Browsing: Bethpage

Bryson DeChambeau has called on Donald Trump to “inspire†the US team to Ryder Cup glory at Bethpage Black. DeChambeau’s rallying call arrived on the eve of the president making an appearance for day one of the contest between the US and Europe.

The American’s message contrasted sharply with the approach of Europe’s Robert MacIntyre, who shrugged off any notion Trump could influence proceedings in New York.

“I hope he [Trump] will inspire us to victory,†said DeChambeau. “I think he’ll be a great force for us to get a lot of people on our side. It will be interesting and exciting to see how the crowd and everybody reacts. It’s going to be an electric environment.â€

It will also be a fraught one, with an intense security operation in place around Trump’s visit. The president is expected to appear by the 1st tee before Friday afternoon’s fourball session gets under way.

MacIntyre was characteristically blunt when asked whether Trump’s arrival could serve as a distraction to the European team. “It’s just another spectator,†said the Scotsman. “As a European, we’ve got a job to do; try and compete as hard as we can and hopefully win the Ryder Cup.â€

DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy had entered into some verbal jousting before arrival at Bethpage. The Northern Irishman refused to re-enter that territory on Thursday but admitted he would relish coming up against the Californian over the three tournament days.

“It’s so easy to play into narratives this week and to get swept up in rivalries, Ryder Cup and whatever it is,†McIlroy said. “All I want to do is go and try and put blue points on the board. I don’t care who it’s against.

“If I come up against Bryson at some point, I think that’s great. I think that’s wonderful for the championship and wonderful for us, as well, in some ways. I just want to go out there do what I can for the European team.â€

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McIlroy was effusive in his praise of the US as a country, as if to prove this golf rivalry exists in a bubble. “It’s the land of opportunity,†McIlroy said. “And I still believe it’s the best country in the world. If you come here and work hard and dedicate yourself, you can be or do whatever you want.

“There’s a wonderful sense of work ethic. I live here, my wife is American. My daughter is American. I have a lot of affinity towards this country, and I think everyone that lives here should have that same affinity because it is a wonderful place.â€

It’s the “People’s Country Club,” and that’s the challenge: tons of people want to play it. So how do you land a tee time at Bethpage Black, host of this week’s Ryder Cup, when demand is so much greater than supply?

Let us count the ways. (Hint: all of them involve advance-planning, luck or some combination of the two.)

The online option

In another lifetime, when people still relied on rotary phones and there was such a thing as busy signals, you could actually call (and call, and call) in the hopes of speaking to a staffer with a tee sheet spread before them. Not anymore. Like most everything, the booking system has moved online.

To use it, you first have to register for an account with the Bethpage State Park Reservation System, which you can do here. New York State residents get discounted rates and (slightly) earlier access to online times. But you can only enjoy those privileges if the system recognizes you as a verified in-state resident. For that, you need one of two forms of ID — a New York State driver’s license, or a New York State Non-Driver ID — which you can present online or in person at the Golf Office at Bethpage State Park.

Got it? Good.

Now, for the actual booking. If you’re a verified resident, you can make a reservation seven days in advance starting at 7 p.m. ET. Otherwise, you can book five days in advance starting at 7 p.m.

What’s it like camping out for a Bethpage Black tee time? Worth it

By:

Zephyr Melton

Unsurprisingly, the openings get snatched up quickly, sometimes suspiciously so, as bad actors using bots have been known to grab bookings as soon as they appear, depriving the general public of a fair crack at the tee sheet. To address this issue, Bethpage announced earlier this year that it would begin charging a $5 nonrefundable reservation fee while limiting the number of cancellations allowed per month. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these bot-deterring measures have helped. But online reservations still go fast, especially for a foursome. It helps to be quick on your computer, and adaptable with your plans. The fewer players in your group — yes, you can book as a single — the more likely you are to snag a time.

Online cancellations

Life happens. Plans change. Golfers cancel. If you tried — and failed — to book a tee time in advance, you can always log on the day before you hope to play in search of last-minute cancellations. No guarantees. But it often works. Be advised: you’ll likely have to click the refresh button frequently, and you’ll have to act quickly if an opening appears.

Camping out in the parking lot

It’s golf’s other tradition unlike any other: sleeping in the parking lot at Bethpage. Throughout the season, the first six foursomes of the day are set aside for walk-up play, and the line for those slots starts forming the day before, filled with golfers so eager to play the Black that they’re willing to spend the night in their cars.

