Jordan Spieth (right) and Justin Thomas have been paired once again by the United States
(Picture: Getty Images)The pairings for the opening matches of the 2021 Ryder Cup have been revealed.
After an opening ceremony full of trademark pomp and pageantry at Whistling Straits, captains Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington revealed their four pairings for the foursomes that kick-off the biennial transatlantic competition on Friday morning in Wisconsin.
Harrington elected to lead off with the Spanish pairing of Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm— the most successful Ryder Cup golfer in history and the current world number one.
They will play the formidable American duo of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, close friends who formed a fine partnership at Le Golf National in 2018, in a blockbuster opening encounter.
Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, two of the most successful major golfers in the last 18 months, will be American’s second duo to tee off, with Stricker utilising one of his longest drivers with perhaps his sharpest ironsmith.
They will take on a novel European pair, with experienced Englishman Paul Casey combining with Viktor Hovland, the first Norwegian ever to play at a Ryder Cup.
England’s Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick will follow them onto the tee to battle Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger, who both live in Floridian golfing hotbed, Jupiter.
Finally, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will aim to bring their California cool as they take on Rory McIlroy and Europe’s Ryder Cup totem, Ian Poulter in what could be a pivotal final encounter of the Ryder Cup’s first session.
Foursomes is played with one ball between each pairing, with players playing alternate shot.
Team-mates will alternate who tees off from hole-to-hole.
At the previous Ryder Cup in 2018, the event opened with fourballs with the USA jumping into an early 3-1 lead.
