FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — While traversing the playing surfaces and ascending and descending the slopes of Bethpage Black the prior weekend, a statement from team leader Keegan Bradley during his introductory media event 15 months earlier consistently echoed in my thoughts. It pertained not to those competing within the boundaries but rather to those entrusted with positioning the 12 American competitors for optimal achievement.
“I’m going to reconsider the assistant team leaders; they’ll be significantly younger, closer to active play,” Bradley stated. “I’ll be present with the competitors. I’ll be participating in the same competitions they’ll be participating in. I’ll be playing in major championships alongside them. I’ll be competing week after week; I’ll be alongside these competitors in the changing area, practice sessions, evening meals.
“In contrast to past instances with the Ryder Cup, where they would arrive, arrange all particulars, I’ll have a year of associating with the competitors as an equal. And one aspect crucial to me is the desire to compete on the team. I believe I’m still at my peak and capable of securing a place on this team. Thus, it’s a tremendous honor that my colleagues selected me for this role, and I acknowledge lacking the experience of numerous preceding team leaders, but I possess extensive knowledge of these competitors. I’m connected to them, and I observe them regularly.”
Mirroring much of his preparatory actions leading up to the 2025 Ryder Cup, Bradley upheld his commitment regarding the U.S. team’s leadership structure. He designated Webb Simpson, Kevin Kisner, Gary Woodland, Brandt Snedeker, and Jim Furyk as his principal advisors, a decision that appeared promising in principle but unfolded disappointingly in execution, a recurring pattern for events at Bethpage Black.
United States Ryder Cup team leadership
|
Captain |
Keegan Bradley |
2 |
0 |
|
Vice captain |
Webb Simpson |
3 |
0 |
|
Vice captain |
Brandt Snedeker |
2 |
0 |
|
Vice captain |
Kevin Kisner |
0 |
0 |
|
Vice captain |
Gary Woodland |
0 |
0 |
| Vice captain | Jim Furyk | 9 | 4 |
Avoid interpreting the 15 to 13 final score as indicative of a closely contested Ryder Cup. It was a unified group committed to consistency and procedure versus another adopting a haphazard methodology. One contingent formulated hypotheses, assessed theories, and implemented established strategies, while the other lacked substantial expertise and unsuccessfully attempted a fresh approach.
“I believe the advantageous aspect involves the continuity among 11 of the 12 — and clearly Rasmus [Højgaard] also had a notable presence previously — [is the continuity],” Shane Lowry stated prior to the Ryder Cup. “… Moreover, we possess significant continuity in the support structure, including the team leaders, assistant team leaders, and background personnel. Consequently, the team assembly should be more seamless, fostering rapid unity. Conversely, transitioning from an individual sport to collective unity can be challenging. I believe the continuity from the previous event facilitates this process.”
Europe Ryder Cup team leadership
|
Captain |
Luke Donald |
4 |
3 |
|
Vice captain |
José María Olazábal |
7 |
5 |
|
Vice captain |
Thomas Bjorn |
3 |
6 |
|
Vice captain |
Edoardo Molinari |
1 |
1 |
|
Vice captain |
Francesco Molinari |
3 |
1 |
| Vice captain | Alex Noren | 1 | 0 |
The U.S. team exerted maximum effort on Sunday to narrow the Ryder Cup margin significantly. The Americans nearly accomplished the improbable, but the final-day performance only further accentuated the disastrous consequences of their endeavors during the initial four sessions.
Conceding only one match out of the 11 contested on Sunday, the U.S. demonstrated its capability to compete against and defeat the Europeans. However, it also highlighted the necessity for substantial procedural improvements from the upper echelons to consistently contend every two years. Europe has prevailed in nine of the 12 Ryder Cups contested this century.
It originates with the PGA of America hierarchy, extending to the selection process for Ryder Cup team leader. (Perhaps mandating a single interview would be an initial stride.) Alterations are imperative for the American contingent, not merely to stimulate the 2027 event — the United States consistently focuses on future prospects — but to enact enduring modifications that will fortify the program over time.
Let’s examine supplementary insights from the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Control the controllables
Ryder Cups are ultimately decided by the competitors — unequivocally — but the competitors require optimal positioning by their leaders, both on and off the golf course. Europe team leader Luke Donald disclosed specific actions undertaken to enhance the team lodging Sunday evening following the victory.
“My function is solely to afford these competitors an enhanced opportunity to prevail,” Donald stated. “It can be as straightforward as minor adjustments. For instance: The lodging quarters this past week possessed significant apertures permitting light infiltration. We procured materials to occlude the illumination. We introduced alternative shampoos exhibiting a superior fragrance.
