2025 Ryder Cup

The U.S. is dominating golf again, as it always did until the rise of great European players in the 1980s and '90s such as Ballesteros, Faldo, Langer, Lyle and Woosnam. Except for the Ryder Cup that is. The Euros broke through in 1985 with a win on U.S. soil and have mostly dominated ever since. In recent years though the "home" team has been winning, with winning on the road not achieved since the Europeans accomplished it in 2012. And trying to win on the road is what the Europeans are facing this week as the event will be held on Bethpage Black outside of NYC.

If you like golf but find it boring on television, watch Friday, Saturday and Sunday and you'll see a supercharged atmosphere of fans yelling themselves hoarse and players celebrating good shots and individual and team wins. The Ryder Cup has become a whole different beast from the usual golf tournament and is one of the great sports events in the world. When the U.S. Open was held at Bethpage Black in 2002 the fans were loud as hell, so it should be deafening this weekend (with lots of taunting and heckling of the Euros).

The teams:

U.S.
- Keegan Bradley, Captain (he's actually played well enough this year that he could have named himself to the team but chose not to)
- Scottie Scheffler (number one in the world by a large margin; currently on a several year run that is as good as Tiger Woods was at his peak but with about one percent of the acclaim Woods received)
- Xander Schauffele
- Bryson DeChambeau (I'm glad the LIV players weren't excluded)
- Justin Thomas
- Patrick Cantlay
- Sam Burns
- Russell Henley
- Collin Morikawa
- Cameron Young
- J. J. Spaun
- Harris English
- Ben Griffin
- Co-Captains: Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Gary Woodland

Europeans
- Luke Donald, Captain (returns after leading the Europeans to victory two years ago)
- Rory McIlroy
- Jon Rahm
- Viktor Hovland
- Justin Rose
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Ludvig Aberg
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Shane Lowry
- Robert MacIntyre
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Sepp Straka
- Rasmus Hosgaard
- Co-Captains: Jose Maria Olazabal, Thomas Bjorn, Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari, Alex Noren

Both teams are very impressive. I'll be rooting for the Americans but it won't surprise me in the least if the Europeans continue their ability to rise to the occasion for this great event. They have superb comaraderie while being able to motivate themselves as being the "underdogs" even though since 1985 the Europeans are 12-6-1 in the Ryder Cup.

Luke Donald has fired the first volley in the mind games of the Ryder Cup. He has basically said the Europeans played for other things besides money, such as loyalty and pride.

I agree with Luke. Pro golfers now make more money than they can spend. For one week every other year they should be playing for pride of country and as a way of returning something to the sport that has made them so wealthy.

Just landed back in NY from a work trip. The guy who sat next to me was a friendly fella and told me that he was coming just for the Ryder Cup. He said a couple others on the flight were too (he asked, as they were dressed like golf fans). This on a flight from Florida, so I guess it’s a big deal that people are willing to travel for. Guy also told me that tickets were selling for close to a thousand bucks now. Crazy.

Bethpage Black is a public course that anyone can play, which is cool. It’s also known as one of the most challenging. Lots of doglegs and huge bunkers in extremely tough spots. Should be fun.

The Ryder Cup is off to an ominous start for the Americans as the first three matches were routs for the Europeans.

Rahm and Hatton beat DeChambeau and Thomas 4&3. Bryson and Justin were supposed to get the U.S. off to a rousing start while getting the fans fully engaged. Oops.

World number one Scheffler and Henley were thumped by Aberg and Fitzpatrick 5&3. McIlroy and Fleetwood handled Morikawa and English with ease, 5&4.

U.S. hopes to salvage something from the morning matches now rest with Schauffele and Cantlay, who lead MacIntyre and Hovland 1 up through 14.

Europe crushed the U.S. in the first day's matches in Italy two years ago 6.5 points to 1.5, including sweeping all four Friday morning matches. The Americans played them even after that but it was far too big of a hole to dig out from. So far it's looking like a re-run with the proviso that there's still a long way to go. An American bounce back is needed in the four afternoon matches if they're to be competitive.

The Americans were more competitive in the afternoon matches but still lost 2.5 points to 1.5 points and trail 5.5 to 2.5 after the first day.

The Europeans' two main alpha dogs, Rahm and McIlroy, both played very well, especially Rahm. Fleetwood was great too, he's picked up the mantle of Montgomery, Poulter and other Europeans who have been close to unbeatable in the Ryder Cup.

