Five predictions for the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black

All eyes are on Bethpage Black as the 45th Ryder Cup approaches, with outlets fielding predictions on how Europe and the United States will set their teams for the opening day. A New York Post preview consolidates five likely developments, centering first on Friday's early matchups and the alignment of power with experience in the opening foursomes. The Ryder Cup's format—two sessions on Friday (foursomes in the morning, four-ball in the afternoon) followed by another day of matches and Sunday’s singles—creates a chessboard of relationships that captains must navigate under the pressure of representing a continent. The preview frames the week as a test of match-play chemistry and nerve, with executives charting how the opening two sessions can swing momentum for the rest of the competition.

On the Friday morning foursomes, European captaincy is expected to field Jon Rahm with Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland with Ludvig Åberg, Shane Lowry with Sepp Straka, and Rory McIlroy with Tommy Fleetwood. Those four pairings produced a 4-0 sweep for Europe in Rome, underscoring a blueprint that organizers may be inclined to replicate when the matches begin. In the afternoon four-ball, the lineup could mirror the two-year-ago strategy that yielded success for Europe: Hovland and Hatton, Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose, McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick. The report also notes a potential wrinkle: Rahm could be paired with Nicolai Højgaard’s brother, Rasmus Højgaard, who partnered with Rahm in 2023, a difference that would deliver a fresh dynamic to the European arrangement.

Beyond those specifics, the five predictions are presented as a broader look at how teams might align over Bethpage’s demanding layout and the week’s match-play format. The piece emphasizes the enduring value of established partnerships and the comfort of familiar faces in high-pressure Ryder Cup moments, while also hinting that captains may test depth and flexibility through additional pairing decisions as the week unfolds. The Rome precedent cited in the piece adds context: the four European pairings listed for Friday morning were instrumental in that edition’s early momentum, a reminder that early angles can influence mood and strategy across the weekend. The article notes that the Friday cadence would likely draw on players who have performed well in alternate-shot formats in major events, while the U.S. contingent may pursue a complementary mix of offense and steadiness as it builds its own opening-day plan.

Ryder Cup week at Bethpage Black underscores golf’s unique team dimension: 12 players per side, a rotating schedule of two sessions on Friday and a full slate of matches across Saturday, followed by Sunday singles, all designed to maximize opportunities for leverage and momentum. The venue’s storied layout will add pressure for every decision, from which pairs get the first crack at the course to how captains respond to early results. The five-prediction framework reflects a deliberate, strategy-driven approach rather than a single sensational breakthrough, illustrating how such an event blends preparation with the uncertainties inherent to match play. As the week unfolds, fans will be watching whether Europe’s early-pairing comfort with Rahm–Hatton and Hovland–Åberg translates into a tangible edge, and whether Rahm’s potential pairing with Højgaard adds versatility to the European game plan. The United States’ counters will depend on form and adaptation, but the core idea remains: the first few matches can establish tempo and pressure, shaping attitudes and performance across the remainder of the weekend.