The process is both crazy and beautifully simple. Parking spots are numbered. First come, first served. Arrive as early as you can and get as much shut-eye as possible. At around 4:30 a.m., a course employee will swing by and hand out numbered tickets, like the kind you’d get at a deli. Once you’ve got your ticket, proceed to the clubhouse and wait for your number to be called (here, the deli becomes more like the DMV), at which point you go to the counter to book your time. You can sleep later.

Daytime walk-ups

If sleeping in your car just isn’t your thing, you can always show up when you’d like and put your name on the waiting list. Throughout the day, one tee time per hour is set aside for walk-ups. One of those spots might become yours. If someone cancels online while you’re waiting, you might also get called to fill that open slot.

All of the above applies to normal periods of operation. But these are not ordinary times at Bethpage Black. When the course reopens after the Ryder Cup in early October, reservations will not be taken for roughly the first two weeks. Only walk-up play will be permitted. Play will also be limited to allow the course to recover from the competition and for grandstands and other infrastructure to be taken down. The schedule could fluctuate depending on the weather, course conditions and the pace of the take-down work.

1st: 397 yards, par 4

How much of this hole players will actually see or remember is open to question. Ryder Cup nerves tend to trigger blurry sensations on the 1st tee. That area has been shortened slightly through necessity; namely the installation of a huge grandstand. There is a dog leg to the right from an elevated tee. Any drive leaking right will have an approach blocked out by trees. Those who cut the corner with drivers will have only a flick for their approach, towards a green that is well protected by bunkers. The putting surface is Bethpage Black’s smallest, with a steep slope punishing any shot left short.

Hole 1

2nd: 389 yards, par 4

Another hole that starts from a raised position and another that turns, albeit this time to the left. This is also, like the 1st, a Bethpage rarity in terms of being a short par-four. The key here is hitting the fairway, meaning players are unlikely to hit drivers from the tee. There is a large bunker to the right of the green and a smaller one short and left. The raised green, which is 74ft from front to back, falls off sharply on the left side.

3rd: 210 yards, par 3

The first short hole and a tough one. This is typically rated among the most difficult par-threes in golf. Bunkers – and deep ones – protect a green that is visually tricky because of how narrow it looks from the tee. The perception at the opening shot is that the green sits side on. Any tee shot hit long will be punished by a steep slope behind the putting surface. Threes represent a good score here, regardless of the Ryder Cup format.

4th: 517 yards, par 5

One of the more picturesque holes is relatively short for a par-five and can be reached in two if players are accurate from the tee. The ideal drive is carried over bunkers that guard the left of the hole and into a fairway that tilts to the left before a second set of sand traps on the opposite side. Bunkers are prominent around a raised green, which players may not be able to see when hitting their second. The incline is around 40ft. Unlike the 3rd, players will be looking to better par at this hole, which typically rates as the easiest on the course.

The green on the 4th hole at Bethpage Black has a trio of bunkers in play for any loose iron shots. Photograph: David Davies/PA

5th: 478 yards, par 4

Tee shots that miss the fairway to the left cause significant problems. The right is protected by sand, albeit the longer hitters will be able to fly that trouble and would have a decent line in from that area. The green is quite tight – and another that is elevated – with a trio of bunkers on hand to collect any loose iron shots. Players claim this putting surface is more undulating and complex than most at this venue. It is a hole that defines Bethpage Black; a long, arduous par-four.

Hole 5

6th: 408 yards, par 4

A real element of risk and reward. Bunkers on either side of the fairway may lead players to force a driver beyond the sand and to the bottom of a sharp hill. From there, it is a short approach to a pretty flat green. Those deciding to lay back with the tee shot could face close to 200 yards with their second, into a green that has sand all around it. Decision-making and level of accuracy from the tee determine what will play out here.

7th: 524 yards, par 4

This plays as a par five for mere mortals. For the Ryder Cup, it is a seriously strong par four and one of the longest in the world. A drive is placed ideally short of the bunker that sits to the left of the fairway just as the hole turns right. From there, it can still be an approach shot of 200 yards towards a putting surface that has bunkers short left and right. The green is at least long, at close to 90ft, which gives those long iron second shots more chance of clinging on.

8th: 210 yards, par 3

This plays much shorter than the yardage suggests, due to the elevated tee. A mis-hit or short tee shot will bring huge trouble, with a pond at the front of the green. A front pin position teases players into dicing with that hazard. Multiple flag locations are possible on a putting surface that stretches close to 140ft in length.

