The moment American fans have been impatiently waiting for all week at the 2025 Ryder Cup arrived early Friday morning. In low, early morning light, American star Bryson DeChambeau ignited the wild crowd with an epic drive on the 1st tee at Bethpage Black.
But he didn’t stop there, draining a mid-range birdie putt to win the hole in a dream start for the American team.
Here’s what you need to know.
DeChambeau electrifies Ryder Cup fans with 1st tee bomb
With the first match getting started at 7:10 a.m. ET and additional security measures in place for President Donald Trump’s visit, spectators started crowding the massive grandstands behind Bethpage Black’s 1st tee in total darkness.
Despite the early hour, they weren’t quiet. The fans were rocking all morning as they waited for the sun to rise, with U.S. captain Keegan Bradley making an appearance to pump up the crowd, yelling into a microphone, “Let’s f—ing go, boys!”
The first match featured DeChambeau and Justin Thomas for the U.S. team and Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton for the Europeans.
And DeChambeau and Thomas arrived in style, running out from underneath the grandstands holding an American flag flapping behind them. They were serenaded with cheers; the European players were roundly booed.
The Ryder Cup was finally about to begin.
Rahm went first, losing his drive into the right rough, which the crowd enjoyed immensely.
Then it was DeChambeau’s turn. The two-time U.S. Open champ has been riling up the American fans all week, especially during range sessions where he was clearly practicing for the 1st tee shot.
The 1st green is about 360 yards from the tee, and DeChambeau intended to get his tee shot as close as possible.
Following Rahm’s poor shot, DeChambeau stepped up to the tee and took a mighty thwack on a perfect line. As thunderous applause rained down on him, his ball came crashing down in the fairway just in front of the green, leaving teammate Thomas with an easy chip for their second.
Check it out below.
TV analyst Jim “Bones” Mackay called the atmosphere around the 1st tee when DeChambeau’s ball dropped in front of the green as “absolutely bonkers.”
Unfortunately for the U.S team, Thomas’ chip came up a little shorter than he would have hoped, leaving a 10-foot birdie putt for DeChambeau.
After Rahm missed a slightly longer birdie chance, DeChambeau stepped up and drained his own birdie to give the Americans a 1-up lead in the match, and the American fans another reason to cheer.