“We substituted the bedding due to substandard mattresses, supplementing the existing linens with more luxurious options to facilitate improved rest and augmented vitality. These are merely subtle refinements. I am delving into exceedingly minute particulars.”
Occasionally, Ryder Cups hinge on team selections and sequence. Other times, it is as simple as changing the shampoo for a more pleasant fragrance.
Shampoo!
Devil is in the details
Considerable post-event discourse revolved around Bethpage Black, justifiably so, as it posed minimal challenge to either side, effectively transforming the Ryder Cup into a putting competition. The European leadership expressed pleasant surprise at the course’s condition, and Bradley conceded an error in its configuration.
“We endeavored to configure the course to favor our team. Evidently, it was not the optimal determination,” he stated. “I believe that as the leader of a team or the coach, or in any comparable capacity — we discussed this the preceding evening — you accrue accolades and must accept responsibility when circumstances are unfavorable.
“I unquestionably erred in the course configuration. I should have heeded my intuition more attentively. Regardless of the rationale, it was not the appropriate methodology for course preparation. The putting surfaces were exceptionally receptive, unprecedentedly so in the absence of precipitation. Typically, this venue attains considerable firmness, which never materialized.”
While that represented a broader concern, a seemingly insignificant decision by Bradley presented a problem: the order in which Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler initiated play in the Friday foursomes session. Given the inherent advantages for longer drivers and more proficient iron players on odd-numbered holes, Bradley dispatched Henley first, consigning Scheffler to holes where the driver’s utility was somewhat diminished and the iron play was less consequential.
In rudimentary analysis, Bradley resolved to position Bryson DeChambeau and Henley on identical holes. Ultimately, the U.S. rectified the situation in the Saturday foursomes matches, but in a Ryder Cup decided by a solitary match and minor adjustments, subsequent correction is unacceptable when the initial strategy should have been evident to an individual of his knowledge and experience.
“Upon concluding the Friday session, [the caddies] Teddy and Andy, while I sought post-round treatment, were deliberating the possibility of switching our order,” Scheffler stated. “The more they examined the scenario, the more they favored that adjustment, which I believe proved beneficial. The primary impetus was the substantial alteration in the course conditions.
“Russell consistently strikes the fairway, and we felt that additional length off the tee was advantageous, whereas I am less consistent in fairway acquisition. The rough this past week was less punitive than anticipated. Consequently, upon encountering these conditions in competition, it becomes an integral element of team golf dynamics.”
Stars need to be stars
Monday morning, a colleague and I were contemplating the increased dedication exhibited by European Ryder Cup competitors toward the collective process. And while it is facile to indict modern-day competitors and their fixation on individual achievements, such as major championships, it may be more prudent to acknowledge the contributions of predecessors.
Ryder Cups have cemented the careers of European golfers. The reverence and esteem expressed by current competitors when referencing those luminaries are unparalleled. They readily recount the moments from Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter, and that historical context is significant in golf and particularly in this contest.
That emphasis is less prevalent among the American contingent. They have experienced triumphant Ryder Cups, exemplified by the 1999 event at Brookline, but that is primarily the source of recurring highlight reels. Tiger Woods secured victory in only one Ryder Cup. Phil Mickelson fared marginally better, attaining success three times in 12 attempts.
The prominent competitors have not consistently performed optimally for the U.S. in this event, and this week, scrutiny focused on Scheffler. The world’s top-ranked player lost his initial four matches before registering a victory over Rory McIlroy on Sunday. No competitor had ever commenced with an 0-4-0 record in the modern Ryder Cup, and never had the top-ranked player in the world performed so ineffectively through four sessions.
To inspire future generations and cultivate a novel ethos, a team’s premier competitors must execute pivotal plays during critical moments. This has occurred consistently for the Europeans … but not for the Americans.
“To have the trust of my team leaders and teammates to participate in all four matches and incur four losses is exceedingly painful and difficult to articulate,” Scheffler stated. “I will reflect on this experience. However, the overwhelming support from my teammates last night was profoundly impactful.
“The competitors on this team constitute an exceptional collective. We have an extraordinary team leader, and I was privileged to compete alongside these individuals. I believe it demonstrated much about our team and the contributions of each member in positioning us for success. I cannot adequately convey the enjoyment derived from observing Bryson executing those putts after overcoming a 5-hole deficit, witnessing [Justin Thomas] sinking the putt on the 17th hole, and hearing the cheers for Cam[eron Young] while traversing the 16th. I relied heavily on these individuals this past week, and they represent a truly exceptional assembly.”