The 8th hole brings huge trouble, with a pond at the front of the green to punish any mis-hit or short tee shots. Photograph: Gary Kellner/PGA of America/Getty Images

9th: 460 yards, par 4

The front nine ends with another par-four with a dog leg, this time to the left. Players are prevented from trying to hug the left side of what is a sloping fairway too tightly by a large bunker. The fairway, however, is wide and generally among the easiest to hit. This is one of umpteen pretty straightforward greens. Key in the minds of players is avoiding the penal bunkers that will grab anything missing short left or right of that putting surface.

10th: 502 yards, par 4

Bunkers stretch for much of both sides of this fairway. Where there is no sand, there is fescue rough, albeit not as thick and problematic as has been witnessed for individual events here. Hitting the fairway therefore becomes the key to happiness on this hole. It is one that caused great controversy at the 2002 US Open after a wind switch left players with 260 yards into a strong breeze just to reach the short grass. The green falls away sharply to catch any approach flying long and left.

11th: 435 yards, par 4

Players have to trust their swing and point of aim from a tee where they will not see the part of the fairway to go for. The best line is to the right, but anything pushed too far that way – or tugged left – will find sand. The green is widely reckoned to be the toughest on the course; it includes a false front that will embarrass anyone who overhits a putt or chip from the back of the putting surface. The 10th, 11th and 12th are three arduous par-fours in succession and offer a key stretch.

The green at the 11th hole is widely reckoned to be the toughest on the course, and includes a false front. Photograph: Gary Kellner/PGA of America/Getty Images

12th: 496 yards, par 4

A hole that provides a daunting tee shot. Bunkers guarding the left side must be carried to the tune of 270 yards to set up a straightforward approach to this hole, which turns sharply left. Any drive hit too firmly over that sand will run out of fairway. From that left bunker, it will take an excellent shot to reach and hold what is an undulating green. At the 2019 US PGA Championship, this was the second-highest scoring hole to par at Bethpage.

13th: 608 yards, par 5

After such a testing stretch, this is a relatively simple hole that offers light relief. Rory McIlroy and co will be disappointed if the green is not found in two. Key from the tee is avoiding bunkers to the left and trees on the opposite side. With second shots, sand is also the element to avoid, this time 30 yards short of the green and immediately to the front right, the latter being among the deepest on the course. The green slopes from back to front.

14th: 161 yards, par 3

The tee shot is pretty straightforward, over some foliage and a bunker that will pull in anything played short and right. Do not be deceived by this as the shortest hole on the course. The tricky part arrives on a green that slopes not only from back to front but also left to right. At points, the putting surface is 115ft deep and 120ft wide. Three-putt territory and plenty of it.

15th: 477 yards, par 4

Back to that familiar feeling of an elevated green, to the tune of 50ft, protected by bunkers so deep you feel you could get lost in them. The green is also two-tiered. Consensus is that reaching or staying on that putting surface is wellnigh impossible if the fairway is not found from the tee. The hole bends slightly to the left. Unusually for Bethpage Black, there are no bunkers in play for the opening shot. It routinely plays as the hardest hole.

Hole 15

16th: 539 yards, par 4

By this point, matches are being decided. There is a 50ft drop from the tee on to a fairway that sits slightly from right to left. Players will be able to see the green when standing over that drive. Like the 15th, sand is not an issue from the tee. At the green, though, sand is a very real danger with bunkers left and, particularly, right delivering high penalties. Not too tricky a test, but two straight shots are needed under increasing pressure.

17th: 179 yards, par 3

A hole that looks wonderful from the tee. Like the 1st, the full length for individual events cannot be replicated here because of a the erection of a grandstand. The green is more than 40 yards wide, but nowhere near as deep, leaving players with the perception they have little margin for error. Five bunkers are waiting to catch iron shots that go awry, with the only potential “good miss†long and left. The green sits slightly uphill from the tee. Its right side is significantly below the left.

The only potential ‘good miss’ is long and left on the bunker-filled 17th hole at Bethpage Black. Photograph: Michael Reaves/PGA of America/Getty Images

18th: 411 yards, par 4

How many matches will make it to this point? Those that do will encounter opportunity. On a course that offers little respite, the 18th is a pretty soft challenge. It is also a hole that has seen umpteen variations over the years. The tee shot is played downhill, with players who choose to use their driver having very little left with their second shots. Bunkers will catch a short tee shot to the right or one pulled and longer to the left. The hardest part of this hole is a deceptively sloping green. Hitting approaches to the front section, therefore leaving uphill putts, will be the popular option.

The longest wait in golf has only a few hours left. At long last, we’re nearing the Ryder Cup’s first tee shot in New York, and theGOLF.com team has been taking in these painstaking final few hours from up close.

