The opening salvo at Bethpage Black is confirmed, with four heavyweight alternate-shot duels to launch the Ryder Cup on Friday morning. First out today, at 7:10 AM local time (1:10 PM South African time), Europe’s Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton take on Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, a tone-setter that pits Europe’s emotional spark against a US duo built for aggression off the tee and clutch approach play.

Match two brings world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler alongside Russell Henley against Europe’s Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick at 7:26 AM Scheffler’s tee-to-green dominance pairs with Henley’s accuracy, while Europe leans on Åberg’s metronomic long game and Fitzpatrick’s improved driving since his last Cup. It is also the headline consequence of Luke Donald’s decision to split the Åberg-Viktor Hovland partnership, which we saw at the last Ryder Cup at Rome in 2023, after practice reads as a calculated risk aimed at spreading ball-striking across the card.

At 7:42 AM, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood reunite against Collin Morikawa and Harris English. McIlroy-Fleetwood went a perfect 2-0 in foursomes in 2023, and Donald clearly trusts their cadence under pressure. Morikawa’s iron play and English’s steadiness make the US pair a low-error foil, a matchup likely decided by who holes more mid-range par putts.

The session closes at 7:58 AM with Viktor Hovland partnering Bob MacIntyre against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Bradley keeps his proven US pairing intact to anchor the order, while Europe bets on Hovland’s ball-striking to free up MacIntyre on approach. With partisan home crowds primed, fairway finders and tidy short games will carry outsize weight in what is sure to be another clash for the ages.