Ryder Cup Friday Fourballs announced
Rory McIlroy will partner rookie Thorbjorn Olesen in the opening session of the Ryder Cup in Paris as they take on world number one Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.
Justin Rose and Jon Rahm are the first out on the course as they face Brooks Koepka and debutant Tony Finau.
McIlroy and Olesen are out next and they’ll be followed by Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton, a third European debutant, who will take on Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
Open champion Francesco Molinari and rookie Tommy Fleetwood will be last of the morning groups and could well draw the biggest crowd of the morning in their match with Patrick Reed and the revitalised Tiger Woods.
European captain Thomas Bjorn left out three of his four wildcard picks for the morning session, pointing to the likelihood that they’ll be involved in the afternoon and each member of the European team will see action on the opening day.
Europe’s Ryder Cup talisman Ian Poulter, who has won 13 points from his 18 matches, is one of the wild card picks who was not selected for the morning’s action.
Bjorn described his captaincy role as the proudest moment of his long golf career, battling to be heard in the face of relentless cheering and chanting from the thousands of fans who had been on the course during Thursday’s final practice and who gathered together for the opening ceremony.
“This great continent can be divided at times but here we stand as one,” said the Dane.
United States captain Jim Furyk spoke of his country’s special bond with France. “For more than 200 years we have been friends and allies and this week as a token of our special bond our players will be playing with bags emblazoned with an image of the Statue of Liberty,” he said.
Bjorn has no fear that the Ryder Cup debutants will be able to handle the pressure of the opening session.
“There’s a new guy in every group and they have been itching to go, especially Thorbjorn, Jon and Tyrrell.
“Tommy is a different guy in that he has won around here and has been quality for the last couple of years. There won’t be too much emotion in that last group but he is great together with Francesco.”
The United States have not won on European soil since 1993 – the year three of the current American team were born.
Both sets of players, captains and assistants wore yellow ribbons on their suits as a tribute to 22-year-old Spanish amateur golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena, who was found stabbed to death on a course in the United States last week.
Ryder Cup Morning Fourballs
7.10am Justin Rose and Jon Rahm v Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau.
7.25am Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen v Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.
7.40am Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton v Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
7.55am Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood v Patrick Reed and Tiger Woods
