The 5 Ryder Cup Match Ups We'd Love To See At Bethpage Black

It's Team USA v Europe for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, but sometimes these team contests get personal.

Not only is this a clash between the best golfers on the planet but also some of the biggest personalities, and Ryder Cups are often lit up by personal duels.

Who could forget Rory McIlroy's battle with Patrick Reed in 2016? Or the altercation between McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay's caddie Joe LaCava just two years go?

The teams have changed slightly from Rome, the USA has anyway, but there are still some personal scores to be settled, grudges to be ironed out and just some clashes that stylistically could result in blockbuster viewing.

So let's look at the big match ups we really want to see, whether they come in singles competition or as part of a team in the foursomes and fourballs.

We just really want to see these characters come face-to-face in New York.

Rory McIlroy vs Patrick Cantlay

Who doesn't want to see Rory McIlroy take on Patrick Cantlay again at the Ryder Cup, or take on Cantlay's caddie Joe LaCava should we say.

Let's face it, it's bound to happen at least once at Bethpage Black surely, but this time probably without the very public arguing and gesticulating and near punch-up in the car park afterwards.

LaCava will surely have learned his lesson and not get involved with any opposition players this time - but then again with a New York crowd behind him who knows what will happen.

This one would be tasty.

Rory McIlroy vs Bryson DeChambeau

Listen, you could probably put Rory McIlroy and almost anyone on the US team and there'd be some needle, but Bryson DeChambeau would be the next best candidate after Cantlay.

That dramatic US Open victory at Pinehurst really hurt McIlroy, but he got the best possible revenge when winning The Masters after playing with Bryson in the final group.

And DeChambeau wasn't happy that McIlroy blanked him during that Sunday at Augusta National. I can't see the conversation flowing if they're paired together at Bethpage either.

Jon Rahm vs Scottie Scheffler

These two are not only big leaders on their teams but have also seen plenty of each other at the Ryder Cup having faced off in the singles in the last two meetings.

Scheffler won the first 4&3 at Whistling Straits and then halved their match in Rome as they led their teams off at the top of the order, but they've also met three other times in foursomes and fourballs.

Rahm is unbeaten here with two halved fourball matches, one in the USA and one in Italy, and one 4&3 foursomes victory at Marco Simone alongside Tyrrell Hatton.

We'd love to see the singles trilogy.

Viktor Hovland/Ludvig Aberg vs Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler's in a league of his own these days, but he was still pretty good two years ago when he was reduced to tears after being smashed 9&7 by Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland.

The World No.1 and five-time Major champion Brooks Koepka were simply dismantled by the Scandinavian duo - which included in Aberg a rookie that hadn't even yet played in a Major championship.

Make no mistake, that result was a body blow for Scheffler, and you can bet anything you like that he'd relish the chance to even the score up if he draws one or both of this pair again.

Justin Rose vs Xander Schauffele

A bit left field this one, and there are probably more fiery personalties that could clash in a more combative contest - with the likes of Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Bryson DeChambeau or Justin Thomas out there.

But this could be a sneaky match of the tournament if they draw each other in singles, as they both produced some stunning golf when battling it out on Sunday at the 2024 Open Championship at Troon.

Both men can raise their games under pressure, as Schauffle showed when he managed to win his singles in Rome last time out.

Rose (2-3-1 in singles) has a point to prove, or a point to win it should be, in singles matches as he's lost his last three and halved a fourth after winning his first two Ryder Cup Sunday outings - which funnily enough both came away from home and both against Phil Mickelson.

That second success against Mickelson at Medinah in 2012 was an all-timer, and you feel Schauffele could drag something similar out of him.