The Europeans have a massive and historically insurmountable lead, but after a scrappy 3-1 Saturday afternoon four-ball session win, the Americans have some momentum.
Singles Sunday at the Ryder Cup is upon us and the opposing captains have released their lineups and pairings for the final day of matches.
The Europeans need just 4 points to win the Cup while the U.S. needs a massive 8.5 points to come back and retain the Cup.
With the pairings out, here is our ranking of this year’s 12 singles matches in terms of watchability.
12. Match 10 (7:23 a.m. ET) – Jordan Spieth (USA) vs. Shane Lowry (EUR)
In a shocking twist, Spieth has been, by far, Team USA’s worst player this week. According to DataGolf, his strokes gained total of -9.65 is the worst mark for either team as he’s gone 0-2-1. It’s difficult to put a player as exciting as Spieth at the bottom of the list, but he just hasn’t been there this week. Lowry hasn’t made much noise in going 1-1-0 with Sepp Straka in two matches. However, he did make some noise on the 18th green Saturday night.
11. Match 8 (6:59 a.m. ET) – Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Sepp Straka (EUR)
Thomas, the controversial captain’s pick, has only been better than just one player at these matches. Unfortunately for him and Team USA, that was his partner, Spieth. It’s not much of a surprise, with the U.S. trailing big, that captain Zach Johnson has chosen to bury these two stars deep in the lineup, needing to make sure the U.S. stays alive as long as possible. Straka has only played in two matches, both with Lowry.
10. Match 11 (7:35 a.m. ET) – Rickie Fowler (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood (EUR)
This one is so low simply because of the unknown. Fowler is the only player this week to play just one match. He and Collin Morikawa lost to Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka on Friday morning and he hasn’t played since. Fleetwood, meanwhile, has been stellar, going 2-1-0, especially while playing with Rory McIlroy in foursomes.
9. Match 12 (7:47 a.m. ET) – Wyndham Clark (USA) vs. Robert MacIntyre (EUR)
Clark has hardly looked like the rock-solid player who held off Rory McIlroy to win the U.S. Open. He’s hit perfect tee shots on 18 the last two evenings in tied matches, only to blow the chances of a win with wayward approaches. MacIntyre hasn’t lost this week, going 1-0-1, but that’s mostly a product of playing with resurgent Justin Rose.
8. Match 9 (7:11 a.m. ET) – Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Nicolai Hojgaard (EUR)
Bizzarely, aside from Fowler, Schauffele is the only other U.S. player without even a half point this week. He’s gone 0-2 with his normally trusty foursomes partner, Cantlay, and when Johnson put him with Morikawa in Friday fourballs, they got waxed by Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick. Hojgaard has been a little bit of hit or miss in his first Ryder Cup, hitting a couple of clutch tee shots on the drivable 16th, but also disappearing late in other matches.
7. Match 3 (5:59 a.m. ET) – Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Justin Rose (EUR)
Cantlay was at the center of the U.S. Friday afternoon rally, egged on by fans who were mocking the reports of him refusing to wear a hat in protest of not being paid. Cantlay birdied the final three holes to steal a 1 up victory and give the U.S. a chance. Rose, meanwhile, as the last of Europe’s old guard of Ryder Cuppers, turned back the clock Friday afternoon with the lone blue point, beating Spieth and Thomas with MacIntyre.
6. Match 7 (6:47 a.m. ET) – Brooks Koepka (USA) vs. Ludvig Aberg (EUR)
Koepka has been disappointing in his two matches, making just two birdies Friday afternoon, before being on the losing end of that historic 9 and 7 beatdown by Aberg and Viktor Hovland with Scottie Scheffler. He’d want another go at the young European phenom, who has gone 2-1-0, despite being the only Ryder Cup player ever to compete before playing in a major. He’ll get a major test from the reigning PGA Champion.
5. Match 6 (6:35 a.m. ET) – Brian Harman (USA) vs. Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
This is one of the sneakier matchups of two players who are BOTH playing really well this week. Hatton is undefeated, having won 2.5 points for the Euros while Harman has gone 2-1-0 for the American side, with the only loss coming in that disastrous opening session.
4. Match 5 (6:23 a.m. ET) – Max Homa (USA) vs. Matt Fitzpatrick (EUR)
Homa has been the U.S.’s best player, going 2-1-1 in his first Ryder Cup. Fitzpatrick was on fire Friday afternoon as he played his first seven holes in seven under on his way to a 5 and 3 win with McIlroy. He was also a part of the losing side with the World No. 2 Saturday night when things got chippy on the 18th green. This should be a good one between two players who have clearly gotten up for their teams.
3. Match 2 (5:47 a.m. ET) – Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Viktor Hovland (EUR)
A rematch from 2021 when these two battled to a tie, but Morikawa able to nab the clinching half-point for the United States to win the Ryder Cup. Morikawa rebounded after a tough, 0-2 Friday by waxing Hovland and Aberg Saturday afternoon with Sam Burns. That match was the only hiccup for Hovland, who has kept his momentum rolling after winning the FedEx Cup in August.
2. Match 4 (6:11 a.m. ET) – Sam Burns (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy (EUR)
Despite being a somewhat controversial captain’s pick, and getting criticism for his poor performance last year at the Presidents Cup, Burns has been admirable this week with a 1-1-0 record, and will get a chance to silence his doubters — and fashion critics — against Europe’s best player in McIlroy. The World No. 2 had a 3-0-0 record before losing on the 18th green Saturday evening and then letting things get testy afterward.
1. Match 1 (5:35 a.m. ET) – Scottie Scheffler (USA) vs. Jon Rahm (EUR)
The lead-off match is actually another rematch from Whistling Straits (when Scheffler won 4 and 3). Scheffler and Rahm have already played each other this week, with Rahm making two eagles over the final three holes to eke out a half point in Friday afternoon fourballs, despite Scheffler making four birdies in a row to finish. Masters Champion and four-time winner in 2023 against the No. 1 player in the world. Buckle up.
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