The wait is nearly over, as the battle for the Ryder Cup commences on Friday at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome. We now know the pairings for the opening foursomes session and there are some blockbuster match-ups.
As ever, the teams look immensely close on paper, but who will steal the early momentum and lay down a marker? We cast our eye over the four encounters and pick out the key takeaways from what looks set to be an incredible morning in Rome.
No Fitzpatrick
During his pre-tournament press conference, Matt Fitzpatrick spoke of his desire to make his Ryder Cup fourballs debut, having been selected only to play foursomes matches when he suited up for the blue and gold in 2016 and 2021. It looks like his wish will be granted.
His omission from Luke Donald’s Friday morning foursomes pairings was one of the surprises of the opening ceremony. On paper, his game appears tailor made for the alternate shot format. Delving a little deeper, however, you can see why Donald has left out the 2022 US Open champion.
For one, he is yet to win a Ryder Cup point, whether in foursomes or singles, and while he is a different player now versus then, it would still have been a risk to put him out in the first session. Especially given Donald’s desire to make a fast start.
Perhaps more importantly, Fitzpatrick struggled with his driver last season, ranking 54th off the tee on the PGA Tour. Given how tight the fairways are here and the brutal nature of the rough, that likely played a key role in Donald’s decision.
Who will hit the opening tee shot?
Hitting the opening tee shot at a Ryder Cup is one of the greatest honours in golf, and this year that will fall on the shoulders of either Scottie Scheffler or Sam Burns. Having followed them on the back nine today, there were few clues on show.
Both players teed off on every hole and largely played their own ball and played well to boot. Given Burns’ rookie status, it’s likely World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will get the nod to officially get the 2023 Ryder Cup under way.
Spieth and JT left out
Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas were notable for their absence from Zach Johnson’s foursomes line-up. It’s something few saw coming,…
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