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The 2018 Ryder Cup teed off on Friday. The Ryder Cup is played every two years between the best golfers in the USA and the best golfers Europe has to offer. It is a three-day tournament with both partner and solo matchups. The United States won the 2016 Ryder Cup on their home soil, but are looking to win their first Ryder Cup on European soil in 25 years.
Day 1 was a rollercoaster for the United States team. In the opening four-ball matchups, they went up 3-1 and took early control of the tournament. However, the Europeans turned around and went 4-0 in the afternoon foursomes to take a 5-3 overall lead.
Saturday morning the Americans are using the exact same pairings that won them three matches Friday morning, while the Europeans are switching up two of their pairings. Here are the matchups and tee times for Saturday morning:
All times EST
2:10 a.m. Brooke Koepka/Tony Finau (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy/Sergio Garcia (Europe)
2:25 a.m. Dustin Johnson/Rickie Fowler (USA) vs. Paul Casey/Tyrrell Hatton (Europe)
2:40 a.m. Tiger Woods/Patrick Reed (USA) vs. Francesco Molinari/Tommy Fleetwood
2:55 a.m. Justin Thomas/Jordan Spieth (USA) vs. Jon Rahm/Ian Poulter
These matchups are extremely compelling. Koepka and Finau look to continue their stoic dominance against the new pairing of McIlroy and Garcia. Meanwhile, DJ and Rickie Fowler have an opportunity to pounce against the weakest pairing of the European side. Reed and Woods look to bounce back after not playing in the afternoon on Friday. Finally, two of the fiercest players in the field, Jon Rahm and Ian Poulter have been paired up against best friends, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth.
It is sure to be an exciting morning of golf. With Europe now in the driver’s seat, it will be interesting to see how the American side responds.
Day 2 TV Coverage Schedule
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All times EST
Session 1 (Fourball) First Tee Time: 2 a.m.
Session 2 (Foursomes) First Tee Time: 7:45 a.m.
Early TV Coverage: 2:00 AM – 3:00 AM (Golf Channel)
Live TV Coverage: 3:00 AM – 1:00 PM (NBC)
Online Stream: 3:00 AM – 1:00 PM (NBCsports.com and RyderCup.com)
It is going to be a wild Saturday of Ryder Cup action as the USA looks to get back ahead.
