Ben Coley previews the opening foursomes session with the Ryder Cup almost upon us. Get his verdict on all four matches.

Following Friday’s foursomes draw, the key takeaway in terms of top-scorer markets is that while we knew both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy would feature, and who they’d be paired with, they are not against each other. Both have landed seemingly good draws, in fact, more on which later.

Had they met each other then the result would’ve been that at least one of them has to drop points. As it is, that will happen instead to Jon Rahm or Bryson DeChambeau, second-favourites in their respective markets. There seems a good chance that Scheffler and McIlroy both end the morning with their positions in those top team scorer markets even stronger than they are now.

Friday’s foursomes announcement improved our position on Viktor Hovland slightly, now 8/1 from 11/1 to be the top European, although given that we all knew he’d play that does seem a little peculiar. Personally I’m surprised he’s not with Ludvig Aberg, but perhaps we’ll see that pairing later in the week.

DeChambeau/Thomas vs Rahm/Hatton (1210 BST)

And so Keegan Bradley is going to make full use of the brilliant, polarising, powerhouse Bryson DeChambeau, who pairs up with Justin Thomas. This is a big change for Thomas, who has been so used to playing with a close friend in Jordan Spieth, but the chance to hit wedges after DeChambeau drives is a mouthwatering one. DeChambeau didn’t feature in foursomes in 2021 so it’s seven years since he played the format for the USA, and Europe will draw hope from the fact that both these players can be erratic off the tee.

For Europe, while there are some surprises further along, this very much isn’t one. Jon Rahm will have teed off in match one of all four of his Ryder Cup appearances now and in LIV Golf teammate Tyrrell Hatton, he has a partner he knows, a close friend. That’s a fascinating difference in dynamic and so is the fact that Hatton and Rahm are both more reliable off the tee, if less explosive than DeChambeau.

The course set-up plays into DeChambeau’s hands and he’ll absolutely love being asked to hit first, which I suspect he will do. It would be peculiar, on a course where the difference between odd tee shots on evens is negligible, not to allow your pantomime villain, the longest driver in either team, to blast one off the first tee and set the tone for this Ryder Cup.

This is a tough match to call but while the upside to the US pairing is significant, if they’re both slightly off with their tee-shots, Europe will capitalise. On balance, I’d give them the edge and I’m not surprised the early 5/4 was taken, but there’s no bet at this stage. Perhaps wait and see if DeChambeau can almost drive that first green and put the US ahead, then consider siding with Europe in-play.

Verdict: Europe 2&1

Scheffler/Henley vs Aberg/Fitzpatrick (1226 BST)

In the end, Europe’s practice groups did give us a big clue: Ludvig Aberg didn’t play with Viktor Hovland all week and their record-breaking partnership from 2023 has, for now at least, been separated. Perhaps that’s a data-led decision and we’ll see them in fourballs instead; it would be curious and surprising, much having been made of their compatibility, not to have them together at some stage.

For now, Aberg plays with Matt Fitzpatrick, whose Ryder Cup record (1-7-0) would worry some but evidently not the captain and his support staff. Fitzpatrick has certainly been one of the best European players of the last five months or so and he has stacks of experience, albeit in defeat only on US soil where he previously resented only being asked to play in this tougher format.

Whoever landed Scottie Scheffler was going to be badly drawn and, unsurprisingly, he’s in with Russell Henley, rumours of the US benching all four rookies proving unfounded (albeit only one gets the nod). What is there to say about these two? Scheffler is the best player in the sport, Henley is a candidate to be considered third these days, and they enjoyed each other’s company and playing style at the Presidents Cup.

It’s hard to go against the US pairing and this could be another defeat for Fitzpatrick which requires context in future. He could most certainly have been better drawn and he and Aberg are going to have to bring their absolute best. Even that may not be enough, though they’ll hope that a combined distance edge might marry with off days on the greens for their opponents and cause an upset.

Verdict: USA 4&2

Morikawa/English vs McIlroy/Fleetwood (1242 BST)

Foursomes is the most logical format for Collin Morikawa so despite the fact that his form had some questioning his selection, it’s not all that surprising that he’s in the opening session. Nor is it especially surprising that he plays with Harris English given this week’s practice pods, but alarm bells have to ring given that DataGolf make this the worst of all 132 possible pairings.

English made a so-so debut in 2021 when part of a record-breaking US side but returns after arguably the best year of his career, twice finishing runner-up in majors. It’s his improvement off the tee which could make him so dangerous given what else he can do and this pair are both capable of elite iron play. Their best chances to capitalise will be when English is putting.

Europe though are clear and worthy favourites and just as Scheffler and Henley could’ve landed a tougher draw, so could Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. They went 2-0-0 in Rome, including a heavy victory over Morikawa for good measure, and Fleetwood had also gone 2-0-0 in Paris, meaning he boasts a flawless record in the format having bizarrely been overlooked for it in 2021.

With Fleetwood and McIlroy two of the three best players in European blue, in the competition in fact, and both arriving after career years, plus Morikawa having struggled with his short-game lately, this feels like a match Europe simply must go and win. I think they will.

Verdict: Europe 3&2

Schauffele/Cantlay vs MacIntyre/Hovland (1258 BST)

The session could hinge on a fascinating bottom match in which Xander Schauffele plays for the first time in more than a month, alongside his friend and longtime partner Patrick Cantlay, versus two Europeans whose form has been in and out for most of the year. One of them, Robert MacIntyre, plays the format for the first time; the other, Viktor Hovland, is separated from his partner Aberg.

What gives? On their early form together, the US pairing would be extremely difficult to oppose, but that winning run has come to a halt over the last couple of team competitions and while Cantlay’s slightly underwhelming form wouldn’t worry me too much, Schauffele’s absence has to. We saw in Rome how badly the US players struggled after a long break and he faces that issue again.

But I’m just not fully convinced by MacIntyre in this format. His iron play has been largely poor for the last couple of months and Hovland’s driving has been in and out, so while their strengths (MacIntyre’s driving, Hovland’s irons) will work on some holes, on others their weaknesses may well multiply.

I do like them both in terms of being able to handle the occasion and Hovland could be a massive star in this competition over the next 10-15 years. But while the pairings will have been worked out in typically thorough, dispassionate, numbers-led fashion, I worry they’ve led Europe to the wrong answer this time.

Perhaps the USA will nick it to square the session, but the top and bottom matches could be key one way or another.

Verdict: USA 1up

Posted at 0735 BST on 26/09/25

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