World number one Scottie Scheffler will be tasked with getting the United States off to a strong start in the Ryder Cup having been selected in the opening foursomes on Friday morning.
Months of anticipation will come to an end when the starter gets the players away in the 44th staging of the team event at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
Scheffler will be paired with rookie Sam Burns in an expected move that marries the former’s excellent tee to green game with the latter’s expertise with the putter.
They take on Jon Rahm – Europe’s leading points scorer with 3.5 in their 19-9 drubbing at Whistling Straits two years ago – and Tyrell Hatton.
The second match out features three rookies with Open champion Brian Harman lining up alongside Max Homa for the US to take on Viktor Hovland, who enjoyed a hole in one at the par-four fifth in Thursday’s practice round, and rising star Ludvig Aberg.
Experienced American duo Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa take on Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka in match three before an enticing end to the morning session pits the States’ Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay against Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
The foursomes sees players hit alternate shots and it is a format in which Europe have excelled in recent events. The USA have won only two foursome sessions in their last seven Ryder Cups played on European soil: one in 2002 and the other in 2010.
The stage is set!
Groups for Friday morning Foursomes at the #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/Iit5OaJP7t
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 28, 2023
