Who will play together for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup?

Which pairings will Luke Donald select?

The stage is set for battle in Rome, but which pairings will get the ‘thumbs-up’ from Emperor Donald in the fight for Ryder Cup glory?

Jump To: Potential Pairings | Our Pairings | The Formats Explained

The eyes of the golfing world will be on Marco Simone Golf and Country Club for what is tipped to be one of the closest contests in the history of the game’s greatest competition.

With the opening tee shot of the 44th Ryder Cup in Rome now just days away, it’s down to business after the fun of finalizing his 12-strong team for European captain Luke Donald.

There are 16 points up for grabs across the first two days of paired matchplay in the foursomes and fourballs, and Donald will be feeling the weight of expectation to ensure he selects pairings that can hit the ground running come September 29.

Europe have already used their miracle wildcard this century, overturning a 10-6 deficit in Medinah in 2012, and Donald, who set the tone that day with a 2&1 win over Bubba Watson, will want to ensure the players go into Sunday’s singles matches with a little more parity.

An age-old dilemma for any Ryder Cup captain, but perhaps increasingly challenging this time around with some tried and tested partnerships involving the likes of Westwood, Poulter, Garcia, and Stenson now making way for the next wave of European talent.

But how do you go about picking the perfect pairing in golf and unearth the next Ballesteros-Olazabal, Faldo-Woosnam, or Mollinari-Fleetwood? Is it a science, an art, or simply something that is uncontrollable and just clicks without any particular rhyme or reason?

Every captain will have a slightly different approach and no doubt factor statistics, intuition, personality traits, nationality, and of course the external feedback provided by their vice-captains.

Tight tour schedules mean trial and error is not typically something captains can rely on, however, Donald managed to whisk away his entire side to Macro Simone Golf Club for a pre-Ryder Cup practice session ahead of all 12 members returning to the UK to compete in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Donald has been equally shrewd here, using one of the flagship events on the DP World Tour to keep team momentum rolling by requesting exclusive Ryder Cup member groups for the first two rounds of the event.

The final practice round session of Ryder Cup week on Thursday saw Luke Donald send off Nicolai Hojgaard, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka first, followed by Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Bob MacIntyre and Rory McIlroy. The final group saw Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, and Tyrrell Hatton grouped together.

Donald has shaken his groupings up all week, keeping his cards close to his chest and claiming that no partnerships are set in stone. There’s not long to go now, however, so let’s continue to speculate over potential pairings for just a while longer…

Rory McIlroy

Where better to start than with the conundrum of how to get the best from Rory at the Ryder Cup? McIlroy lost all three of his paired matches in 2021, partnering Ian Poulter twice and Shane Lowry. No partnership has ever really looked like clicking in recent years – not since Thomas Pieters anyway.

McIlroy teed it up with the Swedish ‘generational talent’ Ludvig Aberg out in Rome who (with Viktor Hovland) didn’t hang around in dishing out a 3&2 defeat to the Northern Irishman and Tommy Fleetwood (3&2). McIlroy also played with Aberg and Hovland at Wentworth for the first two rounds of the BMW PGA Championship.

Given the activity leading up to Rome, expect to see Donald throw the battle-hardened McIlroy out there with one of the hottest players in the game at the moment and see what damage they can do.

McIlroy’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Bob MacIntyre

McIlroy’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose

McIlroy’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry

Jon Rahm

The world number three played all five matches at Whistling Straits in 2021, teaming up with compatriot Sergio Garcia to win three of his four paired matches across the first two days. Rahm also partnered Tyrrell Hatton to secure half a point in Friday’s fourballs.

And it’s the Englishman that many see as a potential partner for Rahm in Rome. They played together at the practice day in Rome, and have also been selected in a grouping for Wentworth by Donald. Expect absolute fireworks if we do see this materialize. Birdies, belly bumps, and unmatched intensity without question.

An alternative way of thinking may see Donald opt for a partner who will steady the ship and hit the right shots at the right time, allowing Rahm to really open up when the opportunity presents itself.

