Ryder Cup: What Europeans had to say about pairings for opening session

Jon Rahm of Team Europe looks on during the opening ceremony for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome. Picture: Luke Walker/Getty Images.

The pairings have been set for the opening foursomes session in the 44th Ryder Cup and here’s what the European players had to say about their tasks ahead at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club on Friday morning:

JON RAHM: “We get the honour of opening the Ryder Cup. We're the first group out. It's going to be a really fun day. Can't wait to get started. Setting the stage with this man (Tyrrell Hatton), which we've done before, and can't wait to get our first full point on the board tomorrow.

TYRRELL HATTON: “We're obviously very excited to get going now. Atmosphere on the 1st tee is going to be incredible. I'm looking forward to sharing it with this man next to me and going out there and trying our best.”

LUDVIG ABERG: “I think we're in a good spot. We have been playing a little bit together the last couple days. I think anyone who is going to play with Viktor [Hovland] is going to be a happy guy, and so am I. Looking forward to it obviously.”

VIKTOR HOVLAND: “Our team and with the way the golf course is set up, I think it really suits our games. I think we're looking forward to getting off to a nice start. We can put some blue on early on the leaderboard and just follow in the trend where the Europeans did in the Solheim Cup and the Junior Ryder Cup earlier today.”

SHANE LOWRY: “It's very exciting. Obviously there's been a big buildup to this. It's been a long week so far, and I think we all woke up this morning itching to get going. I'm obviously very excited to be out there in the morning. I'm very happy playing with Sepp. He's been playing great this year, and he's been playing great all week. I'm happy to go out there and go into battle with him.”

SEPP STRAKA: “I can't even imagine what it's going to be like on the first tee. Today it wasn't even packed the whole way, and it was already crazy. Playing with Shane, the guy's a legend. He's been playing so well for such a long time now. Yeah, obviously really excited to be having him on my side.”

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: “Well, anybody playing with Rory [McIlroy] is going to be a good partnership. I'm very excited to play with him. We've known each other for a long time, and Rory has been a huge part of my Ryder Cup journeys, been a part of both Ryder Cups that I've played in before, and now this one. And our games gel well, we get on very well. And can't wait to play with him tomorrow.”

RORY MCILROY: “I feel like this is as excited and as ready a group as I've been a part of. We're all really relaxed, and we know the task at hand. It's a really strong American team, and they have a lot of really tough partnerships. We're going up against one of them tomorrow in Xander and Patrick. They've got an incredible record. How Tommy played in France and in his last home Ryder Cup and the partnership he had (with Francesco Molinari). If I can live up to Francesco, I think we'll be okay.”