Ever since Rory McIlroy sat on the celebratory dais after the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome and promised a European victory in 2025 at Bethpage Black, the anticipation for the next chapter of the biennial event has lorded over the sport.
After 23 months that included an unexpected captain selection, playing-captain discourse and a few barbs, the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black finally arrives this week on Long Island.
As the chatter around player pay, Bryson DeChambeau’s fit as a teammate and potential pairings start to wind down, all we’re left with is a brilliant hype video put together by Europe and our own thoughts about what three September days at Bethpage Black can deliver.
First, the hype video.
This weekend at “The People’s Country Club” promises to deliver high drama, confrontation and, if Europe gets its way, the first road Ryder Cup win in 13 years. As is the case with every Ryder Cup, it will also likely include the unexpected. What that means is anyone’s guess. Here’s mine.
JT leads the Americans
Scottie Scheffler is the unquestioned best player in the world and just won the Procore Championship, which he played just to stay sharp for this event. Add in the fact that Scheffler and Brooks Koepka suffered a humiliating 9-and-7 defeat at the hands of Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland in Rome, and it would be fair to assume that the World No. 1 plans to put pelts on the wall this week in New York.
“I don’t know if motivation is really the right word,” Scheffler said Tuesday about what happened in Rome. “I think you can learn from your wins and your losses, and I’ve had some nice wins out here, and I’ve had some tough losses as well.
“I don’t think it can be understated how difficult of a week Rome was for us. I think we could have done better for sure. That wasn’t how I expected the week to go. I think we learned from it, and we’re as prepared as ever this time.”
I expect Scheffler to play well this week, or at least better than his 0-2-2 showing in Rome. But while Scheffler will be expected to carry Team USA, the team’s heart, Justin Thomas, will lead the way.
Thomas is 7-4-2 in his Ryder Cup career and is undefeated in Sunday singles. After finding himself in the wilderness during the 2023 season, Thomas has played like a top-10 player for the last year. He ranked sixth on the PGA Tour in Adjusted Total Strokes Gained (1.55), per Data Golf, and snapped his winless drought in April at the RBC Heritage. Thomas’ play dipped this summer, but he lives for the team events, and I expect him to be at his best at Bethpage.