Rahm’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Nicolai Hojgaard, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka

Rahm’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Viktor Hovland, Nicolai Hojgaard, Sepp Straka

Rahm’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Ludvig Aberg

Viktor Hovland

Undoubtedly the form player in the world right now after back-to-back victories in the FedExCup playoffs, and the man that no one will relish playing on the other side of the Atlantic. Hovland only managed a half from his four paired matches last time out and will be determined to put that right in Rome.

Curbing Hovland’s attacking mindset is something Donald will want to avoid and therefore expect to see him partnered with players not afraid of taking on the course. Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg both fit the bill in this regard and have all been grouped together by Donald in Rome and Wentworth.

Rarely without a smile, Hovland is bound to be someone that few members of the European Team would object to playing with. Scandinavian compatriot Nicolai Hojgaard also be an outside shout here.

Hovland’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton

Hovland’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Nicolai Hojgaard, Sepp Straka, Jon Rahm

Hovland’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: John Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Ludvig Aberg

Matt Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick is desperate to secure his first Ryder Cup points having been beaten in all six matches across his first two appearence. But, now a Major champion, the Englishman is unlikely to let history get in the way of him making a significant contribution in Rome and is widely tipped to play all five sessions.

He teed it up with Rahm, Hatton, and Hojgaard in Rome, and was grouped with Rose and Scottish rookie Bob MacIntyre at Wentworth which makes potential partners for Fitzpatrick difficult to second guess.

One thing we do know is that he is willing to play with anyone and perhaps would go well with someone who has a few points under their belt to help get him across the line. We think Fleetwood or Rose would be good fits in this department, both of whom are very level-headed and play similar brands of golf to Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton

Fitzpatrick’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose

Fitzpatrick’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard

Ludvig Aberg

It only took Swedish sensation Aberg 75 days after turning professional to register his first win on tour, being selected by Donald immediately after his win at the Omega European Masters. Some will feel his inclusion to be slightly premature given his experience, but if you’re good enough, you’re good enough.

Rory McIlroy has dismissed any concerns after he declared himself well and truly on the Aberg ‘bandwagon’ and could well line up next to the Swede for Friday’s opening session. McIlroy could well be the perfect mentor to reign in Aberg if needed without curbing his obvious shot-making abilities. They’re certainly unlikely to be beaten off the tee for distance anyway.

Forming a Scandi dream team with Viktor Hovland is also a distinct possibility based on what we’ve gleaned in the build-up, or for a real left-field partnership, Donald could throw caution to the wind and pair Aberg with fellow rookie Nicolai Hojgaard and see what damage they can cause.

Aberg’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton

Aberg’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre

Aberg’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton

Justin Rose

There is no question that Rose has been selected by Donald with a clear remit in mind. He has been there and done it multiple times, winning 14 points in the process, and that level of experience will be invaluable to the rookies scattered through Europe’s 2023 team.

Rose played alongside Bon MacIntyre and Matt Fitzpatrick during the practice day in Rome and was grouped with Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, and MacIntyre once again in Wentworth.

Expect Rose to guide a rookie round on Friday, and perhaps pair up with the likes of Fleetwood or Fitzpatrick on Saturday if Europe are in trouble and in need of some steady hands to grind out a point.

Rose’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Tommy Fleetwood, Bob MacIntyre and Rory McIlroy

Rose’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood

Rose’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard

Shane Lowry

The Irishman and 2019 Open Champion is perhaps the player on Donald’s team to have experienced the most scrutiny following his selection. Lowry’s previous appearance in 2021 saw him team up with Rory in a deflating 4&3 loss before regaining some credit in a tight victory with Hatton the following day.

We could see Lowry and Hatton link up again this time around, although there is no evidence of that from what we’ve seen in the build-up. Lowry was grouped with Straka and Fleetwood in Wentworth, both of which we can see being realistic partners for Lowry in Rome.

Lowry and Fleetwood have further experience representing GB&I at the Hero Cup early in 2023.

Lowry’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Nicolai Hojgaard, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka

Lowry’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton, and Robert MacIntyre

Lowry’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Rory McIlroy

Tyrrell Hatton

Despite not having a huge amount of success in his previous Ryder Cup outings (2 wins, 4 losses, 1 half), Hatton is a player who will not fail to deliver when it comes to passion and emotion. He personifies it, and with the right partner will certainly feed off the crowds and get under the skin of their opponents.

