup victory. They will compete against Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick from Europe.

Bradley has chosen to bench four rookies for the opening session, including Ben Griffin, JJ Spaun, and Cameron Young. Rasmus Hojgaard, Europe’s sole debutant, will not feature in the opening matches either. Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka, who participated in both foursomes sessions in Rome, also do not make the initial lineup.

Historic Context and Stakes

Team Europe aims for its fifth away Ryder Cup victory, the first since the memorable 2012 “Miracle at Medinah.” In contrast, Team USA seeks to continue its recent dominance, having won eight of the last nine editions on home soil.

The opening foursomes lineup is as follows (all times in UK time):
– 12:10 p.m. Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas vs. Jon Rahm (Esp) and Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
– 12:26 p.m. Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley vs. Ludvig Åberg (Swe) and Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng)
– 12:42 p.m. Collin Morikawa and Harris English vs. Rory McIlroy (NIrl) and Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
– 12:58 p.m. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay vs. Robert MacIntyre (Sco) and Viktor Hovland (Nor)

As anticipation builds for the matches, coverage of the Ryder Cup will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, with the opening tee shot scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Local and international audiences will be keenly observing how these pairings perform in what promises to be an exciting start to the tournament.