DeChambeau and Thomas to Open Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black
Golf fans are preparing to witness the start of the clash between the United States and Europe in the 45th edition of the Ryder Cup, which will be held at Bethpage Black. The anticipation is high, and the first duel promises strong emotions. Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas will be in charge of opening the fire for the American team. They will face the European duo formed by Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in the foursomes (alternate shot) format, starting at 7:10 a.m. ET.DeChambeau and Thomas, who have never played together in a Ryder Cup match, take on the responsibility of hitting the first shot. DeChambeau anticipates great support from the American fans, expecting “a wave of support.” For their part, Rahm and Hatton will seek to maintain their good performance in foursomes, having won their two matches in the last Ryder Cup. Rahm, with a 4-0 record in this format, presents himself as a formidable rival. The captain of the European team, Luke Donald, trusts in the strength of his pairing and the importance of starting on the right foot. “We know that in match play you have to start well. These guys have had a lot of success together. They know how to win. They are a strong pairing; they get along well. We are very happy to send them out first,” Donald declared. In the second match, Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley will face Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler, after a standout season on the PGA Tour, will seek to redeem himself from his performance in Italy. The third American team, composed of Collin Morikawa and Harris English, will face Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, two of Europe’s most prominent players in previous editions. The last match of the day will pit Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele against Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland. Schauffele, despite having won two major championships in 2024, had a difficult season due to an injury. Captain Bradley has kept the same lineup, even though the American team suffered a defeat in foursomes in the previous Ryder Cup. The opening session will be followed by four four-ball (best ball) matches, starting at 12:25 p.m. ET on Friday. The same format will be repeated on Saturday, culminating in 12 singles matches on Sunday. Europe needs 14 points to retain the Ryder Cup, while the Americans need 14½ points to win it back.In addition to being phenomenal players, they both bring a spark to our team. Bryson has been an incredible teammate in the locker room, and we want him to lead our team alongside Justin in the first match.
Keegan Bradley, Captain of the US team
