The 2023 Ryder Cup gets underway Friday morning with a foursomes session. If you’re unfamiliar, foursomes is alternate shot. In the afternoon, the teams will battle in a fourball (best ball) session.
There are several star-studded tandems going out in the opening matches at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, including Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy/Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton.
A surprise for the Americans: Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are sitting for the first session (Brooks Koepka and Wyndham Clark are the other team members not participating in Friday foursomes).
Ryder Cup: Tournament hub
The Golfweek staff has taken a look at the matchups and has made predictions for all four:
1:35 a.m. ET: Scottie Scheffler-Sam Burns (USA) vs Jon Rahm-Tyrrell Hatton (Europe)
Adam Schupak:
Riley Hamel: Luke Donald is playing with fire with this Rahm/Hatton pairing. Arguably the two most fiery players in the world, Rahm and Hatton will have to hold it together against the best-buddy tandem of Scheffler/Burns. Burns can get hot with the putter, while there isn’t a better ball striker in the world than Scottie.
Match prediction: Team USA, 2 and 1.
Cameron Jourdan: Scottie’s putting is bound to find some rhythm, and with his new putting coach, he and Burns will help the U.S. get off to a strong start with the first points of the Ryder Cup.
Match prediction: Team USA, 2 and 1.
1:50 a.m. ET: Brian Harman-Max Homa (USA) vs Viktor Hovland-Ludvig Aberg (Europe)
Adam Schupak:
Match prediction: Halved
Riley Hamel: Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg are two of the hottest players in the world right now. They’re both at the top of their game, and I think they beat Homa and Harman.
Match prediction: Team Europe, 4 and 3.
Cameron Jourdan: Hovland and Aberg’s prowess off the tee is just too much for Harman and Homa to overcome, even with stellar putting.
Match prediction: Team Europe, 3 and 2.
2:05 a.m. ET: Rickie Fowler-Collin Morikawa (USA) vs Shane Lowry-Sepp Straka (Europe)
Adam Schupak:
Match prediction: Halved
Riley Hamel: I think Morikawa and Fowler will complement each other well during the opening foursomes section, and they’ve both played in this event before. I like them to take down Lowry and Ryder Cup rookie Straka.
Match prediction: Team USA, 3 and 2.
Cameron Jourdan: This seems like the one clear match the Americans should be favored in, but Lowry and Straka use the momentum of the home crowd to get half a point.
Match prediction: Halved
2:20 a.m. ET: Patrick Cantlay-Xander Schauffele (USA) vs Rory McIlroy-Tommy Fleetwood (Europe)
Adam Schupak:
Riley Hamel: Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay have been virtually unbeatable in team competitions, but Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are red-hot, and I think McIlroy will send a message after a tough week at Whistling Straits two years ago.
Match prediction: Team Europe, 1 up.
Cameron Jourdan: The match of the day will come down to the final hole, when McIlroy and Fleetwood will use a stellar drive to set up a chance at eagle on the closing par 5, but nevertheless, the Europeans prevail.
Match prediction: Team Europe, 1 up.
Score after opening session
Adam Schupak: 2-2
Riley Hamel: 2-2
Cameron Jourdan: 2½-1½, Team Europe