Top 5 like-for-like player match-ups to watch at the Ryder Cup 2023

On Monday, September 4, Europe's Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald, announced his picks for the event scheduled to take place later this month. The European squad includes Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka, and Nicolai Hojgaard. They join names like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre, and Tyrrell Hatton.

The American team, announced a couple of weeks ago, comprises Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, and Justin Thomas.

The singles matches between the best of the players will be something to look forward to. While fans await the exciting contest, we will delve into five like-for-like matchups.

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Top 5 like-for-like player match-ups for the Ryder Cup 2023

1) Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy

Scheffler and McIlroy are currently ranked first and second in the Original World Golf Rankings. Both have won two titles each this year and have had incredible seasons so far. McIlroy hasn't finished outside of the top 10 since missing the cut at the Masters in April, while Scheffler also had seven straight top-10 finishes this year.

The 34-year-old Northern Irishman has represented Europe six times in the past and has earned 14 points across all seasons. As for Scheffler, this will be his second appearance at the biennial event.

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2) Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka

This can be an interesting matchup given their history and results this season. Both have won one major and finished as runners-up in another this year. At the 2023 Masters, Koepka entered the final day with a two-stroke lead over Jon Rahm.

They were paired together for the last round, and eventually, the Spaniard rallied past Koepka to win at Augusta National. Koepka will have a chance to avenge the defeat if they are matched up at the Rome event.

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3) Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay

Both Hovland and Cantlay will make their second appearances at the Ryder Cup later this month. While Cantlay remained undefeated in 2021, earning 3.5 points in four matches, Hovland could only secure one point in five matches and didn't win any of them.

However, in the two years since then, times have changed, and Hovland has become a much-improved player. He finished the year on a high note by winning the BMW Championship, followed by the FedEx Cup at East Lake.

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4) Justin Thomas and Justin Rose

The contest between the two Justins will be interesting if they are matched together. Both are veterans on their respective teams and have plenty of experience with the highs and lows of the biennial event.

Rose, who is returning to the Ryder Cup squad after missing out last time, has played 23 Ryder Cup matches and won 13 of them. He has faced defeat in eight and tied two of them.

Justin Thomas has a Ryder Cup record of 6-2-1, and this is the reason he's on the team despite having the worst season of his career. The Rome event can be a redemption for the two-time major champion.

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5) Sam Burns and Ludvig Aberg

Both players are exciting talents making their Ryder Cup debuts this year. Aberg secured his spot after winning the Omega European Masters, but Burns' selection was somewhat debatable. The 27-year-old golfer had six top-10 finishes this season and finished ninth in the Tour Championship.

It will be interesting to see how these two young players perform in their Ryder Cup debuts.