THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
One of the most anticipated events on the sporting calendar, golf's biannual Ryder Cup, is always an occasion filled with drama. Highs and lows with every drive, bunker shot, and putt are met with energy from the usual raucous crowds lining the fairways and greens. This time it is held in New York, and we all know what type of sports fan that area of the USA brings.
The 45th Ryder Cup starts on Friday, September 26, and by the time the winning points are won late Sunday evening UK time, we will know if the USA team has done enough to win back the Cup from a Europe team that won convincingly in Rome last time.
It was back in 2013 that the Ryder Cup selection committee announced that the famous competition would return to New York for just the second time, the first being in 1995 at the Oak Hill Country Club. That match resulted in a 14 ½ - 13 ½ win for Europe. The USA will be hoping that isn’t repeated.
This time around it’s at Bethpage Black on Long Island, a course that has hosted the US Open and PGA Championship before, so it does have a decent pedigree. A par 70 course, although that measure of play will not be used in this format of match play, it plays to a length of 7,401 yards.
Team selection can always be counted upon to be contentious, and this time the team captains had six picks after their top six automatically qualified through chosen criteria. USA team captain Keegan Bradley had the extra pressure of choosing whether to pick himself for the team, something that he could have done given his experience playing in the Cup. – he played in 2012 and 2014, with a 4-3 record in points and is the youngest USA captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963, after being named to the position on July 8, 2024. Instead he made the sensible decision, as the role of team captain is one laden with huge responsibilities in organization and managing the media.
Such has been the dominance of world number one Scottie Scheffler that he earned his spot as an automatic qualifier in June. To have a player so in tune with his game will be a blessing for the captain, and if he carries the form he has had through this year into this weekend, then Bradley will try to use him as often as possible each day. The top six places were rounded off by the winner of the US Open this year JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau. This will be Spaun and Henley’s first Ryder Cup appearance.
Bradley then had to make the difficult next six choices. His first three picks were the same as in the order of merit: Justin Thomas, Colin Morikawa and Ben Griffin. He then opted to omit the next four in the earnings list, which included himself. Instead, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns were chosen. Both Griffin and Young will be making their debuts in the competition.
Earlier this week, the subject of being paid to play came up. Team Europe have never been paid, such is the honor of representing their team. The USA players will earn half a million dollars each, though, half of which was ring-fenced to go to charities with the rest left up to each player as to what to do with the rest. Scheffler led the way, saying the remainder would also be a charitable donation, and he was backed up by Cantlay and Schauffele. All 12 and the captain are expected to follow suit, making sure that this great tournament is played for as pure representation, not for cash.
Keegan Bradley has also got some fine wingmen. His vice captains, helping him navigate the three days, are Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner, Jim Furyk, and Gary Woodland. They will all have to figure out the best combinations on fourball and foursome play before setting out the order for Sunday's singles. They will be keenly observing how Europe's elite players are playing; the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, and Jon Rahm. Luke Donald, the Europe captain, is the first to be named consecutive Europe captain since Bernard Gallagher in 1993 and will look to repeat his great efforts of two years ago.
Europe will have to be tamed if Team USA can hit the magic target of 14 ½ points, wrestle back the Ryder Cup, and improve their already dominant win record of 27-15.
| Name | Age | Ryder Cups | Record W-L-T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | 29 | 2 | 2-2-3 |
| J J Spaun | 35 | Rookie | - |
| Xander Schauffele | 31 | 2 | 4-4-0 |
| Russell Henley | 36 | Rookie | - |
| Harris English | 36 | 1 | 1-2-0 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | 32 | 2 | 2-3-1 |
| Justin Thomas | 32 | 3 | 7-4-2 |
| Colin Morikawa | 28 | 2 | 4-3-1 |
| Ben Griffin | 29 | Rookie | - |
| Cameron Young | 28 | Rookie | - |
| Patrick Cantlay | 33 | 2 | 5-2-1 |
| Sam Burns | 29 | 1 | 1-2-0 |