There’s still some time before the best in the world get started at Bethpage Black on Friday morning, but we’ve learned plenty over the opening few days. With the Opening Ceremonies moved up on account of rain in the forecast, we’re doing the same with our first observations from the on-site crew.

James Colgan, news and features editor(@jamescolgan26):Alright gang, let’s start with an easy one: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned over the first three days at Bethpage?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak):It has nothing to do with the players. I am most surprised at how the ticket market has completely flipped and suddenly Wednesday and Thursday practice round tickets were very attainable. As in just $40 when they were priced north of $200 to begin with. I’m not sure what it is, but there’s something amiss with that original price, the actual value you receive as a fan on these practice round days, and what the market eventually cratered too. Someone at GOLF.com shall investigate.

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I was surprised to walk the course and see how un-rough the rough really is. I knew they’d given it a good haircut. I knew the American side considers it an advantage to limit the damage of a wayward tee shot. But I’m also used to Bethpage serving up a major-championship worthy, U.S. Open-style test. In reality, the conditions that Colgan and Co. play at Bethpage on a weekly basis are tougher than what the world’s best will tackle this week. Dart-fest incoming.

James: As our crew’s native Long Islander, I’ve been surprised to see (and hear) the pearl-clutching over the crowd. Yeah, the expectation is that things will be loud and boisterous and maybe a little over the top. But the suggestion that New Yorkers are somehow infinitely worse than any other Ryder Cup crowd strikes me as a littletropey. My culture is not a costume!

Speaking of costumes… Patrick Cantlay arrived on site with a fitting hat, and another Ryder Cup pay controversy has (thus far) been avoided. In its place, who or what do you think will become the biggest story of tournament week?

Sean:This may be a longshot, but it could become the week of Rory vs. Americans. There is already a simmering angst between McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. There’s a Who’s Best is Best thing between Europe’s leader and Scottie Scheffler, World No. 1. There’s a complicated relationship between McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay. How about between McIlroy and Keegan Bradley, who lost a singles match to Rory the last time the Euros won on American soil? Add all of that to the fact that McIlroy’s very publicly voiced some controversial opinions and has even flip-flopped on some of those and you get a character who has earned some ire in these parts. I look forward to seeing if that bubbles over in a big way…

Dylan: If we were in Europe, the home crowd would triple down on the money stuff. This is already a major talking point on site, this idea that the Americans are greedy individualists, and it’s already taken on a life of its own. I don’t think this storyline is anywhere near as sinister as the Euros would have you believe — it’s sort of silly that the players shouldn’t get paid for this mega-spectacle, and from what we’ve heard, every American seems set on donating most of their stipend money to charity — but why miss the chance to seize the moral high ground against your opponents?

Anyway, we’re very much not in Europe. So I’d expect Rory, the fans and at least one chippy American are going to result in another fun stir.

James: We know from covering this event every two years that somebody will emerge as a Ryder Cup hero over the next five days. In Rome it was Ludvig Aberg. In Whistling, Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau.

Between the five rookies — J.J. Spaun, Ben Griffin, Russell Henley, Cam Young and Rasmus Hojgaard — and the many journeymen, who’s this year’s secret weapon?

Sean: It’s bound to be Cameron Young, the native New Yawka who happens to be playing the best golf of his life. He could easily be paired with the human lightning rod that is DeChambeau and end up riding that wave to a bunch of points.

Dylan: I’ll double down on Young. He’s been on fire and he plays well in this part of the country. I also found his introduction at the opening ceremony particularly moving; I doubt a soft-spoken Tour pro like Young has ever felt the crowd’s embrace the way he did when Captain Bradley introduced him as “New York’s own.”

James:Based on what you’ve seen over the practice round days and what you know about these teams, who leaves this week with the most points earned?

Sean: Tommy Fleetwood. Playing the best golf of his life, is eminently pairable with anyone, and is likely to play alongside Rory McIlroy. That’s a recipe for 4.5 or more.

James:I think it’s got to be Bryson. He’s a “gladiator golfer,” as Xander Schauffele put it the other day, and this is the best environment he’ll have played in since his transition into a content megastar.

Dylan: I assume we’re all just passing over Scottie Scheffler because he’s the chalk pick, right?! Anyway, gimme Cam Young to go 4-0-0. He seems comfortable with himself and with his place on this team in a way that I’ve never seen him before.

James:Give me a short answer here: Which pairing from either side do you MOST want to see?

I’ll start: Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau have been playing in practice rounds together, and I think they’d be a near-perfect match. They’re different players, but they’re both high-energy, high-intensity guys, and JT has shown he can match Bryson’s showman streak.

