Scottish hero and Viktor Hovland face formidable home duo as pairings revealed for opening morning at Bethpage
21:47, 25 Sep 2025Updated 22:45, 25 Sep 2025
Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre of Team Europe
Tough guy Bob MacIntyre could have a breakfast date with Donald Trump after a massive vote of Ryder Cup confidence from skipper Luke Donald.
The Scottish hero will help blast-off Europe’s bid for New York glory having landed a first-morning mission alongside Viktor Hovland.
MacIntyre didn’t play foursomes two years ago in Rome as a rookie, but, now established in the World’s Top 10, he’s got the nod from his impressed captain and goes in with his Norwegian sidekick against key home pairing Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
The Oban star is one of the first eight Euro heroes tasked with silencing a Bethpage bearpit which will be whipped up to fever pitch by the President’s scheduled appearance, although his arrival timings are to be confirmed.
MacIntyre and Hovland are in morning match four and Donald had no hesitation in naming the Scot claiming he has shown both the quality and grit needed for the Big Apple cauldron.
Robert MacIntyre
Donald explained: “Bob’s a gritty Scottish fella. He’s a tough character, he’s won in difficult situations, won with his dad on the bag in Canada, he won the Scottish Open, the event he really, really wanted to get. You just look at someone like that.
“Two years ago, Justin Rose did an amazing job with him, kind of getting him around the course. He went unbeaten, Two-and-a-half points out of three, which was incredible for a rookie. But he’s a much, much better player than he was two years ago.”
MacIntyre is excited for the pairing and the task as he said: “It should be good. I spent a lot of time with him this week and last week. I’ve known him since we were young boys, European Team Championships. Went against him. I know Viktor well. He’s playing well.
“Look, we’ve got a job to do and that’s to get as many points as we can. So whoever we go against, it doesn’t really matter as long as we do our job and try and get that point.”
Hovland said: “Bob and I get along well and I think our game complements each other’s. I think we’ll go out there and really set the tone and, hopefully, push each other, make some birdies and make it difficult on the other team.”
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will kick off the Euro bid as they open the proceedings against the powerhouse home pairing of Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas. With Trump due for attendance and his friend DeChambeau leading off Keegan Bradley’s team, the atmosphere is going to be both electric and chaotic at tee-off.
The LIV star said: “Excited and honoured. Couldn’t ask for a better pairing. We’ve got a big responsibility and role. We’re going to be going up against a great team, Rahm and Hatton. They’re a formidable force, but we want to send a message. Tsunami of a wave of support.”
Hatton said: “It’s an honour to go out first. I had that opportunity in Rome as well and looking forward to it, try and get some blue on the board early. Should be fun. I would imagine it will be pretty noisy. They are amazing players and it will be a tough game, but me and Jon, we’ll try our best to get one point.”
Rahm continued: “I’m very excited, four-for-four in the first group. Being away, I’ll be hitting the first tee shot starting the day, I think I’m the one leading us off. We are facing two fantastic, very accomplished players. It will not be easy. They are both players that like to get the crowd going. It will be a very energetic match.
“But I wouldn’t say Tyrrell and I are short of energy ourselves, so I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for both teams.”
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is in the second match of the morning alongside Russell Henley and they will face a new Ryder Cup pairing of Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. The Swedish star and Hovland were a strong outfit in Italy two years ago, but Donald has opted to break it up and place the Scandinavian with the in-form Sheffield star.
Aberg said: “We’ve been playing together a lot the last couple weeks. It’s a plan set in place by Luke and we all trust in that.” Fitzpatrick continued: “I can’t wait to get out there. I’m sure it’s going to be loud. We’re prepared for that over the last few weeks and know what’s coming. We know what it’s about, just got to go out there and stick to our own game and not get too caught up in it all.”
Europe’s talisman Rory McIlroy is in the third game alongside Tommy Fleetwood with the pair also titans for their team in Rome. The World No.2 is determined to land a second Ryder Cup on away soil and joins the Southport star in facing Collin Morikawa and Harris English.
McIlroy said: “Honestly really happy to partner with this guy again. We had a great time in Rome a couple years ago. We are very close. Our families are very close.” Fleetwood added: “I really just can’t wait to get out there. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
That then leaves the final job of the first session to MacIntyre and Hovland as they get set to meet the strong US pair of Schauffele and Cantlay.
Donald’s ready and said: “I have been preparing for 21 months for this. Winning away has been done. And we will draw on those experiences. But we understand the task in hand and understand the atmosphere and amphitheatre we are going into. There is a bunch of our players who have been in away environments and we understand. These are 12 of the best European golfers and they love to be challenged. You can draw energy off the crowd. I think we can find some European cheers in and amongst the chaos.”
On sending DeChambeau out first with Thomas, Keegan Bradley said: “They are both incredible players, but they are both fiery players. They are both going to relish the opportunity to lead out our team. They are just two guys that short of thrive in that.”
Scheffler and Henley are next and he continued: “They complement each other really well. Russell is a real steady guy. He’s going to be right there and Scheffler is the same way. Scottie’s a leader. He’s the guy that our players look up to and look for leadership. He has a quiet aspect but he’s been an incredible teammate, and again another guy that’s been willing to play with anybody and do whatever it takes to win. Our group is out in the order that they want.”
Bradley added: “It’s weird that I’m not playing. I feel like I’m playing, but what a fun day.”
