Despite being one of the most dependable duos for the American team in previous Ryder Cups, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas will be watching from the sidelines on Friday morning at Marco Simone Golf Club.
Despite having an 8-2-0 combined record when playing together in international competitions, Spieth and Thomas were chosen to sit by U.S. team captain Zach Johnson. Throughout the PGA Tour season, Thomas battled with his form and missed the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in his career. To be selected for the squad for a third time, he needed one of Johnson’s six captain’s choices.
In the opening foursomes (alternate shot) match, world number one Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns will compete against Jon Rahm of Spain and Tyrrell Hatton of England.
The last two seasons, Scheffler has won six tournaments on the PGA Tour, but his putting was quite poor in 2023. Burns placed sixth in one-putt percentage (43.83%) and fourth overall on the circuit.
Thomas has a 6-2-1 record in the Ryder Cup and has been one of the finest players for the American team in international competitions. Spieth’s record in the twice-yearly international competition is 8-7-3.
The main point is that we have 12 men, Johnson remarked. I’m sorry, but I can’t play all 12 every session. Someone must thus sit down at some point. This golf course puts a lot of physical strain on you.
Despite Thomas’ troubles this year, Johnson stated that his choice had nothing to do with either player’s performance at the time.
In the second match, Norway’s Viktor Hovland and former Texas Tech star Ludvig Aberg will take on Ryder Cup rookies Brian Harman, the Open Championship winner, and Max Homa, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour. Hovland, who is currently ranked fourth in the world, won twice during the FedEx Cup playoffs, including the Tour Championship. Aberg will compete in his first Ryder Cup as well.
In the third match, two-time major champion Collin Morikawa and Ryder Cup veteran Rickie Fowler will face off against Shane Lowry of Ireland and Sepp Straka of Austria, another rookie from Europe. The fifth Ryder Cup for Fowler will be his first since 2018.
In the competition, he has a 3-7-5 record, 1-3-2 in foursomes, and he will want to improve on that.
Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, one of the American team’s most dependable duos, will compete in the championship match against Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Tommy Fleetwood of England. In their last three outings in international team competitions—two Presidents Cups and one Ryder Cup—Cantlay and Schauffele had a combined 5-0 record in foursomes matches.
In addition, Cantlay and Schauffele’s 9-under 63 at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April established a competition record for foursomes. The team competition they won in 2022.
He now has a 3-7-5 record in the competition, going 1-3-2 in foursomes, and he will be looking to change that.
One of the American team’s most reliable pairings, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, will face Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Tommy Fleetwood of England in the final match. Cantlay and Schauffele have a combined 5-0 record in foursomes matches in their last three appearances in international team competitions—two Presidents Cups and one Ryder Cup.
Additionally, Cantlay and Schauffele set a competition record for foursomes in April at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with their 9-under 63. They triumphed in the team competition in 2022.
On Friday afternoon, the teams will compete in four four-ball (best ball) matches.