Sean: This is by no means a sexy pick, but I like to think of myself as analytically minded, and I just think Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa could be a perfect match, pun intended. They won an important match in Rome that is understandably forgotten. Morikawa needs the good juju to inject into his game before 2026. Burns needs a rebound to repair his shaky Ryder Cup reputation, which he doesn’t even deserve! So lock those boys in for three matches together and make me feel good as a prognosticator.

Dylan: I’ll give you one on each side: For the Euros, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton make for a fun but also particularly volatile pairing; are we getting club throws? Maniacal laughs? Ham-and-egg birdies the whole way ’round? On the American side, gimme the rookie pairing of Ben Griffin and (once again) Cameron Young, who could both come truly alive in this setting. (Also, to Sean’s point — if Sam Burns is gonna make some big-time putts like he did in Montreal last year, he could be a major factor.)

James:OK — and now the all-important finisher. What’s the final score, and who wins?

Sean:Europe makes everyone very nervous by quieting the crowd on Friday and Saturday, leading 9-7 entering Sunday, but the Americans rally for a 15-13 win and Bethpage is minted as a fantastic, iconic Ryder Cup venue. Keegan Bradley then secretly tells every player on his team that he’ll be captaining them again at Adare Manor.

Dethier: Captaining them again — and playing alongside them, too. I’ve got Team USA, 15.5-12.5, but it won’t feel safe until Russell Henley’s statement singles win Sunday afternoon.

Colgan:14-14. Europe retains the Cup.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Eli Manning landed a fade within 5 feet but missed the putt, Bobby Flay cooked up a birdie, John McEnroe and José Andrés mugged for pictures with red, white and blue-clad fans and Catherine Zeta-Jones curtseyed on the tee box as the crowd serenaded her on the eve of her 56th birthday.

Those were some of the scenes Wednesday at the All-Star Celebrity Matches at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, a light-hearted, laugh-filled 11-hole event pitting U.S. and European stars from the stage, screen, sports and culinary worlds — even Hogwarts.

Teams of two per side squared off in a modified scramble format on the golf course’s opening and closing stretches. Winning a hole earned a point. A tie was worth a half-point per side.

The U.S. won, 25-19, earning early bragging rights before the pros tee it up on Friday.

Manning, the ex-New York Giants quarterback, and “Saturday Night Live†star Colin Jost led the way with 7.5 points. Manning’s former teammate, “Good Morning America†host Michael Strahan, teamed with country singer Miranda Lambert to put up 6 points, while singers Kane Brown and Noah Kahan accounted for 6.5 points for the U.S. side.

Andrés, the Spanish chef and humanitarian, and Finnish hockey great Teemu Selanne, were Europe’s only winning pair, 6-5, over TV chef Flay and tennis great McEnroe.

But the scoreboard didn’t seem to matter much to fans who lined the ropes for a glimpse of their favorite celebrities, or to the stars, who were playing to the crowd as much as they were lining up putts and sizing up tee shots.

“It’s awesome,†said Brown as he signed autographs and posed for pictures on the way to tee off on the celebrities’ second-to-last hole, the par-3 17th.

After Manning’s birdie miss on 14, a fan shouted: “Peyton would’ve made it!â€

A few groups later and still no birdies on the hole, Andrés turned to the crowd and guaranteed one would fall. Andrés left his putt short, but Flay curled his in from about 15 feet. The “Food Network†star leaped into the air and gestured like he’d just won the Masters. Fans roared.

With Strahan just off the green, a fan helpfully yelled: “All you got to do is chip it in.†Puffing on a cigar, the pro football hall of famer replied, “That’s what I’m hoping for!†His shot came close, dancing to about two feet from the cup.

When Kahan was the only player in his group to land a shot on the green, he playfully pointed to himself and the ball, as if telling the crowd, “look what I did.â€

Actors Tom Felton and Oliver Phelps from the “Harry Potter†films, playing in the same group for Europe, could’ve used some of their on-screen magic after they sent fans ducking with an errant tee shot. It hit a tree and fell harmlessly. Felton’s subsequent putt rattled around the cup but wouldn’t go in.

Brian Murphy, of East Rockaway, New York, didn’t mind the duffed shots or missed putts.

“It’s been refreshing to see people who are so high up on the social ladder just kind of play and shank a ball every now and then,†said Murphy. “It’s like, ‘Oh, my game isn’t that bad.’â€

Collin Morikawa believes the U.S. Ryder Cup team will benefit from home field advantage if attendees at Bethpage Black bring more energy while watching the tournament this weekend.