Hatton went round Marco Simone with Rahm and Hojgaard, and the trio were again grouped together at Wentworth which perhaps gives us our strongest indication yet that there is definitely a pairing here.

The Englishman has previously partnered up with Shane Lowry which is a fairly solid option for Donald to revert back to if he needs to shake things up.

Hatton’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg

Hatton’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Ludvig Aberg, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre

Hatton’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: John Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg

Tommy Fleetwood

One half of the unforgettable ‘Moliwood’ partnership from 2018 that won all four paired matches, Tommy Fleetwood is set once again to form an integral part of Doanld’s plans to wrestle back the Ryder Cup.

Perhaps Fleetwood’s greatest strength in a team format is his versatility. He is a popular player on Tour and has the temperament to be able to complement whatever energy his partner brings to the party.

Fleetwood went out with McIlroy, Hovland, and Aberg in Rome before being grouped with Lowry and Straka for Wentworth. This is one of the harder ones to call with confidence and we wouldn’t be surprised to see Fleetwood play in all five sessions and slot in anywhere.

Fleetwood’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Justin Rose, Bob MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy

Fleetwood’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose

Fleetwood’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy

Remaining Rookies

It would be somewhat surprising if the European rookies of Bob MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard, Sepp Straka, and Ludvig Aberg played in all five sessions, that said, Aberg is strongly fancied to feature heavily across the weekend.

There is no cauldron in golf quite like the Ryder Cup, and despite the predominantly calm demeanor of 2023’s rookie cohort, they will all need a hand on their shoulder at some point during the week. Therefore, expect to see Rose, Fleetwood, and McIlroy, provide added value in this department.

Donald’s rookies are playing some fantastic golf, however, and will be encouraged to go out and play with the freedom that has won them recent tour success.

Straka and Aberg are on fire at the moment and could cause major damage with their respective combination of pin-point approach play and distance off the tee respectively, which could work wonders in foursomes.

Straka’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Nicolai Hojgaard, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry

MacIntyre’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy

Hojgaard’s Thursday 28 Practice Round Partners: Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka

Straka’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Viktor Hovland, Nicolai Hojgaard, Jon Rahm

MacIntyre’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Ludvig Aberg, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton

Hojgaard’s Wednesday 27 Practice Round Partners: Viktor Hovland, Sepp Straka, and Jon Rahm

Straka’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy

MacIntyre’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Nicolai Hojgaard

Hojgaard’s Tuesday 26 Practice Round Partners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre

Today’s Golfer’s Pairing Picks

The team at Today’s Golfer have all chipped in with the pairings they hope Luke Donald will give the nod to when the action gets underway. Here’s what they had to say:

Digital Editor Rob Jerram on McIlroy-Hovland: “I want to see McIlroy and Aberg in the fourballs and then McIlroy and Hovland in foursomes on both days. They’re pairings that will get the crowd buzzing and both are partners that could free McIlroy up to play well.”

Magazine Editor Chris Jones on Rahm-Hatton: “Want some emotion? These two will bring so much passion to the party. Expect birdies galore from them in any format as they feed off the crowds.”

Equipment Writer James Hogg on Fleetwood-Hovland: “It’s very unlikely either of them will put a foot wrong and I think they should easily be able to seal a point for Europe.”

Equipment Writer Ross Tugwood on McIlroy-Hovland: “If it’s all square going down 18 then I can’t think of a more likely duo to find a birdie when it matters. This has to be the poster pairing for Europe.”

Content Writer Will Shreeve Peacock on McIlroy-Aberg: “Level-headed veteran with the rookie sensation could be a pairing to watch out for. Both have the game to take on anyone in the US team and could easily be a foursome and fourball pairing.”

Commercial Manager Jack Raynor on Aberg and Hojgaard: “I’d love to see it. The rookie Scandinavian pairing would be really powerful and could spring a surprise.”

Sales Account Manager Jordan Paylor on McIlroy-Lowry: “They’re good mates who have performed well together in the past. Very strong opening pairing that would give us a great chance of getting an early point on the board.”

