Ryder Cup 2021 Leaderboard: Predicting Scores for Dustin Johnson and Top Stars

The 2021 Ryder Cup is starting with some heavyweight battles between some of the best golfers in the world. 

The opening match of the event on Friday morning pits Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia up against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. 

Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger and Brooks Koepka and Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele form the other three American pairings for foursome play on Friday morning. 

Europe will counter with Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland, Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. 

The rest of the weekend pairings will be determined by the day. Friday afternoon's fourball teams will be announced toward the end of the foursome, or alternate shot, matches in the morning. 

Predictions

Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa Pairing Finds Success

Dustin Johnson helped the United States get off to a fast start three years ago, as he and Rickie Fowler picked up a win over Justin Rose and Jon Rahm.

Friday's opener differs a bit from that situation because the Americans chose to start off in the foursome format in which the golfers alternate shots. The fourball format takes the lowest score from the two golfers on one team at each hole. 

Johnson's partnership with Collin Morikawa has the potential to be the most successful American team this year. 

Morikawa finished on top of the Ryder Cup standings and inside the top 20 at each of the season's four majors. He had a top-10 finish in every major except for the Masters. 

Johnson and Morikawa are also two of the most level-headed players on the PGA Tour, so they will not show much emotion no matter which direction the match goes in.

That is a plus for United States captain Steve Stricker as he tries to earn an early point from one of the first two matches. 

Casey and Hovland could be viewed as the weakest of the four European pairings. Hovland is a Ryder Cup rookie and Casey holds a 4-3-5 career record at the Ryder Cup.

Casey has not won his opening match in each of his last three Ryder Cup appearances. He and Tyrrell Hatton fell to the American superstar team of Spieth and Thomas three years ago. 

If Johnson and Morikawa turn in a strong 18 holes, they should pick up a point and contribute to a potential American advantage out of the first session. 

Prediction: Johnson & Morikawa def. Casey & Hovland, 3-and-2. 

Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter Produce Biggest Win Of Morning Session

Europe captain Padraig Harrington turned to one of his superstar pairings to close out the first session.

Ian Poulter has tortured American Ryder Cup squads throughout the years. He owns a 14-6-2 record in six previous appearances. 

Rory McIlroy has an equally impressive 11-9-4 mark through five Ryder Cup appearances. 

McIlroy and Poulter are going up against a pair of in-form Ryder Cup rookies in Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. 

Cantlay and Schauffele turned in fantastic seasons, but it may be tough for them to find their footing at this stage against one of Europe's powerhouse duos. 

McIlroy and Poulter went 1-1 in their foursomes matches as a duo in 2018. The pairing also halved a fourball contest in 2014. Poulter did not play in the 2016 event. 

Harrington made the smart decision by putting two of his most experienced players at the back end of Friday morning's lineup to ensure that a point will be there for the taking.

Cantlay and Schauffele are capable of producing a surprise, but they will be viewed as heavy underdogs against two of the four European players who have played in five or more Ryder Cups.

Prediction: McIlroy & Poulter def. Cantlay & Schauffele, 5-and-4.