“I’ll be honest, I think it’s kind of tame so far, Tuesday and Wednesday,” Morikawa said at the 28:15 mark of Wednesday’s pre-tournament press conference. “I know tomorrow is going to be pretty bad, but I hope Friday is just absolute chaos. I’m all for it.”

Morikawa continued, “I think it feeds into who we are, and the American players, and the American team. We want it. We want to use that to our advantage. I think every sport uses their home crowd to their advantage, and just because we don’t play in a setting like this… doesn’t mean we can’t use that to our advantage. I think we really have to tap into that.”

The 49th Ryder Cup is set to start Friday in Farmingdale, New York.

This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

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Consider Collin Morikawa unimpressed, at least so far.

The American, playing in his third Ryder Cup this week at Bethpage Black, had high expectations for the notoriously boisterous New York crowds, which, in his opinion, haven’t lived up to their billing through two days of fans being allowed on site.

Luckily for Morikawa’s U.S. side, there is still time, with matches not starting until Friday.

“I’ll be honest, I think it’s kind of tame so far, Tuesday and Wednesday,†Morikawa said. “I know tomorrow is going to be pretty bad (Thursday’s weather forecast bumped the opening ceremony to Wednesday), but I hope Friday is just absolute chaos. I’m all for it. I think it feeds into who we are and the American players and the American team. We want it. … I think we really have to tap into that. I hope they come strong.

“Watching all these kids, I know they want autographs, but come Friday, I hope they go crazy.â€

When it comes to Morikawa’s teammates, he’s hoping for similar, especially from the usually emotionless Cameron Young.

“I would love to see Cam Young just throw a massive fist pump in someone’s face,†Morikawa said. “He’s a fiery competitor. I’ve known Cam for a long time. He’s been very stoic, right? We’re deep competitors. Whether you see that or not through the TV or through watching us play, he wants to whoop some butt. Yeah, I would love to see a nice little putter raise, undercut, fist-pump. … I don’t know if he’ll do it. He didn’t even smile after he won, so I’m hoping. Fingers crossed.â€

As for Young, who was raised in Scarsdale, New York, he called it the most people he’s seen on a golf course on a Tuesday ever. So, if they weren’t exactly raising the roof yet, he was confident they would be once the competition begins.

“I think they will bring a lot to it come Friday,†Young said.

Having just completed a Tuesday-morning spin through Bethpage Black’s back nine, Bryson DeChambeau wasn’t done. He strutted from the 18th green to the adjacent first tee box, plopped down his launch monitor, and started swinging away alongside teammate Justin Thomas.

The goal? To drive the first green, like he did in singles four years ago at Whistling Straits, and it took seven mighty lashes before DeChambeau was satisfied. His caddie, Greg Bodine, told ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti that he thought one caught the front edge with a 360-yard poke over the right trees. Not that it mattered either way. To the throng of observers, many of whom had been following the American superstar the entire morning, just the spectacle of it all was both wildly entertaining and energizing. Keep in mind, it was only Tuesday.

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, may be the Americans’ best player.

And Thomas, the now savvy veteran, may be their emotional leader.

But DeChambeau, the popular-yet-polarizing LIV and YouTube poster boy, is arguably the U.S. linchpin.

Xander Schauffele shared as much with Keegan Bradley, telling his captain upon arriving on Long Island, “I feel like Bryson could be the difference for us.â€

“This is his arena,†Schauffele explained. “If he views himself as a gladiator golfer, this is as good as it gets. … I’m excited to sort of see what he can do, and hopefully [he can] get a lot of points up on the board because his points might hit harder than maybe my points, for example, just because of how he might celebrate and get these fans into this tournament quickly.â€

Bethpage is colloquially known as the People’s Country Club. The municipal has previously hosted U.S. Opens, a PGA and soon a Women’s PGA, along with numerous Met section and state tournaments, while still costing just $80 for New York residents to play on weekends.

Some may fancy DeChambeau the modern-day People’s Golfer, as he’s helped supercharge his fanbase by fully embracing social media; his YouTube following alone is nearly 2.5 million strong. And when he shows up to majors these days, the electricity in DeChambeau’s galleries is as palpable, if not more, than the crowds that follow Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and other PGA Tour heavyweights. This week, in what Thomas predicts to be the “biggest golf event ever,†expect the DeChambeau effect to be amplified.