Today’s Golfer’s predicted European pairings for the opening foursomes

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood

Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Averg

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton

Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick

Today’s Golfer’s predicted European pairings for the opening fourballs

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry

Jon Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard

Tommy Fleetwood and Sepp Straka

Matt Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntyre

Ryder Cup format: Fourballs, Foursomes and Singles

The first two days of the Ryder Cup offer up a total of 16 points split across eight matches (four fourballs and four foursomes). The final Sunday sees all 12 players compete in 12 singles matches to decide which side of the Atlantic will claim Ryder Cup bragging rights for the next two years. This format has been consistent since 1979.

The home captain decides before play commences on day one whether the fourball or foursome matches will be played in the morning, and can switch this up again if desired on day two. In 2021, American captain Steve Stricker opted to play foursomes both mornings followed by fourballs in the afternoon. But what is the difference between fourballs and foursomes?

What is fourballs?

Each member of the two-man team plays their own ball, meaning that there will be four balls in play on every hole. The lowest recorded score from each team is counted and the team with the lowest score wins the hole. In the case that the two lowest scores from each team are the same, the whole is halved.

What is foursomes?

The difference with foursomes is that each two-man team only plays one ball per hole, taking alternate shots until the hole is completed. One player will hit tee shots from odd-numbered holes, with the other hitting first on even-numbered holes. The team registering the lowest score on each hole secures the point, and in the case of scores being tied, the hole is halved.

Whose ball is used in foursomes?

With only one ball in play per team during foursomes, how do players decide on whose ball to use, particularly with players ordinarily gaming a ball with the specific characteristics that complement their game? Unless Luke Donald opts to pair players who use the same ball together, players and captains will be required to engage in some strategic decisions before the round starts.

Since 2006, pairings have been able to change balls every hole, and with the flight characteristics of different balls being less noticeable off the tee, pairings may choose to prioritize the player faced with hitting into the green. In doing this, the team increases the likelihood of being able to control spin on the shots where a high level of precision is required. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson found this out the hard way when they were paired together in 2004, eventually losing by a hole, with Mickelson famously being unable to control Tiger’s high-spin ball.

The most popular ball played by Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup will be the TaylorMade TP5x (McIlroy, Fleetwood, MacIntyre), and the Titleist Pro V1x (Fitzpatrick, Hatton, Aberg), so perhaps we are likely to see some foursomes pairings emerge from these pockets of players.

What is singles?

As the name suggests, all 12 players from Team Europe will play an individual match against a player from Team USA on Sunday with 12 points on the line – one in each match. The lowest score wins the hole and, if the scores are tied, the hole is halved.

Each captain decides the order his 12 players will play, which is announced on Saturday night, but they won’t know the order their opposing captain plans to select. The order very much depends on the state of the match with captains of the team that is trailing often choosing to top load their line-up by sending out their biggest or best-performing players in a bid to make a fast start.

Rory McIlroy has led Europe out in the singles in the last three Ryder Cups and has never been lower than the first three matches in any of his six previous Ryder Cup appearances. A different player has spearheaded the USA attack in every match over that period.

Captain Luke Donald famously led the Sunday charge as Europe produced an incredible fightback to win at Medinah in 2012.

READ NEXT
– Who is playing for Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup?
– European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald on winning as underdogs

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About the author

Ross Tugwood
Golf Equipment Writer

Ross Tugwood is a golf equipment writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation. He’s also an expert in golf apparel and has a keen interest in sustainability.

Ross is passionate about optimizing sports performance and has a decade of experience working with professional athletes and coaches for British Athletics, the UK Sports Institute, and Team GB.

He has post-graduate degrees in Performance Analysis and Sports Journalism, enabling him to critically analyze and review the latest golf equipment and technology to help you make better-informed buying decisions.

Ross lives in Snowdonia National Park with his wife and 40 kg Bernese Mountain dog! He is a member of Porthmadog Golf Club with a handicap index of 13.8.

Away from golf, Ross enjoys hiking, trail running, and supporting the mighty Bristol Bears.

Ross uses a Cobra King SZ Speedzone driver, Titleist TSi2 3-Wood, TaylorMade Sim2 Rescue, Callaway Apex Pro irons (4-PW), Cleveland 588 RTX wedges (52°, 58°), TaylorMade Spider EX putter, and a TaylorMade Tour Response golf ball.