Exploring potential Ryder Cup pairings for DeChambeau

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - The 2025 Ryder Cup takes place this week at Bethpage Black, and Team USA faces a steep challenge against a loaded European squad that returns 11 of 12 players from its 2023 victory in Rome. For the Americans to win back the Cup, they’ll need a monster week from Bryson DeChambeau.

The Crushers GC captain has the ideal game for the long, punishing layout, and U.S. captain Keegan Bradley has made it clear he plans to lean on him heavily. “Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup,” Bradley told Sports Illustrated. “He brings energy, passion, and most importantly, he’s one of the best players on the planet.”

DeChambeau is undeniably an X-factor, but success at Bethpage will hinge on a crucial question: Who should be his partner?

PAST PARTNERS

DeChambeau will make his third Ryder Cup appearance at Bethpage Black. In 2018 at Le Golf National, he struggled (0-3-0), losing both foursomes matches with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

At Whistling Straits in 2021, however, he thrived. Playing exclusively in fourballs, he went 2-0-1, including a 3&1 win with Scottie Scheffler over Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood.

This year, it’s likely that Bradley will play DeChambeau in four of five sessions. That makes finding the right partner essential and one of the keys to winning the Ryder Cup.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER. At Whistling Straits, Scheffler and DeChambeau formed a formidable pairing (1-0-1). Both players have Texas ties and a great deal of firepower to their games.

"I always had a good relationship with [Scheffler]," DeChambeau said during a press event before "The Showdown" in Las Vegas in 2024. "Played with him at the Ryder Cup obviously and we had a good time."

But in 2025, the reunion is unlikely. Scheffler has settled into partnerships with Sam Burns and Russell Henley, and with Scheffler and DeChambeau arguably Team USA’s top two players, putting them together would concentrate too much talent into one team instead of maximizing both stars.

Prediction: Scheffler plays foursomes with Henley and fourballs with Burns. A Scheffler/DeChambeau reunion is possible, but only if the U.S. needs a jolt.

BEN GRIFFIN. Griffin and DeChambeau offer a classic contrast. DeChambeau is one of the longest hitters in the world, while Griffin thrives on putting and wedge play. In fourballs, the birdie-making potential is clear.

A potential roadblock for a potential DeChambeau/Griffin foursome pairing is the fact that they play a different golf ball. DeChambeau plays a ProV1x while Griffin plays a Maxfli Tour X. Griffin is the only player on the team who plays a Maxfli, but there are very few potential teammates who are as meticulous with their equipment as DeChambeau.

Prediction: DeChambeau is not a fit for foursomes with Griffin due to the golf ball issue. It’s possible he plays fourballs with Griffin, but ultimately, I believe Bradley will decide to go elsewhere with their DeChambeau pairings. Griffin will sit at least one, if not both, of the foursomes sessions.

HARRIS ENGLISH. English made his Ryder Cup debut in 2021 at Whistling Straits. He partnered with Tony Finau in two fourball matches, going 1-1. Finau is not on the United States team this year, so English will need a partner.

English and DeChambeau are both players who lack an obvious partner for Bethpage Black. Both players are veterans who excel in putting. English could prove to be a useful partner for DeChambeau in foursomes as he keeps the ball in play, ranking 6th of the 24 players in the Ryder Cup in driving accuracy.

Prediction: A logical foursomes option, but English likely sits multiple sessions in favor of more dynamic pairings.

JJ SPAUN. Spaun is another player who lacks a logical partner and would make an interesting pairing with DeChambeau. Spaun plays a Srixon Z-Star Diamond and although I believe Spaun would need to adapt to DeChambeau’s ball. Both players were born in California so there could be a logical connection there.

Prediction: A DeChambeau/Spaun pairing would be more likely in fourballs, but I envision Spaun as a more natural partner for a player like Collin Morikawa.

CAMERON YOUNG. Cameron Young ended the 2025 season as one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour. He earned his first win at the Wyndham Championship and followed it up by finishing in the top 11 in each of his final four starts of the season, including a T4 finish at the Tour Championship.

In many ways. Young is the perfect foursome partner for DeChambeau. Both players have a calm demeanor on the course and have a similar play style. DeChambeau ranks 1st of the 24 Ryder Cup players in driving distance while Young ranks 7th, but 2nd behind DeChambeau amongst the Americans. Young hits the ball almost as far as DeChambeau, which will give both players distances into greens that they’re accustomed to playing. Perhaps most importantly, both players play a ProV1x golf ball.

Prediction: DeChambeau and Young play both foursomes sessions together, and with great success.

JUSTIN THOMAS. Thomas had an up-and-down season in 2025. He won the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town but failed to remain consistent after the win. Thomas has been a fantastic Ryder Cup player throughout his career. He’s played in three Ryder Cups with an 8-4-2 overall record.

In 2018 at Le Golf National, he went 3-1-0 with Jordan Spieth as his partner in four matches and was a bright spot for a losing United States side. In 2021 at Whistling Straits, he played with Spieth again, going 1-1-0 in two matches. He also played one fourballs match with Patrick Cantlay, which resulted in a tie. In 2023 at Marco Simone, played with Spieth once again, but with limited success, going 0-2-1 in three matches.

With Spieth not on the 2025 team, Thomas will need a new partner. He’s been erratic off the tee all season and ranks 23rd of 24 players this week in driving accuracy, making him a liability in foursomes. In fourballs, however, Thomas should prove to be an asset for the United States side. He ranks 2nd in the field in birdie or better percentage, while DeChambeau ranks 4th.

Both DeChambeau and Thomas can go extremely low and are passionate players who both thrive in the big moment and will thrive in the raucous environment of a home Ryder Cup.

Prediction: DeChambeau and Thomas play both fourball sessions together and prove to be a pivotal United States team pairing.

(Top story image courtesy of Scott Taetsch/PGA of America)