Ryder Cup Begins: U.S. Team Ramps Up for Europe Showdown

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — The 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black kicks off on Friday, featuring intense competition between the U.S. and European teams. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley announced that Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas will open the event in the first match of the foursomes at 7:10 a.m. ET, facing the European duo of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

“Bryson’s an incredible teammate and we want him to lead our team out with Justin in the first match,” Bradley said. Both DeChambeau and Thomas are eager to set the tone for the U.S. team.

DeChambeau described the atmosphere he anticipates: “A tsunami of a wave of support.” He acknowledges the challenge ahead from Rahm and Hatton, who previously went 2-0 in the last Ryder Cup in Rome.

Bradley also stressed that starting strong is crucial for the U.S. team. “We want to send out a fiery group to lead us out with these fans that have been waiting two years for this tournament,” he said. “This group can go out and lead our team.”

The second match will see world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and partner Russell Henley take on European players Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler hopes to improve upon his performance from two years ago, where he went 0-2-2.

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood will compete against Collin Morikawa and Harris English in the third match. McIlroy and Fleetwood’s prior success in the last Cup puts them in a favorable position.

The matches will resume with the last pairing of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay versus Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland. The U.S. team hopes to maintain its recent dominance on home soil, having won multiple Ryder Cups in the past few years.

Fans can expect a thrilling atmosphere throughout the event, with both teams aiming to secure the 14 points required for victory. The last Ryder Cup on American soil saw the U.S. triumph in 2012. Will the home team continue the winning streak or will Europe claim another victory?