Ryder Cup 2023 Day 1 Betting Tips: Best bets for Friday

Set those alarm clocks for 6.35am (BST) on Friday morning as the eagerly anticipated 44th edition of the Ryder Cup tees off in Italy at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, while for those of you wanting to drink in every Ryder Cup drop, the coverage will begin live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Golf at 6am.

• Ryder Cup Betting Preview
• Top Overall Points Scorer Preview
• Best Ryder Cup Betting Offers

Ryder Cup Day 1 Foursomes Matches

The four Foursomes matches will get under way in 15-minute bursts, starting from 6.35am (BST).

The matches are as follows:

6.35am - Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton vs Scottie Scheffler & Sam Burns

6.50am - Viktor Hovland & Ludvig Aberg vs Max Homa & Brian Harman

7.05am - Shane Lowry & Sepp Straka vs Rickie Fowler & Collin Morikawa

7.20am - Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood vs Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay

11:25 am - Viktor Hovland & Tyrell Hatton vs Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth

11:40 am -  Jon Rahm & Rasmus Hojgaard vs Scottie Scheffler & Brooks Koepka

11:55 am - Robbi MacIntyre & JustinRose vs Max Homa & Wyndam Clark

12:10 pm - Rory McIlroy & Matt Fitzpatrick vs Collin Morikawa & Xander Schauffele

USA breezed to a record-smashing 19-9 victory two years ago at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, however, a much more competitive clash is predicted two years later in Europe as the hosts seek to extend their unbeaten home record to 30 years.

This is reflected in the outright winner betting markets located above this section.

Both teams will be eyeing up a fast-start on Day 1, with each side handed odds of 6/5 to take a lead into Saturday.

With that said, I do like the price of 5/1 with both Betfred and William Hill for Friday's play to end in a draw.

The history books show that Europe have collected a total of 88 points on Day 1 (40 in Foursomes and 48 in Fourballs) while the USA have accumulated 80 points (46 in Foursomes and 36 in Fourballs), highlighting how close proceedings can be on the opening day's play, with nerves definitely a factor.

A draw is given further impetus following the match announcement, with four tightly contested duels on the cards in the morning.

While I'm siding with a draw for Day 1, one pair I'm backing to win their Foursomes contest is Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood who take on Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, in what promises to be an enthralling encounter.

For one, Fleetwood boasts four wins from six matches when combining the Fourball and Foursomes, including two wins from two in the latter.

He'll be teaming up alongside the Ryder Cup veteran McIlroy who has five wins from 11 in the Foursomes format, while Europe as a whole have remarkably won 12 and lost just two of the last 16 Foursomes clashes on home turf.

Admittedly, Mcilroy and Fleetwood face a tough test against opponents who have a cracking record together from the 2021 Ryder Cup as well as the Presidents Cup.

However, it's a completely different ball game over on European soil. Fuelled on by an energetic and passionate home crowd, I'll be backing the European duo at 11/10 to get the job done against a pair that have never experienced an away Ryder Cup atmosphere and may take a little time to warm up to the hostile environment, and by then it could be too late.