2025 Ryder Cup schedule, matchups: Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun pairing leads Friday four-ball duos on Day 1
Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald have their pairings locked for Session 2 of the 2025 Ryder Cup on Friday
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2 min read
After months of build and weeks of chatter, the 2025 Ryder Cup began at Bethpage Black on Friday. Europe took a commanding 3-1 lead after the first session of Friday foursomes with four-ball set for the afternoon, necessitating respective captains Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald to choose four new pairings.
The home team historically dominated Friday foursomes in recent years -- no matter where the Ryder Cup has been played -- with Europe winning the session 4-0 in 2018 and 2023, while the United States won 4-0 in 2018 and 3-1 in 2021. However, Europe this year won the first three pairings stateside for the first time in Ryder Cup history. The Americans will need to rebound significantly in the afternoon, and there is now immense pressure on Bradley to get it right given the morning struggles Friday.
Across the aisle, Donald is playing with house money given his unexpected lead through the first four matches. Europe is trying to become the first team to capture a road Ryder Cup since they did so in 2012 at Medinah, and they hope continuity will be the difference maker in a hostile environment like New York.
Check out a full breakdown of the 2025 Ryder Cup schedule and playing format along with CBS Sports' ranking of all 24 players on the Ryder Cup rosters ahead of competition Friday. Don't miss the complete 2025 Ryder Cup TV schedule to learn how to watch the event, plus you can dive into CBS Sports' slate of Ryder Cup predictions and expert picks ahead of the event.
2025 Ryder Cup matchups: Day 1 (Friday)
Session 1 -- Foursomes
| Match | Europe | Score | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton | ⬅️ 4&3 | Bryson DeChambeau & Justin Thomas |
2 | Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick | ⬅️ 5&3 | Scottie Scheffler & Russell Henley |
3 | Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood | ⬅️ 5&4 | Collin Morikawa & Harris English |
4 | Robert MacIntyre & Viktor Hovland | 2 UP ➡️ | Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay |
Session 2 -- Four-ball
| Match | United States | Tee time | Europe |
|---|---|---|---|
5 | Scottie Scheffler & J.J. Spaun | 12:25 p.m. | Jon Rahm & Sepp Straka |
6 | Ben Griffin & Bryson DeChambeau | 12:41 p.m. | Tommy Fleetwood & Justin Rose |
7 | Cameron Young & Justin Thomas | 12:57 p.m. | Ludvig Åberg, Rasmus Højgaard |
8 | Sam Burns & Patrick Cantlay | 1:13 p.m. | Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry |
There aren't many surprises on the European side, as the Fleetwood-Rose and McIlroy-Lowry pairings had success in Rome two years ago and figured to be brought back in 2025. Donald will go with two of his young guys in the third match in Åberg and Højgaard, while Rahm and Straka will go out first in a new pairing from Rome.
In that opening session, they'll face Scheffler and Spaun as the world No. 1 looks to shake off a rough performance in the morning alongside Henley, who really struggled in his debut. All three American rookies will be going out in pairings with veterans in the afternoon, as Bradley hopes to find some chemistry in four-ball. DeChambeau will pair with Griffin in an expected pairing, while Young goes out with Thomas. Burns, the only veteran who sat out the morning, will join Cantlay in the final match of the day.
It's a little surprising to not see both members of the Schauffele-Cantlay pairing that put the only point of the morning on the board back out there. Thomas over Schauffele is a bold choice given the poor form J.T. showed in alternate shot, and if that match goes poorly, Bradley will face some questions about that decision.