Tip of the cap to Team Rose
At 45 years of age, Justin Rose continues to defy conventional wisdom, and the reasons are now apparent. While positioned behind the par-3 14th on the summit of the hill on Saturday, an amiable Englishwoman seated herself nearby. Following a brief conversation regarding the golf course, the spectators, and her experiences across the Atlantic Ocean, she disclosed her relationship to the European contingent.
Her son, Justin, was competing for the team.
She spoke positively about her son’s diligent work ethic and ability to maximize his capabilities despite his relative “seniority.” She embodied the epitome of a proud mother, but her individual character resonated with me. Despite coping with ailing knees, she had traversed the most significant incline on the property to witness her son compete.
Mummy Rose exhibited unwavering resolve and resilience. She epitomized fortitude. She would not permit any impediment to obstruct her objectives. Does that description sound reminiscent of anyone else?
Shortly thereafter, on the large video display, Justin executed a precise approach shot in his four-ball match with Tommy Fleetwood against Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau.
She glanced in my direction and chuckled, “He is exhibiting his skills for mummy.”
Path to Ryder Cup greatness
Fleetwood and Jon Rahm arrived in Paris seven years prior as Ryder Cup novices; they departed Long Island as legends, destined for European Ryder Cup distinction. Fleetwood’s record improved to 11-4-2, whereas Rahm now boasts a 9-5-3 mark. Both have achieved 4-0-0 records in foursomes during the past two Ryder Cups — Fleetwood partnering with McIlroy and Rahm dominating the U.S. with his principal collaborator, Tyrrell Hatton.
During their concurrent participation on the team, Rahm and Fleetwood’s unit has recorded a 3-1 mark.
Among European competitors with at least 10 Ryder Cup appearances, Fleetwood’s .706 win rate is the highest historically. Rahm trails closely behind at .620.
A mere four years removed from the proclamation of anticipated sustained dominance by the United States — predicated on the formidable competitors presented by the Americans in 2019 and the anticipated attrition on the European roster following the departure of Garcia, Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Paul Casey — the blue and gold contingent has identified its new stalwarts. Adding the greatest European golfer in history, McIlroy, further clarifies Europe’s possession of a formidable trio committed to safeguarding the cup at all costs.
Data Golf
New York state of mind
The U.S. team exhibited promising aspects, yet none provided greater optimism for the Americans than the competitor hailing from the challenging streets of the Bronx. After establishing the course record as an amateur and concluding the PGA Tour season with a remarkable summer performance, Young emphatically announced his return to Bethpage Black.
After observing the initial session, he participated in the concluding four matches, compiling an impressive 3-1-0 record, including a crucial opening-match full point for the U.S. in Sunday singles, during which he narrowly fended off Rose with a birdie on the par-4 18th.
“Several factors,” Young stated with uncharacteristic emotion adjacent to the 18th putting surface. “This is arguably the most significant event that we have. There is no larger platform, particularly in my home state, on a golf course that I cherish. I was striving to represent the 11 other competitors on this team, and Keegan, along with all the assistant team leaders, has invested an immense amount of effort in this endeavor. Numerous individuals have significantly contributed to organizing this week, and I endeavored to perform to the best of my ability for their benefit.
“Evidently, Ryder Cups provide me with additional motivation. I benefited from the assistance of J.T. and Bryson over the preceding days in eliciting greater emotional intensity, but the memory of that specific moment will endure.”
The conventional inquiry will now focus on Young: Will he leverage his Ryder Cup experience to attain increased success on the PGA Tour? It is prudent to refrain from definitive conclusions given the proximity to the event … but perhaps we should not wager against that possibility?
Feel vs. real
The scenario where a golfer attempts to fabricate a sensation — exemplified by Jordan Spieth’s exaggerated practice swings or the pronounced over-the-top rehearsals performed by Noren or Rose prior to addressing the golf ball — mirrors the divergence between the two teams: manufactured versus genuine.
The U.S. team attempted to contrive every facet of this Ryder Cup. From enlisting a master of ceremonies who subsequently relinquished her role amid controversy to having the President of the United States accompany DeChambeau to the first tee on Friday afternoon, none of it ever resonated as authentic.
The PGA of America amplified the boisterous nature of the spectators during the build-up only to witness the New York faithful transgressing established decorum on multiple occasions, thereby transforming the Ryder Cup into something beyond a contest between 12 European competitors and 12 American competitors.
Amidst all the circumstances, Europe maintained unity and prioritized its core principles: They depended on their camaraderie and their bond, summarized by Rose succinctly on Sunday evening.
“The response to your inquiry is uncertain, but revolves around the emblem and the collective, honestly,” Rose stated. “That is the essence, the emblem and the collective.”
