Summary
FARMINGDALE, NY (AP) — U.S. captain Keegan Bradley is making sure fans get what they paid for at the Ryder Cup. It’s been 12 years since Bethpage Black was announced as the host city, and two years since Europe’s victory in Rome, and anticipation has been building, even on a rain-soaked course Thursday.
Bradley announced that Bryson DeChambeau will start in the opening foursomes session alongside an excited Justin Thomas. They will face Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm, the fiery Spaniard who has never lost in this format. “They’re a formidable force,” DeChambeau commented. “But we want to send a message.”
After the four pairings were revealed, DeChambeau headed to the driving range and began hitting drives to simulate the 389-yard opening hole, which slopes slightly and curves sharply to the right over trees, achievable for those who can fly their drive about 365 yards in the air. “That’s nothing, right?” DeChambeau said.
In his last Ryder Cup, at Whistling Straits in 2021, he drove his ball onto the green on the first hole and walked 364 yards to the green with his putter in hand.
Key details
In other related stories, world number one Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley face Europe's Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick; McIlroy and Fleetwood will face Collin Morikawa and Harris English; and Hovland and Robert MacIntyre will play Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. It all starts Friday morning for spectators who paid £14,750 for a ticket.
The high expectation is further heightened by President Donald Trump's planned visit in the morning. Trump and DeChambeau play golf together, and Trump named the two-time US Open champion to his fitness council earlier this year. At stake for the Americans is recapturing the 17-inch golden trophy from Europe, which has won 10 of the last 14 times and appears to have the formula to triumph in this team game.
Donald has been reminding his team what they're capable of achieving away from home. The practice uniforms each day were the colors worn by European teams that won on American soil; for the final day of practice, they wore the colors from the Saturday of the "Miracle at Medinah," which Europe won in 2012. The last five Ryder Cups haven't been particularly close, with home teams winning by five points or more. The Americans hold the record with a 10-point victory over Europe in 2021.
Statements and context
“Any team that can break that streak will honestly go down as one of the best teams in Ryder Cup history,” McIlroy said. Beyond the uncertainty of how DeChambeau will perform and the excitement surrounding the crowd, there’s the question of whether Bethpage Black will live up to its reputation for having the loudest and most passionate fans at a championship of this magnitude.
“We wanted to send a passionate group to lead these fans who have been waiting… to see this tournament,” Bradley said. “Bryson relishes these opportunities. He wants them. He’s one of those players you want to have on the last shot. And Justin is the heart of our team. They’ll come out and be a very tough team to beat.”
Donald has been a part of the Ryder Cup since 2004 and appreciates how each day brings a little more anxiety to the start of three days of nonstop competition with passionate, flag-waving fans. “The anticipation of any Ryder Cup is pretty intense. You feel like every day it gets a little more intense, from Tuesday, Wednesday, and all the way through today, a little more spicy, with more things happening,” Donald commented. “And tomorrow will be a different level. It’s pure energy. It’s pure passion. But I think my guys are ready for it.”
