Ryder Cup pairings unveiled as US will look to Bryson DeChambeau for early spark

The atmosphere at the first tee of the Ryder Cup is hyped like some amalgamation of the Super Bowl, Olympics and the ball drop in Times Square. Both teams have discussed the intense and passionate scene all week, describing nerves they hadn’t felt in years.

But Keegan Bradley isn’t banking on the opening shot at Bethpage Black to be electric. He’s going nuclear.

The U.S. captain will open Friday’s foursomes session (7:10 a.m.) with the uber-popular Bryson DeChambeau and outwardly emotional Justin Thomas — who memorably shotgunned a beer on the first tee box in the midst of the Americans’ victory at Whistling Straits in 2021 — looking to make immediate use of the home-course advantage on Long Island.

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Four years ago, DeChambeau thrilled the crowd by driving the first green on the event’s final day and making an eagle putt. The long hitter is a safe bet to try to send the expected crowd of 50,000-plus into a frenzy by shooting to clear the trees to the right of the fairway and hit the green from the elevated tee box.

“Like 365 [yards away], something like that, that’s nothing, right?” DeChambeau said. “Just a normal long-drive shot.”

Bradley has given DeChambeau the green light to open with a bomb and set the tone in an event where the host has won the past five encounters decisively.

“We want him to do what he does,” Bradley said Thursday. “He got up there today and hammered one right in front of the green. Bryson thrives under this sort of atmosphere. For me, when I would go out on these first tees, I would be very nervous and didn’t know what to expect. I see Bryson and I can see him walking out there just relishing the moment and relishing the chance to get up there and hit that shot.

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“He’s one of these guys where you hear on a basketball team who wants the ball for the last shot. He’s one of those guys, and so is Justin. Let’s not forget, Justin is the heartbeat of our team.

“We wanted to send out a fiery group to lead us out with these fans that have been waiting two years — more than that, 15 years [when Bethpage was announced as host] to see this tournament play.”

Returning European captain Luke Donald will open with Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who went 2-0 as a foursomes duo during Europe’s 2023 triumph in Rome.

In the second match, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will be paired with Russell Henley against Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick (7:26 a.m.). Donald will then run back the Rome pairing of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood against Collin Morikawa and Harris English (7:42 a.m.), followed by Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay taking on Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre (7:58 a.m.).

In 2023, the Europeans swept the opening foursomes session. Bethpage Black offers a long-awaited chance at redemption as the first Ryder Cup in the Metropolitan Area in 90 years. The most recent battle in the States ended with Team USA scoring the most points under the current format, dominating 19-9.

“You’ll never be fully ready for what’s to come,” said DeChambeau, who made his lone Ryder Cup appearance in 2021. “The words really aren’t there right now to explain how passionate I am about this USA team and how good I think we are and how positive we are and how encouraging we are, inspiring we are, and what this captain has done to bring us together, to band us together like no other, like possibly no other captains have done in history.

“I feel like it’s an amazing opportunity. New York fans are incredible … I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to hopefully get them riled up and excited for what’s to come.”

Donald, the first returning captain in 30 years, brings back a record 11 players from 2023, looking to achieve the first victory by a visiting squad since 2012, when Donald and the Europeans overcame a four-point deficit on the final day at Medinah (Illinois).

“We have a lot of cohesion,” Donald said. “I’ve been preparing for 21 months for this. We understand the task at hand. We understand how difficult it is to win away. But we have done it.

“But we’re not coming in here with any complacency. We understand the task at hand and the atmosphere and the amphitheater we’re walking into.”