Which pairings will Steve Stricker field at Whistling Straits this week?
We’ve had a go at predicting the European Ryder Cup pairings for this week’s match at Whistling Straits, so here’s who we think may be lining up for Team USA.
For America there are probably two banker pairings but then again maybe Steve Stricker will do things his own way and surprise us all?
USA Ryder Cup Pairings – Our Predictions
Spieth and Thomas – Foursomes and Fourballs
Of the 24 superstars on show these two are the absolute bankers of a pairing.
It was going to take something special to break up Spieth and Reed and this was it. And what a fall-out ensued.
This is the precise energy the American team need and Captain Stricker will be riding them hard all week and they’ll love every second of it.
Cantlay and Schauffele – Foursomes and Fourballs
With six rookies in the American ranks there is a big element of the unknown but these two have paired up before at the 2019 Presidents Cup and we’ll probably get more of the same.
They actually won both their foursomes matches and lost their fourballs, which we will generally read too much into.
These two SoCal natives have known each other for a long time with Schauffele remembering the time he got schooled by Cantlay in a college tournament in 2012.
Johnson and Berger – Foursomes
It’s strange that not many are giving Johnson much pre-match chat given his standing in the game.
Remember the 2010 PGA?
It’s hard to see many players capable of outwardly revving him up but maybe Berger is the one?
People will talk about Berger’s moxie and character but his game remains underrated by many and there aren’t many weaknesses.
He could be the diamond in the fescue for the Americans.
Finau and Morikawa – Foursomes
This strikes you as a particularly nice-guy combination with Morikawa’s iron credentials and Big T’s ridiculous skills.
They could be America’s silent assassins and it’s likely that Stricker will lean on them quite a bit, in particular Finau, on a course that should suit him down to the ground.
Koepka and DeChambeau – NOT HAPPENING
Butch Harmon might like the idea of it and it would even eclipse Tiger and Phil at Oakland Hills but there’s more chance of Poulter playing in a UPS uniform.
Anyone playing foursomes with DeChambeau could be in for a treat with talk about balls, air density, wind, Epsom salts and the like and Koepka is not the player to listen to any of that.
A polite hello at the start of the week might be pushing it so let’s just keep things civil and crack on.
Koepka and Finau – Fourballs
They opened things up for the States in the fourballs in Paris and they delivered a point against Rose and Rahm.
There’s a question mark over Koepka’s fitness but we don’t think that will be a problem and Finau is the sort of anti-stress character that suits him.
In the last home matches Koepka went 3-0-1 and he will likely be fired up by some recent criticism which is sort of what Koepka does.
English and DeChambeau – Fourballs
These two were paired together in the final round of the St Jude and English was quick to stand up for DeChambeau.
“It’s not real fair for them to call him ‘Brooksy’ a lot, it kind of sucks and obviously he hears it and it affects him a little bit,” English said.
He doesn’t like it and I think that causes them to do it more. It just sucks that that’s out here right now, that they’re trying to irk people like that. It’s just unfortunate.”
Harris meet Bryson, Bryson meet Harris.
Scheffler and Johnson – Fourballs
We haven’t got loads to go on partner wise with Scheffler but he loves the big stage – in his last six major starts his worst finish is 19th.
He loves matchplay, going back to his junior days, and he makes a ton of birdies.
Maybe Stricker will mix things up with another rookie or he’ll give him big Dustin and let the pair of them loose.
Related: Future Ryder Cup Captains – Who might the next five be?
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