Presidents Cup 2017: Predicting Scores and Standings for Thursday's Pairings

Captains Steve Stricker and Nick Price have chosen the pairings for the 2017 edition of the Presidents Cup, beginning on Thursday, September 28, at the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Among the most enticing parings for Thursday is the partnership between Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. They will take on Si Woo Kim and Emiliano Grillo of International.

Meanwhile, Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas—with Thomas playing in his first Presidents Cup—will meet Charl Schwartzel and Hideki Matsuyama.

Here are the full pairings and foursome matches for Thursday, per Golf Channel:

Here are the predicted scores:

• Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas 3-and-2 Hideki Matsuyama and Charl Schwartzel
• Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar 3-and-2 Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas
• Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed 4-and-3 Si Woo Kim and Emiliano Grillo
• Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger 3-and-4 Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace
• Kevin Kisner and Phil Mickelson 2-and-1 Jason Day and Marc Leishman 

It should be an excellent first day for the United States. Stricker's pairings look very strong in several matches. In particular, Spieth and Reed will have too much for Grillo and Kim.

Spieth and Reed have worked well together in the past, according to Joel Beall of GolfDigest.com. There is also extra motivation for Spieth to perform after his impressive win at the 2017 Open.

The 24-year-old Texan is in fine form headed into this event, but the same is true of Kim. He became the youngest winner of the Players Championship this year, according to BBC Sport's Iain Carter.

Kim is a rising talent, but he and Grillo, one of Price's picks, will come up short on the opening day.

The same will be true for Schwartzel and Matsuyama. South African Schwartzel, 33, is a capable old pro, but Thomas is matching Spieth as one of the dominant young players currently headlining the sport, per Carter.

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Matsuyama is lacking in confidence and form after missing out to Thomas at this year's PGA Championship, per Tom Rosaforte of GolfDigest.com:

"It was more the after-effects of taking a one-shot lead going into the back nine on Sunday at Quail Hollow and finishing T-5, three strokes back of Justin Thomas. In his quest to become the first Japanese man to win a major championship, Matsuyama was in tears signing his scorecard and broke down in front of the Japanese media contingent that follows his every step."

Then there's Fowler, who always seems primed to win a major but often comes up short. Still, the California native can beat anybody and boss any course on his day.

He's also likely to sync well with Thomas, with the duo already showing a rapport in Jersey City, per the PGA Tour official Twitter account.

Fowler and Thomas will help the U.S. open up an early lead at this year's tournament.

Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar will also help by winning their match against Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas. Johnson hasn't been the same since missing out on the Masters after a fall just before events in Augusta back in April.

Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Even so, he has the driving power and nuance on the greens few players can match. Being partnered with a steady sort like Kuchar will help the 33-year-old get back on track.

Team International's best chances of earning wins on the first day come from the matches featuring Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Day. The former is partnered with Branden Grace against Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger.

Oosthuizen and Grace "went 4-0-0 as a team two years ago," per Rob Bolton of the PGA Tour official website. Bolton also noted how Koepka's "filthy second half of 2017 illustrates monster stats."

Koepka may be in form, but he and Berger are making their Preisdents Cup debuts. The familiarity between Oosthuizen and Grace will prove decisive in this one.

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Day has extra motivation for his match partnered with Marc Leishman against Kevin Kisner and Phil Mickelson. Day believes his poor play cost his team two years ago in South Korea, according to Will Gray of GolfChannel.com.

Now the Australian is determined to make amends: "It would be nice to be able to get more than the points that I got back in 2015. I’m just trying to do the best job I can to prep for this week."

Day's motivation may help get a win on the board for International, but it won't stop the U.S. from finishing the first day in firm control and looking a good bet to win the cup for the seventh time in a row.