Ryder Cup 2023

What looked like a fairly insignificant Singles Match around midday Saturday has had the kiss of life via a journalist tweet and the frenzy around Patrick Cantlay's headwear. Europe were on their way to a landslide victory, an outcome that is still highly probable, but Captain Luke Donald will not be amused by the chaos that ensued late on day two. I'm not sure if it benefits either side but the final few hours certainly breathed life into an otherwise postmortem rigidity plagued Team USA. 

Ryder Cup Predictions | Niall Lyons Singles Ryder Cup Tips

Rahm rather unsurprisingly goes first after being benched on Saturday afternoon and the decision by Zach Johnson to send Scottie Scheffler out first looks a fine choice regardless of the result. Scheffler was devastated by the overwhelming defeat on Saturday morning and if he is to put it right there is no better position for him to be in.

He's up against a tough Matador in Rahm but he will look to take responsibility and put red on the board to fuel those behind with a very slim hope of getting back into the game.

Three games look worth getting involved in beginning with Max Homa. Homa has been the second best performer throughout the two teams and can spoke quite candidly in the press conference last night about him having an enjoyable week win or lose.

He also said he can only do what he can, and if anything looked a shade disappointed in his team members. We know he is clutch in these situations and hitting fairways will be hugely important in these foursomes games. Fitzpatrick has performed poorly from the tee thus far and may find it difficult up against a developing USA matchplay stalwart.

If Team USA put up any sort of fight they can't afford many passengers and Patrick Cantlay has been one of the very few Americans who can hold their head high. He handled a heated press conference extremely well yesterday evening and the nickname 'Patty Ice' seems very fitting this week.

His golf has been good also ranking second to Homa in strokes gained on the week for the visitors. Rose is far from an easy one to dispatch holing some crucial putts over the first couple of days. However, Cantlay has everything going for him and to react the way he did yesterday to the abuse he faced was a measure of just how determined and cool he is on the golf course.

If Team Europe start with all guns blazing again like they have done in each session to date, Cantlay is the one who can delay the inevitable for a while longer.

Finally, my decision to back Koepka this week was mainly as I stated due to the price. I believed it was too big to turn down and it hasn't worked out. His comments about Rahm were ill advised and whilst Scheffler looked dejected on the golf course yesterday, Koepka summed up Team USA's attitude to this event this century when he said 'we just get on with things'.

The fight isn't there in him and with defeat looking all but certain, he will struggle to get motivated. In Ludvig Aberg we have someone thriving, despite not showing up with his best stuff. His C game though still looks hugely impressive and this gargantuan figure has what it takes to dispose to Koepka, and who knows maybe even hole the winning putt.

What a Ryder Cup birth that would be and maybe it is written in the Italian skies given the whirlwind few months he has had.

1pt treble Homa, Cantlay, Aberg  7/1  (General)