Five Matches We’d Love To See At The 2018 Ryder Cup

Every two years, individual concerns are tossed aside for one of the biggest team contests in all of sports; the Ryder Cup is upon us once again, and it looks set to be a belter! All the action from Le Golf National in Paris will be live on Sky Sports from Friday, as 24 of the finest players from both sides of the Atlantic don the colours of Team Europe and Team USA and battle it out to lift the famous trophy.

And while captains Thomas Bjorn and Jim Furyk are probably lying awake at night considering the pairings they’ll send out, we’ve gone ahead and done some of the hard work for them! We might just be dreaming – and what would be wrong with that, anyway! – but we have a handful of match-ups we’d love to spot over the weekend. If the real thing is nearly as exciting as we’ve imagined it being, then we’re in for a treat…

 
 

RORY MCILROY & IAN POULTER -vs- JORDAN SPIETH & PATRICK REED

 

Poults has been a talismanic Ryder Cup figure for years, and McIlroy looks have as much passion for the contest as anyone on the planet. On the other side, meanwhile, Spieth is a fiery presence in the competition too, and Reed has been so star-spangled in his approach to the event he’s nicknamed Captain America. What a start to the three days it would be to see this lot locking horns!

 

 

 

JUSTIN ROSE -vs- BROOKS KOEPKA

 

World number one against world number two – need we say any more? Rose is the most consistent performer of this year, but Koepka has a pair of majors to show for his efforts, claiming the US Open and the US PGA this year. A real clash of the titans, and one which might just serve to show which side of the Atlantic is tops!

 

 

 

 

PAUL CASEY & TOMMY FLEETWOOD -vs- RICKIE FOWLER & JUSTIN THOMAS

If chemistry is to be a significant factor in who heads out together, then this one is a no-brainer. The Englishmen are great buddies off the course and also share a love of iron play, making them perfect foursome candidates. The Statesiders, meanwhile, are thick as thieves, and two cool customers; we predict a super showdown if these boys find themselves matched up – though a repeat of Casey’s 2006 ace might be a stretch!

 

 

 

 

SERGIO GARCIA -vs- PHIL MICKELSON

While neither are riding high on the rankings at this stage, there’s one list they’ll always be top of; the greatest matches in this competition’s history. 2016 saw the pair share a birdie-strewn epic in which each shot a 63 – a repeat of which would put our hearts under all sorts of pressure! But at least Phil enjoyed the rest of his evening once they were done...

 

 

 

FRANCESCO MOLINARI -vs- TIGER WOODS

At the Miracle of Medinah, Martin Kaymer did the necessary to allow Tiger to concede the last to the Italian – unfinished business, then! It’s an intriguing one for more reasons than history, though; there’s also the fact that Molinari has enjoyed a season including his first major win at The Open, while Tiger is on his best run for years…

 

 

 

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