Golf betting tips: Ryder Cup day one preview and best bets

Click here for 66/1 RequestABet on all four predicted results

Thomas & Spieth v Garcia & Rahm (1305 BST)

Straight down the list, there are no surprises from the USA, and a couple from Europe. In this top match, many including myself believed that the reported relationship between Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm would ensure they're kept apart, but as pictures emerged of them smiling through a foursomes session on Wednesday, it became clear they would combine at some stage.

It's not at all surprising that Rahm is out first as the world number one, and it makes sense that if he's to play with Garcia, whose foursomes record is 10-4-3 across eight partnerships, it would be from the get go. His experience and passion for this combined with Rahm's brilliance makes for a mouthwatering proposition, particularly for those tuning in from Spain, a country to which this competition owes so much.

They face the most obvious of four obvious American pairings. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas had never been asked to lead the way for their country before, but having gone 3-1-0 in Paris it was always possible they would here. Their sole defeat did come in foursomes and even at their best, they do concede a driving edge to the Europeans. It's rare for Europe to hold the aces off the tee but two of their best three drivers are together here and it makes this match very difficult to call at a course where tee-shots will be vital.

With Spieth and Thomas definitely better suited to fourballs, I'll give the narrow edge to Europe. They were always going to need Rahm to have a big week to win here, and he can start it with a famous point, his first in pairs golf at the Ryder Cup.

Verdict: Europe 2&1

Johnson & Morikawa v Casey & Hovland (1321 BST)

Another US pairing which looked set in stone from Monday, and one which combines the accuracy and precision iron play of Collin Morikawa with the power and experience of Dustin Johnson who, at 37, is the oldest member of the United States team. Their skills are very different and as with the top duo, maybe fourballs would suit better. But that may be hopeful on Europe's part.

Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland will smile and flush their way to whatever fate awaits them. Casey was very emotional during the opening ceremony, as he had been in Paris where asked to partner rookie Tyrrell Hatton. Now he gets the honour of pairing with Hovland, who played a lot of college golf against Morikawa and is following a similar if less explosive path as a professional.

There are minor form doubts over the two rookies here, and neither Johnson nor Casey has been at their absolute best over the last six weeks or so. The other potential concern is over Morikawa's fitness, but reports suggest he's fit and ready to fire again after a disrupted end to an otherwise brilliant season.

Johnson's foursomes return of 1-3-0 is poor, but he's been used badly over the years, handed some strange partners and never given the platform to flourish. If Morikawa is dialled in there are no excuses here and they deserve favouritism given that Casey is surprisingly inexperienced in foursomes (1-1-0).

Verdict: USA 3&2

Koepka & Berger v Westwood & Fitzpatrick (1337 BST)

The weakest match on both sides, with Brooks Koepka having struggled for fitness and not been at his best for a little while, Daniel Berger making his debut, Matt Fitzpatrick seeking his first Ryder Cup point, and Lee Westwood having struggled for the most part since the spring.

Something has to give but while this European pairing worries me a little, especially given the way this big course is set up, I wouldn't be in a rush to back these two Floridians at such a short price. Koepka and Berger lost their sole foursomes together at the Presidents Cup in 2017 and though the former must surely have proven his fitness, his season fizzled out.

Westwood and Fitzpatrick have a nice dynamic, too, with the vastly experienced Billy Foster now on Fitzpatrick's bag having for so long been with Westwood. They'll know they're the pairing with most to prove and while Hazeltine was a disaster for Fitzpatrick, it came too soon. He's since established himself as a serious competitor and does have a big Ryder Cup in him.

USA deserve favouritism, but not overwhelmingly.

Verdict: Match halved

Cantlay & Schauffele v McIlroy & Poulter (1353 BST)

It seems odd to say it but Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are Ryder Cup rookies, and in some respects this is a baptism of fire against Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy.

The European duo turned Medinah on its head in 2012 - well, one of them did - and are 2-1-1 together having played once then, once in 2014, and twice in 2018. Latterly they won their first foursomes but so they should've with Bubba Watson in opposition, before losing to Spieth and Thomas in the same format.

It's a bit of an odd pairing. Presumably both are very happy with it, but you could argue they're the best (well, almost) and worst ball-strikers on the European team, and you have to wonder for how long Poulter can overachieve in this event. He returned a level record in Paris, a losing one at Gleneagles, and Medinah is nine years ago now.

He has played well all year, putting the lights out on occasion and hitting fairways. He played OK at Whistling Straits a long time ago, too. But I must admit to having developed a major concern and would be far more comfortable were Shane Lowry in this group instead of him.

There's no guarantee these two stern-faced Californians respond well to the pressure of a Ryder Cup, which will be far more severe than when they forged a good partnership in the Presidents Cup. However, they won both foursomes matches there, they arrive in excellent form, and they look like they'd be hard for any European pair to beat.

Verdict: USA 2&1

Sky Bet boosted accumulator

• Sky Bet have enhanced the odds of the four match predictions - Europe win match one, USA matches two and four, and a tie in match three. Click here to back it at 66/1 (odds subject to change) before the first match tees off.

Posted at 0000 BST on 24/09/21

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