“He’s a showman out there,†Patrick Cantlay said. “I think he’s going to get the crowd fired up.â€

There are still three more days until the 45th Ryder Cup officially begins, and DeChambeau is already heating up Bethpage’s burners. As he signed autographs on Tuesday, multiple security guards and tournament staff had to hold onto the metal railings to keep them from failing over as fans jostled to score signatures and photos. For those who couldn’t get close, they later resorted to sliding their flags and Sharpies through crevices between some mesh fencing and a brick walkway; DeChambeau, without hesitation, obliged, bending down to scribble his John Hancock on a few more items as he slowly made his way to the range. It was there that he incited more roars, beating ball after ball like a lead guitarist ending a song by strumming the final chord multiple times, each harder than the last.

Not every stage, of course, has been DeChambeau’s element. When DeChambeau made his Ryder Cup debut in Paris in 2018, he was a slender, oft-misunderstood scientist with a Hogan cap – and that week, he lost points alongside Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson before also dropping his singles match to end an 0-3 performance. Three years later, DeChambeau had not only transformed his body into a beefy, long-drive type, but he’d become a lightning rod, too, after beefs with Brooks Koepka, the media and galleries at nearly every Tour stop. He and Koepka would put their differences aside in a dominant U.S. victory in Wisconsin, but by the next summer, they were both off to LIV Golf, where, mostly free from weekly scrutiny, DeChambeau began to recraft his image.

While he’s become a force in majors (seven top-8s since joining LIV, including his 2024 U.S. Open triumph) and as a moonlighting golf influencer, DeChambeau’s popularity has followed a similar trajectory. If he hasn’t changed the minds of critics who still question the genuineness of this glow up, judging by the volume of his following, both outside the ropes and online, he’s won over just about everyone else, including his Ryder Cup teammates.

With DeChambeau banned from competing in PGA Tour events, he might’ve easily been excused from a team dinner ahead of the Procore Championship two weeks ago in Napa. And yet, DeChambeau showed up – and just days after he spent two days supporting the U.S. Walker Cup team at Cypress Point. That’s not the only time that he’s charmed Bradley, who applauded not only DeChambeau’s commitment but his feat of earning one of six automatic selections despite only being allowed to play the majors.

“He’s made every effort possible and been incredible in the team room,†Bradley said.

Scheffler called DeChambeau a “good friend.†Russell Henley recalled a story from 2021, when DeChambeau, amid all that Koepka drama, took the time to encourage Henley after a tough finish at the Wyndham Championship.

“I was leading the tournament, and I choked it away,†Henley said. “Two weeks later … he walked up and he goes, ‘Hey, man, keep your head up. That happens to everybody. You’re playing some great golf,’ and just encouraged me. I’ll always remember that.â€

FARMINGDALE, NY – SEPTEMBER 23: Bryson DeChambeau of Team United States signs autographs on the 18th hole on the Black Course during the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage State Park on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Michael Reaves/PGA of America)

Michael Reaves/PGA of America/PGA

But all that’s not to completely absolve DeChambeau, who still possesses the ability to stir the pot and get under people’s skins. Case in point: McIlroy, whom DeChambeau has irked more than once since he sent McIlroy peeling rubber out of the Pinehurst parking lot last summer. After McIlroy exacted his revenge while paired with DeChambeau on Sunday at the Masters, DeChambeau told reporters that McIlroy “didn’t talk to me all day.†He then said to People magazine in July, referencing the Ryder Cup: “I’ll be chirping in [McIlroy’s] ear this time. Now, if we go up against each other, I mean, you can be sure of it.â€

The latter comments might’ve been harmless and playful, but McIlroy didn’t appear to be amused. In a recent interview with The Guardian, he said of DeChambeau, “I think the only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people. That is basically what I think of that. To get attention he will mention me or Scottie or others.â€

DeChambeau responded to McIlroy in an interview Monday with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis.

“All I’m trying to do is inspire kids on YouTube, and we’ve amassed quite a big audience on YouTube,†DeChambeau said. “I’m continuing to focus on that train of thought. … I didn’t mean anything by [my comments about McIlroy] other than I’m excited. I hope we can have some good banter back and forth, and if not, if he wants to do what he’s doing, great, no problem. Crowd is going to be on our side. We’re going to have a fun time. But ultimately, my job is to get a kid out there who is looking at me hitting a golf ball smiling.â€

Asked if he saw a rivalry between he and McIlroy, DeChambeau answered: “There’s a rivalry between every one of us golfers. Is it heightened with Rory? Sure. You can make it that way. But look, anytime we go out in the arena, we’re trying to be the best we can possibly be, and if it helps the game of golf out, too, then great, so be it.â€

After listening to DeChambeau, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee sounded off. Not only did Chamblee question DeChambeau’s YouTube metrics – “I have no doubt bots are generating a lot of those views†– but he wondered aloud if DeChambeau cared more about the Ryder Cup or his social channels.

