Collin Morikawa, Max Homa Hope to Power Team USA to Ryder Cup Victory

The defending champion Americans have not beaten the Europeans on their home turf since 1993.

UPDATED

Cal’s golf program will be well-represented in Rome this weekend, as Collin Morikawa and Max Homa try to help the U.S. team topple Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country.

Team USA is the defending champion, having posted a decisive 19-9 victory two years ago at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Morikawa, 26, was part of that victory, going 3-0-1 in his fourth matches against the Europeans. Homa, 32, who has won twice on the tour each of the past two seasons, will be making his Ryder Cup debut.

Max Homa tees off during a practice round at the Ryder Cup / Photo by Adam Cairns, USA Today

Thursday update: Here are the pairings for the first-round foursome matches.

10:35 p.m. PT Thurs.: Scottie Scheffler/Sam Burns (US) vs. Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
10:50 p.m.: Max Homa/Brian Harman (US) vs. Ludvig Aberg/Viktor Hovland (EUR)
11:05 p.m.: Rickie Fowler/Collin Morikawa (US) vs. Sepp Straka/Shane Lowry (EUR)
11:20 p.m.: Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay (US) vs. Tommy Fleetwood/Rory McIlroy (EUR)

Team USA is hoping to end a 30-year drought at the event played on European soil. The last time the Americans won outside their home country was 1993 at The Belfry in England.

Team USA is about a -110 favorite (meaning gamblers must bet $110 to win $100). But Europe has won four of the past six meetings and seven of the past 10 and feature a top-heavy roster boasting the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovand.

The Americans’ edge may be its depth, with six of the 10 top-ranked players in the world. Two of Europe’s players are ranked at No. 80 or above and a third is at No. 55.

Homa is No. 7 in the current world rankings while Morikawa, without a victory the past two years, has slipped to No. 19 but has the international experience.

Play begins early Friday morning with matches beginning at 7:35 a.m. local time (10:35 p.m. PT on Thursday). The format includes foursomes matches in the mornings on Friday and Saturday, four-ball matches in the afternoons both days.

Sunday’s singles play gets started at 11:35 a.m. local time (2:35 a.m. PT) and the tournament should conclude by approximately 5 p.m. local time (8 a.m. PT).

*** Here’s how to watch the Ryder Cup on TV:

* Day 1 -- Friday, Sept. 29

Session 1 (foursomes): 10:35 p.m. PT Thursday
Session 2 (fourball): 3:25 a.m.

Live TV coverage: 10:30 a.m. PT Thursday to 9 a.m. PT on USA Network
Live stream online: 10:30 a.m. PT Thursday to 9 a.m. on fubo (Try for free) and RyderCup.com

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* Day 2 -- Saturday, Sept. 30

Session 1 (foursomes): 10:35 p.m. PT Friday
Session 2 (fourball): 3:25 a.m. PT

Live TV coverage: 10:30 p.m. PT Friday to midnight. on USA Network & Midnight PT to 9 a.m. on NBC
Live stream online: 10:30 p.m. Thursday to 9 a.m. on fubo (Try for free) and RyderCup.com

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* Day 3 -- Sunday, Oct. 1

Singles: 2:35 a.m. PT

Live TV coverage: 2:30 a.m. PT to 10 a.m. on NBC
Live stream online: 2:30 a.m. PT to 10 a.m. on fubo (Try for free) and RyderCup.com

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Collin Morikawa talks to reporters at the Ryder Cup / Photo by Adam Cairns, USA Today

*** Here’s how experts from ESPN.com and CBS Sports rank the 24 players competing in Rome:

MARK SCHLABACH, ESPN.com rankings:

(World rankings in parenthesis)