Scottie Scheffler played poorly in both his morning and afternoon matches, losing both handily, and DeChambeau also lost both of his matches though he played better than Scheffler. Just as in Rome two years ago, Patrick Cantlay was in beast mode and pretty much single-handedly kept the U.S. from being slaughtered by winning both of his matches.

The Europeans have a huge lead, but not an insurmountable one, but given the strength of the European team and how clutch they've been once again it looks bleak for Team America. Eight points will be decided tomorrow and then the final twelve on Sunday when it's all singles matches.

8.5 to 3.5 Europe leading heading into the Saturday afternoon foursomes. The U.S. has to win three of the four afternoon matches and preferably all four or else it's all over but the crying. Unless there's a huge turnaround, and it's hard to see it the way the Europeans are playing, this could end up being the most lopsided Ryder Cup ever, especially so because it's being played in America.

Don Wassall said:

8.5 to 3.5 Europe leading heading into the Saturday afternoon foursomes. The U.S. has to win three of the four afternoon matches and preferably all four or else it's all over but the crying. Unless there's a huge turnaround, and it's hard to see it the way the Europeans are playing, this could end up being the most lopsided Ryder Cup ever, especially so because it's being played in America.

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11.5 to 4.5 now! I was able to see some of the matches today and that was a hard watch. USA not playing terrible, but Europe is just on another level right now. Every time the US would make a good shot or sink a long put, the Europeans had an answer. Hopefully, the US can mount some sort of comeback and make it respectable on Sunday.

Yes, it's definitely the Europeans playing brilliantly more than the Americans playing badly, though Scottie Scheffler's 0-4 record is a big reason why the U.S. is so far behind. Making the final score respectable is the best they can play for tomorrow and even that's a big ask. After this huge embarrassment, the Americans are going to have to commit to this event the way the Europeans have or they're going to continue to keep losing most of them.

Excellent golf by the all-White European team. Snippet here from Athlon sports…

The narrative is already being written. Social media is ablaze with hot takes about the United States’ “collapse” at Bethpage Black. Local news outlets are cherry-picking heated moments instead of showcasing the extraordinary golf being played. But as someone who has spent nearly three decades in the golf industry, 17 years as a PGA member and coach, and 45 years playing this beautiful, maddening game, I need to set the record straight: The U.S. team doesn’t suck. They’re simply witnessing — and falling victim to — what may be the most remarkable European Ryder Cup performance since the format changed in 1979. Scratch that — possibly the greatest performance in the event’s entire history.

USA winning 5 singles, losing 2, and the rest are tied. Nice comeback in the last hour.

Edit: Rory makes a long pit so Us winning only 3 now.

Cam Young and Justin Thomas just won their respective matches on the 18th, the Americans not eliminated yet. . .

Don Wassall said:

Cam Young and Justin Thomas just won their respective matches on the 18th, the Americans not eliminated yet. . .

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I wouldn't be surprised if you do it. We don't look like winning one more match! Struggling massively I don't know if the atmosphere and the pressure has got to us.

It was too much of a deficit to overcome but the Americans gave it a helluva try!

I didn't watch the entire Ryder Cup, not because the Americans were losing, but because of the behavior of the American fans. I was embarrassed because they were being the Ugly Americans that most of the world thinks that we are. Let's see what happens when we play the Ryder Cup in Europe.

The 2025 Ryder Cup's final round on NBC and Peacock averaged 3.22 million viewers, which was the lowest viewership for a U.S.-hosted event in decades, attributed to Europe's large lead and a disappointing performance from the U.S. team. The coverage peaked at 5.3 million viewers, and the event saw record viewership in the UK, with Sky Sports attracting 5 million viewers for the tournament overall.

Key U.S. Viewership Details

• Average Viewership (Final Round): 3.22 million on NBC and Peacock.
  
  
• Peak Viewership: 5.3 million viewers during the final round.
  
  
• Context: This represented the lowest U.S.-hosted viewership in the 21st century, partly due to Europe establishing an overwhelming 11.5-4.5 lead going into the final day's singles matches, according to Golf Digest.
  

Key UK Viewership Details

• Record for Sky Sports:
  The tournament set a new viewership record for the broadcaster, with 5 million viewers tuning in for the entire three-day event.
• Audience Composition:
  More than 40% of the audience was aged 35 and under, according to SportsPro.
• Overall Viewership:
  Sky Sports accumulated 8.8 million viewers across the weekend, the most in the company's history, notes SportsPro.