When Bethpage Black opened, in 1936, many of the finest golf courses on Long Island had already been built. Shinnecock Hills (1891), Garden City Golf Club (1897) and National Golf Links (1911) all predated the Black by decades. By 1894, Maidstone had a rudimentary routing, with a full-blown course to come in 1924. The Creek Golf Club arrived in 1923. The Black was the fourth course in Bethpage State Park but it wasn’t the last. A fifth — the Yellow — opened in 1958.

This is a short list of long-in-the-tooth courses on Long Island. Not for nothing did the region become known as the most fertile golf ground in the United States.

In more recent times, new-course construction on Long Island has slowed from a torrent to a trickle. The unsurprising reason is rooted in Mark Twain’s golden rule of real estate investment: land is valuable because there’s only so much of it to go around. In 2006, a ribbon-cutting was held at Sebonack, a Jack Nicklaus-Tom Doak collaboration in the Shinnecock and National neighborhood. But since then, nada. No new Long Island courses.

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Just this summer, on a swath of pine barrens in East Quogue, a seaside hamlet in the town of Southhampton, play began on The Hills Golf Club. The Hills was built by the Discovery Land Company, a multinational golf and real estate development firm with properties in Hawaii, California, Mexico, the Caribbean, Portugal, Dubai and beyond. While each Discovery Land property comes in a different flavor, the defining tastes are similar. The clubs are high-end and private, with a luxury real-estate component. The amenities are swish. If you appreciate the modern-day proliferation of extravagant comfort stations — wagyu beef sliders, top-shelf tequila, those sorts of things — you can thank Discovery Land for kicking off the trend. The Hills has all of that, along with an 18-hole layout by Discovery Land’s go-to architect, Tom Fazio.

Golf courses are never created overnight. But even by slow-moving development standards, the Hills had an unusually long gestation. Plans for a course on the site had been kicked around for decades by various parties. At one point, a proposal was put forth with Phil Mickelson listed as the architect. In every iteration, the prospect of a course met with staunch local opposition. After getting involved more than a decade ago, Discovery Land lost some battles but it won the bigger fight.

On its website, the company describes The Hills, which has 110 private residences, as a “modern take on a classic Hamptons retreat” that provides “a seamless blend of luxury and tranquility.”

Tranquility. That’s something you won’t find this week at Bethpage Black.

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.

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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.

JT plays four sessions and goes 3-0-1, including a singles win over Shane Lowry. Scheffler goes 2-2-1 but loses in singles to Jon Rahm.

A goose egg for Captain America

Bryson DeChambeau is one of the five best players in the world and should be a weapon for Team USA.

DeChambeau has leaned into the team aspect of LIV Golf and has become more comfortable in his skin since making the jump to the breakaway league. Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and others have praised DeChambeau’s “all-in” approach to being a part of Team USA. When you factor in DeChambeau’s ability to feed off the crowd, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be one of captain Keegan Bradley’s best players this week.

Here’s where we zag.

DeChambeau and Cameron Young take a 1-up loss to Viktor Hovland and Aberg in Friday foursomes. Two more losses come for DeChambeau on Saturday and he falls to Tommy Fleetwood in Sunday singles.

An 0-4-0 record for the Crushers GC frontman.

Europe opens with haymaker, but U.S. responds with flurry

The last two times the Ryder Cup was contested on U.S. soil, the Americans opened with 4-0 and 3-1 wins in the opening foursomes matches. That set the U.S. up to lead 5-3 and 6-2, respectively, after Day 1.

Europe flips the script in front of a raucous Bethpage crowd on Friday morning, winning all four foursomes matches, including a dominant 6-and-5 win for Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

Despite Europe’s massive opening salvo, the U.S. goes 3.5-.5 in fourballs to trim the deficit and wins Saturday’s foursomes session 3-1 to go up 6.5-5.5. Another 3-1 win in fourballs gives the U.S. a 9.5-6.5 lead heading into Sunday.

Europe storms back to win

Entering singles with a three-point lead and the crowd behind them, the Americans appear to have all the momentum as the final day at Bethpage begins.

But the tide soon turns as Rahm beats Scheffler, Hovland defeats Young and McIlroy beats Cantlay. Thomas’ win over Lowry stems the tide, but Aberg takes down Russell Henley, Justin Rose dominates J.J. Spaun and Robert MacIntyre defeats Harris English to make it 12.5-10.5. Tyrrell Hatton beats Ben Griffin and then Fleetwood takes down DeChambeau 2 and 1 to clinch the cup for Europe.

McIlroy plays all five sessions, going 4-0-1 to lead Europe with 4.5 points.