1. Vitkor Hovland (4), Europe (Norway)

2. Rory McIlroy (2), Europe (Northern Ireland)

3. Scottie Scheffler (1), U.S.

4. Jon Rahm (3), Europe (Spain)

5. Patrick Cantlay (5), U.S.

6. Xander Schauffele (6), U.S.

7. Brooks Koepka (17), U.S.

8. Collin Morikawa (19), U.S.

9. Max Homa (7), U.S.

10. Tommy Fleetwood (13), Europe (England)

11. Ludvig Aberg (80), Europe (Sweden)

12. Jordan Spieth (12), U.S.

13. Tyrell Hatton (11), Europe (England)

14. Brian Harman (9), U.S.

15. Matt Fitzpatrick (8), Europe (England)

16. Justin Thomas (24), U.S.

17. Justin Rose (37), Europe (England)

18. Wyndham Clark (10), U.S.

19. Sam Burns (20), U.S.

20. Rickie Fowler (25), U.S.

21. Shane Lowry (34), Europe (Ireland)

22. Sepp Straka (22), Europe (Austria)

23. Robert McNamara (55), Europe (Scotland)

24. Nicolai Hojgaard (82), Europe (Denmark)

— Mark Schlabach on No. 8 Collin Morikawa: Morikawa and Dustin Johnson were unbeatable as a team at Whistling Straits. Unfortunately for the U.S., DJ won't be around this week after leaving for the LIV Golf League. Morikawa went 3-0-1 in his Ryder Cup debut. He was the first U.S. rookie to go 3-0-0 or better in foursomes and four-ball matches combined since Larry Nelson in 1979. The two-time major champion's form wasn't as good as it has been in the past this season, but he's still one of the best ball strikers in the world.

— Mark Schlabach on No. 9 Max Homa: Homa will be playing in his first Ryder Cup. He was a breakout star at the 2022 Presidents Cup with a 4-0-0 record. Homa trailed South Korea’s Tom Kim 3 down with seven holes to play in Sunday singles and rallied for a 1-up victory. He captured the 2022 Fortinet Championship and 2023 Farmers Insurance Open this past season. Homa arrived in Italy on a heater, having put together six straight top-12 finishes, including a tie for 10th at The Open. He was third in putting average (1.699) on tour and handles pressure on the greens as well as anyone.

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KYLE PORTER, CBS Sports rankings:

1. Rory McIlroy (2), Europe (Northern Ireland)

2. Viktor Hovland (4), Europe (Norway)

3. Jon Rahm (3), Europe (Spain)

4. Scottie Scheffler (1), U.S.

5. Patrick Cantlay (5), U.S.

6. Tommy Fleetwood (13), Europe (England)

7. Xander Schauffele (6), U.S.

8. Matt Fitzpatrick (8), Europe (England)

9. Brooks Koepka (17), U.S.

10. Max Homa (7), U.S.

11. Ludvig Aberg (80), Europe (Sweden)

12. Brian Harman (9), U.S.

13. Collin Morikawa (19), U.S.

14. Justin Thomas (24), U.S.

15. Shane Lowry (34), Europe (Ireland)

16. Jordan Spieth (12), U.S.

17. Tyrell Hatton (11), Europe (England)

18. Sam Burns (20), U.S.

19. Sepp Straka (22), Europe (Austria)

20. Rickie Fowler (25), U.S.

21. Wyndham Clark (10), U.S.

22. Justin Rose (37), Europe (England)

23. Nicolai Hojgaard (82), Europe (Denmark)

24. Robert McNamara (55), Europe (Scotland)

— Kyle Porter on No. 10 Max Homa: If last year's Presidents Cup -- when Homa went 4-0-0 -- was any indication, he is going to be nasty for the U.S. side. His game had slipped a bit since then, but he closed the summer with six straight top 12s, including his first such finish at a major championship.

— Kyle Porter on No. 13 Collin Morikawa: Morikawa was one of the (many) heroes at Whistling Straits, and while he has not won a tournament since then, his numbers are still strong. This golf course should be great for him -- not as great as Le Golf National would have been -- but if he's placing driver like he can, he could find fire and help the U.S. repeat.

Cover photo of Collin Morikawa, left, and Max Homa by Adam Cairns, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo