Browsing: Ryder

As soon as the Ryder Cup concludes, the takes on what went wrong — or right — for the U.S. team start rolling in. And in the wake of the Americans’ crushing loss to Europe at Bethpage Black, 12-time U.S. Ryder Cup player (and all-time U.S. Ryder Cup points leader) Phil Mickelson waded into the online debate.

On Tuesday, Normal Sport’s Kyle Porter posted an open question on X: “If the question being posed is, “Man, Europe’s excellence seems to emanate from a trust that is built by establishing relational equity and world class communication at every turn. Who can we get to build our version of that?” I don’t think “Tiger Woods” is the answer,” he wrote.

Mickelson then posted a lengthy reply.

Here is why looking outside of golf to a coach K or Lou holtz is worth exploring. Golf is an individual sport that doesn’t have team work, support system, partnership, team analytics, personality traits, and more. The Europeans have a template that teaches and prepares their…

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) September 30, 2025

“Here is why looking outside of golf to a coach K or Lou holtz is worth exploring,” he wrote. “Golf is an individual sport that doesn’t have team work, support system, partnership, team analytics, personality traits, and more. The Europeans have a template that teaches and prepares their captains for these skills. U.S. has a new template every 2 years with little continuity. If a coach K or Lou Holtz or someone similar took over, would it be built upon or would it be scrapped and start over again afterwards? If that’s the case, it would be a waste of time and effort and not worth doing to begin with.”

Coach K — or Mike Krzyzewski — famously coached men’s basketball at Duke for 42 seasons, winning five NCAA national championships and accumulating the most wins of any coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history. Coach K also led the U.S. Men’s National basketball team to three Olympic gold medals and three world championships during his tenure. His leadership skills have made him one of the most revered coaches in history. Holtz gained a reputation for turning around ailing football programs and coached a number of college teams to bowl games. He famously won a national championship with Notre Dame in 1988. After he retired from coaching, Holtz worked as a college football analyst for both CBS and ESPN where his humor and relatability made him a popular figure.

When one user on X pointed out that Holtz will be 90 years old when the next Ryder Cup is played in Ireland in 2027, Mickelson replied “Lou Holtz type coach” with a face-slap emoji.

It’s clear that Mickelson believes something is lacking with U.S. Ryder Cup leadership. In 2014, Mickelson publicly criticized U.S. captain Tom Watson during the team’s post-loss press conference at Gleneagles in Scotland. Mickelson was once thought to be an obvious choice for the role of captain, but his move to LIV has rendered that unlikely until there is a partnership in place. When one user replied to Mickelson’s post that he is the answer the U.S. needs, Mickelson replied, “Flattered, but I am not.”

The next U.S. Ryder Cup captain has not yet been announced. The 2027 Ryder Cup will be played on September 13-19 at Adare Manor in Ireland.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,†debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

Ryder Cup defeats are hard to stomach. The event has gotten so big and means so much that a loss often leads to a two-year fact-finding mission to right wrongs and ensure the ship is sailing in the right direction.

For the Americans, think the task force after the 2014 debacle at Gleneagles, or tabbing Keegan Bradley to be captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup after he was left off the losing American team in 2023. For the Europeans, a historic loss in 2021 at Whistling Straits was supposed to be the start of a dominant run by a United States team that appeared to be set for the foreseeable future. Instead, the Europeans responded with a resounding victory in 2023 that wasn’t as close as the 16.5-11.5 tally indicated and, on Sunday, a historic 15-13 road win at Bethpage Black. Europe has won 11 of the last 15 Ryder Cups and four times on American soil since the last time the U.S. won in Europe.

This latest defeat will undoubtedly send the Americans searching for answers. There are a number of reasons why the U.S. flopped at Bethpage. They set up the course incorrectly, which Bradley took ownership of on Sunday after the defeat. Where Europe set up courses in Paris and Rome to accentuate the strengths of its roster and put the U.S. at a disadvantage, the Americans neutered a famously difficult Bethpage Black track.

The Americans also failed the data test at Bethpage. While Europe sent out the mathematically optimal foursomes pairings and papered over their weak links in four-ball with their stars, the Americans trotted out the least optimal foursomes pairing of Collin Morikawa and Harris English twice; Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood steamrolled them both days. On Friday, the U.S. had Russell Henley tee off on the odd holes and Scottie Scheffler on the evens, despite the data pointing to the opposite being optimal. It took Scheffler and Henley’s caddies suggesting the change for it to become the plan for Saturday.

The communication and attention to detail from everyone involved with Team Europe also clearly play a massive role in getting the most out of everyone on the team. Captain Luke Donald, his vice captains, the DP World Tour and the support staff leave no stone unturned — including the quality of the players’ hotel bedding — in preparing Europe for the Ryder Cup, which allows the best players in the world to play freely with total buy-in and belief in the process.

All of this is part of Europe’s Ryder Cup success. And yet, one quote from Sunday’s Bethpage celebration might tell a more succinct story.

After going 2-1-0 at Bethpage while finishing third in strokes gained: total and second in putting for the week, Justin Rose was asked how he explains his dominant performance on the greens in Rome in 2023 and this week in New York. Rose, who is 45, offered something that underscores the connection the European team has built between each other and across the generations.

“I wish I knew. I wish I could be a bit more selfish and know that 25 weeks of the year,” Rose said. “But do you know what I mean? I feel like the power of this, the power of the group, who knows what it is, that ability to lock in, the ability to just want it that little bit more.

“The answer to your question is I don’t know, other than the badge and the boys, honestly. That’s all that matters, honestly, the badge and the boys.”

The badge and the boys.

After the win, McIlroy noted that the entire European operation started focusing on how they would win at Bethpage the day after their victory in Rome. That’s around 700 days spent concocting a plan for three days — a plan for the course, a plan for the prep, a plan for motivation and inspiration and a plan for recovery. Europe had a plan for everything.

Part of the plan focused on the European teams that have won on the road before. Each practice day’s scripting was a call back to one of those victories, culminating with the purple the Europeans wore in 2012 in their victory at Medinah. The European social team released a video touting the 37 players who have won an away Ryder Cup. Even Sunday’s uniforms had historical significance as the four stripes symbolized the four teams that had won on American soil.

A deep desire to become the fifth team to do so flowed through every member of Team Europe.

He was robbed of a Ryder Cup moment he may never have again

By:

Alan Bastable

The Europeans brought back 11 of the 12 players from that team in Rome, all of whom spent two years pushing to make the team and make history at Bethpage. For the Europeans, beating the Americans seems to hold an importance that isn’t equally matched on the other side because of the blue-and-gold’s focus on its past and the desire of its current players to write the next chapter.

On Sunday, as the Champagne was preparing to flow, Donald once again hit on the importance of history and becoming a part of something bigger than yourself.

“That’s a big part of my captaincy is to create an environment where these guys are having the best weeks of their lives, honestly,” Donald said. “We’ll always remember this. We’ll always go down in history. We talk about all the people that came before us that paved the way for us. Now, future generations will talk about this team tonight and what they did and how they were able to overcome one of the toughest environments in all of sport.”

The U.S. will continue to look for ways to “emulate” what Europe does that makes it successful. Perhaps they can find a captain like Donald who presses all the right buttons. But with five words, Rose might have shown why it will be hard for the U.S. to do so. Why the U.S. will be better served charting its own course instead of trying to copy a formula for which they lack the ingredients. Everything for Europe is about the collective and the history of “the badge.” From Seve to Nick Faldo to Sergio Garcia and McIlroy, Europe’s bond with each other and their past is something that can’t be recreated or mimicked. It’s a galvanizing force that can’t be quantified.

One that just delivered a historic win — for the badge and the boys.

• Mark Schlabach

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  Mark Schlabach

  ESPN Senior Writer

  • Senior college football writer
  • Author of seven books on college football
  • Graduate of the University of Georgia

• Paolo Uggetti

Sep 30, 2025, 03:20 PM ET

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — After yet another U.S. loss to the Europeans in the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black this past week, it’s time to examine what went wrong and what needs to happen next.

The Americans’ spirited rally in Sunday singles covered up the warts of a 15-13 loss, their 11th defeat in the past 15 matches.

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With much of the European team expected to return at the next Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027, including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and others, the Americans will undoubtedly face another uphill climb — this time on foreign soil.

Luke Donald, who became only the second European captain to win back-to-back Ryder Cups, didn’t say whether he plans to be back a third straight time.

“I think he turned this European Team into a really unstoppable force, especially the first two days, and you know, in my eyes, I think he’s the best European Ryder Cup captain ever,” U.S. team captain Keegan Bradley said. “I was really excited to go up against him, but I knew it was going to be tough to beat him. He put his team in the best position to win, and to do that at these two places is a remarkable feat.”

Who could be the next captain?

Mark Schlabach: I don’t know it’s as much a question about who is going to be the next captain, as what the PGA of America and the rest of American professional golf are going to do to support him. Clearly, Bradley made mistakes as a rookie Ryder Cup captain; he admitted as much in his post-loss news conference, especially when it came to setting up Bethpage Black.

Donald had a much better organization behind him, from statistics guru and vice captain Edoardo Molinari to past captains Thomas Bjørn and Paul McGinley, who remain very much committed to making sure the Europeans continue to dominate.

Tiger Woods is the favorite to captain the U.S. team at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027, which will be the 100th anniversary of the Ryder Cup. Woods is friends with Adare Manor owner J.P. McManus. It remains to be seen whether the 15-time major champion wants the job, but if he does even the GOAT should be required to make a two-year commitment to the position.

The U.S. team doesn’t need a repeat of what happened the last time, when the PGA of America waited for months for Woods to make up his mind. When Woods decided he was too busy, the Americans chose Bradley, who hadn’t even been a Ryder Cup vice captain and, incredibly, wasn’t aware he was under consideration until 2023 captain Zach Johnson called and offered him the position.

If Woods opts out, Brandt Snedeker (U.S. captain in the 2026 Presidents Cup), Webb Simpson and Justin Leonard might be in line next. Fred Couples, a five-time Ryder Cupper, has never been captain. He’s popular among golfers like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and others and cares very much about the event.

Hopefully, the Americans have enough pride to take a long, hard look at what has gone wrong for much of the past three decades. It might be time for another Ryder Cup Task Force because the Europeans aren’t only beating them on raucous weekends every two years — they’re crushing them 365 days a year.

Paolo Uggetti: There was a moment during the U.S. news conference on Sunday when Bradley was asked if there was a time during the week where he thought Donald had “out-captained” him. Bradley had just started his answer when Thomas piped in from the other side of the dais.

“We needed to make more putts. That’s what Keegan needed,” Thomas said sarcastically, coming to Bradley’s defense. “He needed us to make more putts. That’s what he needed to do.”

As the team answered questions and looked outside the player interview area to the Europeans, who were celebrating, there was a clear sense that this loss stung. It’s why I wonder if, with one captaincy under his belt, there is some benefit in letting Bradley try again. For as much as some of his decisions were questionable (he said the course setup strategy he opted for was wrong), I do think the players both respected and felt connected to him because they saw him as a peer. The fact that Thomas and others throughout the presser were quick to his defense gave us a glimpse into that.

“I had extreme confidence in what this team could do, and that’s due to our captain,” Scottie Scheffler said. “I think they did an amazing job. Keegan did an amazing job.”

Even though this entire team is far from guaranteed to make the roster again (aside from stalwarts like Scheffler or Xander Schauffele), I think they would be galvanized by trying to avenge this loss with a road victory of their own, especially with Bradley back at the helm.

Practically, it may not be the best option. The sour taste of losing a home Ryder Cup may be too much for the PGA of America leadership to stomach. Bradley, currently 39 and the 14th-ranked player in the world, is far from done with his own playing career and is likely to try to qualify to play in this event at Adare Manor. Maybe this was his one shot as a captain, but if there’s something this European team has highlighted is that continuity is increasingly important in this event. Perhaps the Americans could use some of that too.

What can the U.S. learn from Europe?

Uggetti: Everything and nothing. Clearly what the Europeans do to create a sense of purpose, camaraderie and unity is effective, but it is also inimitable. Put aside Donald, who is clearly one of the most effective captains they have ever had, and put aside the continuity they have right now. They also just have a way to draw inspiration from the players who came before them while also channeling a desire to win for each other in a way that this group of Americans don’t or haven’t quite figured out how to yet.

From a tangible sense, there’s a lot to take in terms of how Donald & Co. focus on so many details that add up over time and even over the course of the week and how meticulous their overall plan is. But from an intangible sense, the Americans have to find their own source of inspiration beyond the simple desire to win.

What does Scheffler need to do to turn around his Ryder Cup play?

Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler lost to Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood in Saturday four-balls. Michael Reaves/PGA of America via Getty Images

Uggetti: Keep playing them.

The four-time major winner said in Napa that he learned from the loss in 2023 in that he felt like he needed to prepare better this time around, which meant not allowing a long break between competitions. Yet I wonder if this loss and the way that it happened (with Scheffler going 0-4 in team matches) will spur Scheffler to prepare in a different way in the lead-up to Adare Manor.

I think there’s certainly something to be said for players like Scheffler and Woods dominating individual competition while struggling in team events. Foursomes (alternate-shot), fourballs (best ball) and match play almost require a different kind of muscle to be flexed. And while Scheffler was still one of the best players on the U.S. team when you look at his statistics, it’s a reminder that this event often goes beyond the numbers and requires something more than distance control.

“I think it’s hard to put into words how much it hurts to lose all four matches,” Scheffler said Sunday after beating Rory McIlroy in singles to score his first point of the week. “To have the trust of my captains and teammates to go out there and play all four matches and lose all four, it’s really hard to put into words how much that stings and hurts.”

Scheffler called this week one of the “lowest moments” of his career. That in itself is a reminder: This is only his third Ryder Cup and he is not yet 30.

Schlabach: In the past three Ryder Cups, Scheffler’s partners in foursomes and fourball matches have been Bryson DeChambeau, Sam Burns, Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley and J.J. Spaun. None of them has worked.

Scheffler is 0-4-0 in foursomes and 1-2-2 in fourball matches. Not good.

Woods (13-21-3) and Mickelson (18-22-7) weren’t great in the Ryder Cup, either. But it’s too early to say Scheffler won’t figure it out because he’s the best golfer in the world and cares too much.

It’s difficult to predict who the best American golfers might be in two years, but the Americans might want to take a long look at copying the Europeans’ strategy. McIlroy played with Fleetwood. Rahm partnered with Tyrrell Hatton. The Europeans sent out arguably their four best golfers together, nearly guaranteeing themselves two points in the sessions in which they did.

What can we expect from the next two Ryder Cup venues?

Uggetti:Adare Manor looks to be about as American of a setup as you can find in Ireland. This is not a links course — it’s a parkland-style resort course with water hazards and rough. The Americans won’t have the advantage of getting to set up the course (an advantage they squandered at Bethpage) and all you have to do is look at how Rome went to know that the Europeans will extract every edge they can from the golf course as they try to go for a vaunted three-peat. Two years is a long time, but it’s very hard to envision a scenario where the United States are favored in any way going into 2027.

Schlabach: Regardless of who captains the U.S. team in two years, I don’t like the Americans’ chances at Adare Manor. The Americans haven’t won on European soil since a 15-13 victory at The Belfry in England in 1993, losing the past seven matches away from home.

The U.S. team probably has a much better chance to get it done at the 2029 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. That’s where the Americans ended a three-match losing streak to the Europeans with a 17-11 victory in 2016.

Ironically, that win came after the PGA of America formed a Ryder Cup Task Force to examine what was going wrong in a stretch where the Europeans had won in eight of 10 matches. Woods was a member of that task force, along with Davis Love III, Raymond Floyd, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and others. Like I said earlier, I think it’s time to go back to the well.

Hopefully, golf fans at Hazeltine will treat the visitors with some “Minnesota nice.” What happened at Bethpage Black simply can’t happen again. Turning the Ryder Cup into a drunken fraternity party was an embarrassment. I get that there’s supposed to be a home-course advantage at the Ryder Cup, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the WM Phoenix Open on steroids. And don’t argue that the PGA of America can’t control rowdy fans because Augusta National Golf Club does it every year. Try screaming obscenities at a golfer during the Masters and see what happens.

Which U.S. players cemented their spot as part of the future?

Cameron Young was one of the standouts for the U.S., going 3-1-0. Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Schlabach: I don’t think the U.S. needs to panic and blow up its roster, but there are only a handful of golfers who seem guaranteed to have a place on the 2027 team, as long as they’re healthy and playing well.

Scheffler, Schauffele, Thomas and DeChambeau are the core of the team. If Collin Morikawa finds his form again, and Patrick Cantlay continues to play well, it would be difficult for the U.S. captain to ignore their Ryder Cup experience. Cameron Young went 3-1-0 at Bethpage Black and was arguably the team MVP, so it seems he’ll be around for a while.

After that, it’s going to be wide open, based on who wins the majors and signature events the next two seasons. Can Spieth become one of the world’s best again after coming back from wrist surgery? Will J.J. Spaun and Ben Griffin keep winning on tour? Can young golfers like Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia, Maverick McNealy, Luke Clanton and others take the next step in their careers?

Max Homa was the best American golfer in a 16.5-11.5 loss in Italy in 2023, but he lost his swing and confidence. Former U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark also fell off. Former Open Championship winner Brian Harman is a match-play stalwart and might be a better fit for Adare Manor.

What ‘young blood’ could be in line for a spot in 2027?

Jackson Koivun finished T-4 at the Procore Championship as an amateur. Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

Uggetti: I think everything is on the table as far as the roster goes. The only people I see as absolute locks to make the 2027 team are Scheffler, Schauffele, Young and DeChambeau. That leaves eight spots up for grabs which should make a handful of young up-and-coming players intriguing options.

The two names that come to mind right away are Jackson Koivun and Clanton. Koivun is the top amateur in the world and even though he has yet to turn pro, he already has his PGA Tour card locked up and has three top-10 finishes on Tour in just seven starts, with all three of them coming in his past three events. Clanton turned pro this year and has four top-10 finishes going back to last season. This year, he did not have a standout finish, but he has shown enough flashes of potential that he could also be an intriguing option.

Whether each of them makes it or not, Young’s success at Bethpage this past week is a reminder that experience should not always be the lead factor in either a captain’s pick or a player’s role on a given team.

US spectators’ behaviour at the Ryder Cup (US fan ugliness at the Ryder Cup was merely a reflection of Trump’s all-caps America, 28 September) reminded me how shrewd George Orwell was when, in 1945, he said serious sport was “war minus the shootingâ€. Sadly, how topical too. Perhaps women’s increasingly popular sport will do better.
John Bailey
St Albans

One of the great pleasures of the use of subtitles is spotting the mondegreens (Most of gen Z watch TV with the subtitles on – and I understand why, 27 September). Among my favourites over the years: “night vision giggles†for “gogglesâ€, “sliced alone†for “Sly Stalloneâ€, “we found two deadly oceans†for “two dead Laotians†and “raw shock test†for “Rorschach testâ€.
Ruth Eversley
Paulton, Somerset

I can’t agree strongly enough with Chris Ramshaw’s letter about mumbled dialogue (29 September). And sometimes the speech is too fast for the subtitles to be read before the next barrage.
Alyson Elliman
Carshalton Beeches, London

Another hack for bread and butter pudding (Letters, 26 September) is hot cross buns, buttered and cut into strips. The sultanas and raisins in the buns also save a trip to the shop.
Ann Smith
Churchdown, Gloucestershire

I can’t see what all the fuss is about on digital ID (Letters, 29 September). Look how well the government did with the NHS test and trace system.
Pete Bibby
Sheffield

My bike bell gives a friendly single-note “pingâ€, which causes pedestrians or horse riders ahead of me to stop and check their phones (Letters, 29 September).
Ross Speirs
Watlington, Oxfordshire

Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Pleaseemail us your letter and it will be considered for publication in ourletters section.

Despite the European team’s early dominance and the Americans’ mighty Sunday charge, the 2025 Ryder Cup will be remembered most for unruly fans at Bethpage Black.

The situation devolved so much on Saturday that many figures in the American game have been apologetic toward the European team.

Former U.S. captain Tom Watson is the latest to join the fray, declaring he is “ashamed” by the American fans’ behavior in a social media post on Tuesday.

Ryder Cup fans ‘cross the line’ on Saturday at Bethpage

Given the chaos that unfolded on Saturday at the Ryder Cup, it’s easy to forget that early in the week, players, media and observers found the Bethpage Black fans to be “tame.”

But it wouldn’t last. Some combination of the Americans’ struggles on the course over the first two days, plus perhaps a desire to live up to predictions about fan behavior this week, caused a minority of spectators to lose the plot over the weekend.

At Ryder Cup marred by ugliness, U.S. showed class in defeat

By:

Michael Bamberger

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were frequent targets, and the two European stars fed into the chaos by responding to the crowd with obscene gestures and expletives of their own.

U.S. players Justin Thomas, Cameron Young and Scottie Scheffler were among those trying to quiet the crowds on Saturday. They later apologized to their opponents for the fans’ bad behavior.

American captain Keegan Bradley admitted that some fans crossed the line of what is acceptable.

After the matches, Lowry revealed that McIlroy’s wife had experienced “astonishing” abuse during the event.

Which brings us to Watson.

Watson blasts U.S. Ryder Cup fans, apologizes to Europe

Watson is a two-time U.S. Ryder Cup captain. While his American team won the first time around in 1993, his 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy lives in infamy. The U.S. team got pummeled by the Europeans, losing a third-straight Ryder Cup by a score of 16.5-11.5

In the aftermath, some players criticized Watson, and the PGA of America overhauled the U.S. Ryder Cup system.

‘I don’t agree with it’: Tom Watson takes issue with 2 Ryder Cup rule changes

By:

Kevin Cunningham

On Tuesday, Watson took to X.com to first congratulate the victorious European team,” I’d like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory. Your team play the first few days was sensational.”

But he quickly moved on to criticizing the fan behavior.

“More importantly,” Watson wrote, “I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage.”

Then he went further, declaring that he was “ashamed” of what transpired over the weekend.

“As a former player, Captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened,” Watson wrote.

I’d like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory. Your team play the first few days was sensational.

More importantly, I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage.

As a former player, Captain and as an American, I…

— Tom Watson (@TomWatsonPGA) September 29, 2025

While some fans were certainly out of control at Bethpage Black, and indeed may have marred the event forever, it doesn’t offer a complete picture of the American side.

The U.S. players largely acted with class and respect all week long, both amid the chaos on the course and following their loss. European stars McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood admitted as much to GOLF’s Michael Bamberger during their celebration Sunday night, which you can read all about here.

DROWNING MY AMERICAN SORROW WITH A BAGEL LOADED WITH BACON, EGG AND CHEESE, N.Y. — Watching him stand atop a bar in midtown Manhattan was some sight.

Romain Langasque sang on Saturday night at the Westbury, too. The song’s catchy, too. Sampling from the 1997 song “Freed from Desire” from Gala (you can listen here), it goes like this:

Europe’s on fire
USA is terrified
Europe’s on fire
Woot
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na

Langasque also started a Thunderclap, the move where your left hand meets your right one above your head, you bark, and the ensuing claps are faster than the previous ones. (If you’ve watched Minnesota Vikings football games, you’ve seen it.) He appeared to feel as if he’d just played a round and birdied every hole. The cause? That afternoon, as it was that morning and the day before, the European Ryder Cup was on fire, as the song said. At Bethpage Black, the Euros won the foursomes and fall-ball sessions on Friday, then did it again on Saturday and led 11.5-4.5 going into the final day. Langasque saw some of it at Bethpage. And now he was reveling.

But wait.

Isn’t Langasque … a DP World Tour pro?

He is.

Sunday night, after Team Europe won the Ryder Cup for the ninth time in the past dozen playings and the Monday morning golf started, I thought about the scene, which Langasque shared on Instagram. What went right for the Europeans? What went wrong for the Americans? Just look at the French pro atop the bar. He cared cared — and he didn’t hit a shot, though he’ll no doubt want to be part of Team Europe when the event is played again, in two years at Adare Manor in Ireland. Across the pond, there’s Ryder Cup fervor, from the dozen who make the team — through the dozens more who don’t. No, that’s not at all to say the U S of A doesn’t believe in the Cup. You saw the heart all over Bethpage on Sunday afternoon.

But maybe Europe believes just a little bit more.

There’s buy-in. From everyone.

As we look back at the Ryder Cup week that was, let’s make that observation No. 1 then. We’ll try for 35 more, and, as the dateline in the first paragraph reports, I’m being fueled by a good ole New Yawk breakfast.

At Ryder Cup marred by ugliness, U.S. showed class in defeat

By:

Michael Bamberger

2. Let’s dive further into the Team Europe ‘process.’ And again, let’s go to Instagram.

On the Team USA account, there were 23 posts on Sunday.

On the Team Europe account?

One hundred and two.

Granted, the Europeans won, so there’s understandably going to be more. But if you’re going to capture the phone generation, meet them where they are. The European side appears to have done good work there.

3. Let’s dig even deeper. Into shampoo.

At his press conference after the win, Europe captain Luke Donald was asked what the attention to detail is like for his team, and he shared this:

“My job is literally to give these guys a better chance to win. It can be as simple as some very small things.

“I’ll give you an example. At the hotel rooms this week, the doors to our hotel rooms had a big crack that let in light. We brought things that covered the light. We put different shampoos that had a better smell. We had …

Said Rory McIlroy, laughing: “Le Labo if anyone is wondering. Really, really nice.”

Continued Donald: “We changed the bedding because the beds weren’t very good, and they just had sheets, and we created much nicer beds so guys could sleep. They could have more energy. Those are just little things. I’m going into some really small details.

Said Jon Rahm: “They had snacks for everyone.”

Continued Donald: “It’s just taking the time and having the care that you want to do everything you can to kind of give these guys the best opportunity. You want to create an environment where they can succeed. These are 12 amazing players, we know that. You’re just trying to, again, put them in a position where they feel comfortable.”

After 3 days of Ryder Cup hell, Rory McIlroy’s emotions poured out

By:

Alan Bastable

4. Is Donald going to be captain again? By this point, you’d think the job is his for as long as he wants it.

5. What about on the American side?

On Sunday, GOLF’s Michael Bamberger wrote that Keegan Bradley would be asked to do it again. Though there were mistakes made, which we’ll get to in a sec, I like the idea. But does he want to do it? It would create needed continuity at the position. He’d have the chance to continue to build his structure. His passion is unquestioned.

But this quote, said on NBC on Sunday on the 18th green, was interesting to me.

“I’ve got a real weird relationship with this tournament,” Bradley said. “A lot of heartbreak. But I still love it, and I love the guys. I love being out here again. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to do this again.

“I’ll remember this the rest of my life.”

6. There are, of course, Bradley questions.

Should Bethpage have been more Bethpage-ier, with tighter fairways, longer rough and firmer greens? Bradley thought so. He called it a mistake. That said, this thought almost sounds as if the Europeans had played only pitch-and-putts coming into the event and had never seen a difficult course before.

What about that Collin Morikawa-Harris English foursomes pairing — on both Friday and Saturday? Only Bradley and his team know their data. But the numbers from Data Golf, a well-respected site, were ugly — they’d ranked Morikawa-English 132nd out of 132 possible pairings. Playing them Friday was forgivable. But then they were hammered. And Bradley rolled them out again.

What about the Bradley decision on Bradley? Should he have played? Yes — but only if he weren’t the captain, too. Go back above and read some of the things that Donald oversaw. Do you think he could have played and continued to do all that? If you’re going to blame someone for the Bradley decision, blame the PGA of America, which is Team USA’s governing body. They put Bradley in the spot.

7. Then there are the institutional questions. You can ask the biggest one this way:

How can you get American golfers to buy-in to the degree of Langasque, our hero from the opening few paragraphs of this article?

In jarring U.S. Ryder Cup defeat, an unlikely hero emerged

By:

Dylan Dethier

Does the U.S. captaincy become a person’s one job? Does the U.S. Ryder Cup team actually work like a team to a degree? Do 25 or so players meet semi-regularly?

If they do, hope that they play alternate shot.

8. That all being said, Sunday was fun. The Americans nearly pulled off one of the greatest comebacks you’ll ever see.

And the reason a rally was required was that the Europeans played well the previous two days. The U.S. can also look into its hotel shampoo bottles, but this won’t stop 40-footers from rolling in for Europe.

9. Let’s talk about the crowd.

Saturday felt disgusting to me. We all knew what very likely could come, and then it did. So what should have been done? That’s a tough one. Everyone insatiably wants to go viral; everyone wants to trump everyone else with a line.

So do it like the Masters does.

Ban cellphones.

Does that stop someone from shouting at McIlroy? No, of course not. Does it stop someone from recording that? Yes. Does it stop the snowball effect, where someone wants to try something ‘bigger?’ Good chance.

10. Let’s make a pact, right here, right now. When you’re a fan:

Leave families alone.

Don’t get abusive.

Let the players play.

Deal?

11. I thought this was good from McIlroy:

Ryder Cup grades: Report card for players, captains, fans, venue

By:

Josh Sens

“You know, we will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here this week is not acceptable, and for me, it’s — you know, come and support your home team. Come and support your team.

“I think if I was an American, I would be annoyed that people — I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie [Scheffler] today, but I heard a lot of shouts against me. It’s like, support your players. That’s the thing.”

12. Don’t forget that Patrick Cantlay heard some things two years ago in Rome, though.

13.I also thought it was strange how far back the build-out was from the first tee. If you’re going to create intimidation, shouldn’t the stands be right on top of players? Though maybe the road team is not the only one feeling the nerves.

14. Let’s run through some players. Cam Young is that dude. A dog. The moment didn’t lock him up. It unlocked him.

15. Cantlay’s like that.

16. Justin Thomas has that buy-in. Can he help spread it?

17. Bryson DeChambeau’s Sunday charge was cinematic. I imagine he’ll review how he channeled good play such as he did.

18. What’s wrong with Scheffler? Four years ago, the event helped transform him into a world-beater. I think the sample size is still a little small. But his struggles are alarming.

19. J.J. Spaun might just win another major.

20. I feel bad for Harris English.

I don’t mind the envelope rule. I also don’t mind the idea of a ‘13th man,’ who play only in the case of singles injury.

21.The Euros could just bring everyone back again in two years. Rose’s continued good form will be an interesting watch.

22.As will the participation of LIV Golf’s Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

23. Tommy Fleetwood will win a major next year. Maybe more than one.

24. What’s more impressive? McIlroy’s Masters win with his demons against him? Or the Ryder Cup win, with 50,000 people against him?

25. I thought the post below was good.

26. McIlroy is also a bit of a troll, as the video below shows.

27. The song below has been in my head all day.

28. The putt below has been in my head all weekend.

29. To me, this was the exchange of the week. The reporter’s question is in italics. Viktor Hovland’s answer is after that.

You are generally one of the more popular players on tour. How do you prepare for fans that might be actively rooting against you this week?

“I think you’ve just got to stick to your game, and if you play well, you know, there’s going to be some comments here and there,” Hovland said.

“They won’t really come close to the thoughts that I have in my own head. So I think I’ll just laugh it off for the most part.”

30. Here are a few of my favorite reads this week from the on-site GOLF.com staff. From Michael Bamberger, this story on second-guessing was great.

31. From Alan Bastable, this story on the causes of the Americans’ poor play was great.

32. From James Colgan, this story on the U.S. Ryder Cup team was great.

33. From Dylan Dethier, this story on Ryder Cup Saturday was great.

34. From Sean Zak, this story on the Ryder Cup’s growth was great.

35. Our “Seen and Heard” franchise, shot by Darren Riehl and John Sodaro, is excellent. You can watch the Ryder Cup episode by clicking here.

36. I have a Long Island story. I shared it in my weekly Weekend 9 column, and I think I’ll share it here, too — allowing me to start and end this story with dancing in a bar.

The cascading failures of a Bethpage U.S. Ryder Cup

By:

James Colgan

After college, I had an internship on LI, and after training for it in Philly, another intern and I drove out. Our first stop? We wanted Long Island iced teas from somewhere, because Long Island, right? (We were just out of college, and this was a college-age thought, for sure.) A “restaurant and bar” sign on a place seemed promising. Maybe it was an Applebee’s or something close to it. Good enough. (This was pre-smart phones, keep in mind.) We pulled up.

And a valet came out. Hmm. Might be a club. We were still good with going. We walked up to the door.

And there was a $30 cover charge. Hmm. Yeah, it must be a club. Still no worries. I paid for the two of us. We walked in.

I went straight to the bar and ordered. As I waited, I looked to my right.

A woman was dancing on the bar. Hmm.

I looked behind me. There were other women dancing, and the men weren’t, and I’ll leave it at that. Put another away, no, we were not at a Chili’s-type place.

I looked to my left. The woman I drove with looked at me with a look that makes you want to include it in a story about Long Island. About 10 seconds later, we left.

I did drink the drink, though. Quickly.

Editor’s note: The author also wrote observations from the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. Those stories can be found here,here,here andhere.

Every great comeback story has a hinge point, and by the time Shane Lowry descended into the 18th and final fairway at Bethpage Black in the eighth match of Ryder Cup Sunday, his dalliance with fate seemed clear.

The Euro Sunday snooze at the Ryder Cup had carried on for too long to be a joke. Either Lowry was going to secure the half-point needed to retain the Ryder Cup right here and now, or the Euros were in serious danger of collapsing in historic fashion.

As he arrived in the 18th, Lowry was clinging to life against Russell Henley, whose week from hell had suddenly morphed into a moment of opportunity. Henley, 1-up on the last, could close out Lowry with a birdie to secure another a shock in a growing red tidal wive — giving the Americans full points in six of their first eight matches of the day. The problem was that Henley’s nerves were getting the best of him, and both golfers knew it. Henley, a prolific putter, had faced an eight-foot birdie putt to close out the match on the previous hole and left it well short. It was the kind of mistake that opened a window, and Lowry was suddenly feeling quite stressed about walking through it.

In the thirty minutes preceding Henley and Lowry’s stroll up 18, everything had broken the Americans’ way: First Justin Thomas and Cameron Young had made birdies on the last to grab unexpected victories and electrify the crowd, then Bryson DeChambeau clawed back from 5-down for a halve with Matt Fitzpatrick, and then Xander Schauffele and J.J. Spaun delivered convincing American wins. Now, suddenly, the attention had turned to the last few groups on the course, who suddenly seemed to be playing their singles matches with the Ryder Cup hanging in the balance.

As the golfers strolled down the fairway before a tense crowd, the beauty of Ryder Cup Sunday was suddenly in full view. The stakes were clear as daylight: Both needed a birdie. So clear, in fact, that Lowry had the good sense to deliver himself a pep talk before he reached his ball in the fairway. As he walked through the green carpet, he turned to caddie, Darren Reynolds, for a moment of levity.

“I said to him, ‘I’ve got an opportunity to do the greatest thing I’ve ever done today,’” Lowry recalled later with a twinkle in his eye.

“And I did it.”

Seconds before clinching the Ryder Cup, Shane Lowry delivered a truly epic line to his caddie, Darren Reynolds.

“I said [to Reynolds], ‘I’ve got an opportunity to do the greatest thing I’ve ever done today,’ and I did it.”

— James Colgan (@jamescolgan26) September 29, 2025

Lowry’s moment of brilliance arrived in three parts. The first: His approach from the fairway, about 120 yards out from the flagstick. As he’d done all week, Lowry seized the opportunity to pressure his opponent, hitting a brilliant pitch shot low through the air and right on the flagstick. His ball landed right next to the flag and spun back neatly to 10 feet. The crowd erupted. Henley responded with a dart of his own, and another eruption.

The second part arrived a few minutes later, when Lowry watched Henley leave his second straight birdie putt short. Suddenly the window of opportunity had grown into a door. Lowry’s eyes grew wide.

The third part arrived just a few seconds after Henley’s miss, when Lowry steadied himself, lowered his focus and struck a calm, comfortable putt straight into the center of the cup. He does not remember a lot of the emotion that came after that ball fell into the whole — a release that topped any the Irishman gave in a long, emotionally charged week of golf. He’d halved the match, and he did not need to explain himself for his emotion: He’d retained the Ryder Cup for Europe.

“To finish the Ryder Cup with a putt from ten feet — to be honest, no [I didn’t expect to be in that position],” Lowry admitted later. “Obviously I have faith in my team to go out, and I thought we were going to win the Ryder Cup early today. But it’s not that — we were going out to win our own match. That was the main goal.”

The experience coming down the stretch had been “the worst two hours of my life.” But now, on the 18th green, Lowry was overcome. His celebration carried on for several minutes, including a sweet serenade from the European faithful in the grandstand. Lowry had fought off the great American Sunday charge. He’d done the greatest thing he’d ever done.

“And I’m very proud of myself,” Lowry said.

And with that, his teammates at the Ryder Cup quieted him in thunderous applause.

This comeback story ended at the hinge point — and Shane Lowry was damn proud of it.

Harris English was 32 when he made his first Ryder Cup team; that was four years ago at Whistling Straits, where English, as the second-oldest player on the team, went 1-2-0 as a captain’s pick, and the Americans steamrolled the Europeans, 19-9. English’s second Ryder Cup appearance came last week at Bethpage Black. He soaked up every minute, because, well…who knows if he’ll be back for a third go? As English said Thursday, “Ultimately, this might be my last Ryder Cup.”

During practice rounds, English reveled in picking the brains of his fellow players, who most weeks on Tour guard their game-improvement knowledge as if they’re state secrets. (“Everybody is very open,” English said.) At the Opening Ceremony, he palled around with Bryson DeChambeau, who explained to English the finer points of social media. (“A different world that I’m not used to seeing,” English said.) English also got to reunite with Russell Henley, with whom English played junior golf and roomed at the University of Georgia — and now here they were playing on a U.S. Ryder Cup team together. (If you would have told us that when we were 14 years old,” English said, “we wouldn’t have believed it.”)

It’s dream-week stuff for these guys: the insights, the bonding and, of course, the promise of putting points on the board for your flag, especially in Sunday singles, when the contest is in the balance and players have nothing to fall back on other than their own skill, nerve and mettle. For the world’s best sticks, Ryder Cup singles matches rank right up there with the sport’s ultimate gut checks; they’re also the only format in which every player is guaranteed a match. When you earn your place on a Ryder Cup team, you’ve earned a Sunday tee time you’ll remember for the rest of your days.

ENGLISH DIDN’T NEED TO WAIT LONG last week to see how his game would hold up in the supercharged arena that was Bethpage Black. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley tapped English and Collin Morikawa to play in the event’s first session: Friday foursomes. The Americans couldn’t have loved their draw — the juggernaut Euro squad of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood — and the match played out as most predicted, with McIlroy and Fleetwood cruising to a 5-and-4 victory. Still, Bradley (and his quant geeks) had faith in the English-Morikawa duo, so much so that they trotted them back out on Saturday. Same format, same opponents (by chance), same result: this time a 3-and-2 defeat.

At day’s end, the U.S. team was in a historically deep hole, needing to win 10 of the 12 available points in Sunday singles to prevent Europe from becoming the first road team to win a Ryder Cup in 13 years. A herculean task? Most assuredly. But the U.S. did have something going for it: historically it has outplayed the Europeans in this format. If each player dug in and did his job, a comeback was improbable but not impossible.

Among the European point-earners Saturday was Viktor Hovland of Norway, who teamed with Scotland Bob MacIntyre, to deliver a 1-up foursomes win over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and English’s old college teammate, Russell Henley. Hovland would have gone out again in the afternoon if not for a nagging neck injury he’d been dealing with since the Travelers Championship in June. On Saturday morning, Hovland had received mid-match treatment from team doctors, and soon after the contest concluded, he withdrew himself from his afternoon four-ball date with Matt Fitzpatrick.

Hovland’s questionable status immediately led to speculation about whether the Ryder Cup’s fabled “envelope rule” might need to be enacted. Under that agreement, each captain submits, in concealed fashion, the name of one player from his team who, should an injury on the opposing side prevent a player from suiting up, would also be benched. It’s a cruel assignment for the captains. Put bluntly, they’re identifying the players on their teams in whom they have the least confidence in delivering a singles point. Only twice in the rule’s 46-year existence had it come into play and not since 1993.

‘Has to change’: 1 rule slammed by Keegan Bradley after Ryder Cup loss

By:

Nick Piastowski

On Saturday night, Hovland was transported to a local hospital where he had an MRI scan that later showed he had a bulging disc. On Sunday morning, he woke up unable to turn his neck. Still, he burned to play. He put on his team colors and headed to the range for a practice session that did not go well. His decision was made. Sometime after noon, he informed his captain, Luke Donald, that he would have to withdraw from his bout against English, which was the last of 12 matches on the tee sheet. In Ryder Cup Europe’s 318-word statement explaining the situation, two words, from Hovland, stood out: “Pretty heartbreaking.”

Hovland was speaking only for himself, but he may as well also have been speaking for his opponent.

***

HARRIS ENGLISH GOT THE NEWS at about 1:15 p.m., or roughly 45 minutes before his scheduled 2:03 starting time. He was in the practice area, on the verge of warming up for what was either the first- or second-biggest match of his life. That, Harris later said, was when “they told me that I’m not playing today.”

He knew this outcome was a possibility, of course. But still, hearing the words — that one of the great privileges and opportunities of his golfing career had been stripped from him by way of another player’s status — had to feel like a Canelo Álvarez-grade blow to the gut. When asked about his poor luck Sunday evening, English oozed class, saying it was more stressful watching the matches than playing in one and how proud he was of his teammates for “gutting it out” and making the Europeans sweat by claiming 8 of the 12 points. But English also revealed what else was churning inside.

“It was tough,” he said. “I know Viktor is hurt. He sent me a text. He came up to me, and I know he’s hurt. The rule is what it is; hopefully they’ll look at it at some point. But it sucked not going out there and playing today.”

It did suck.

For English, for Hovland, for the teams, for the captains, for the fans, for the event.

But rules are rules.

“We have contracts for a reason, a captains’ agreement for a reason, for situations that occur,” Donald said at the winnner’s press conference Sunday night. “I want to center it back to Viktor; I would have had absolute faith in him to deliver a point today. He couldn’t play. He was gutted.”

Bradley was less diplomatic.

“The rule has to change,” he said sternly, without saying how he’d like to see it changed. “I think it’s obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”

That edition will be decided two years from now at Adare Manor in Ireland. Only time will tell if Harris English will be there.

Tom Watson, a legend of American golf, has apologised to Europe’s Ryder Cup contingent for the behaviour of spectators at Bethpage Black while admitting he was “ashamed†of what played out in the galleries. A dramatic European retention of the trophy, 15-13, was overshadowed by abusive behaviour towards visiting players and their families. Watson’s comments come after Rory McIlroy confirmed his wife, Erica, was hit by a beer thrown by a fan.

“I’d like to congratulate Europe on their victory,†said Watson on X. “Your team play the first few days was sensational. More importantly, I’d like to apologise for the rude and mean-spirited behaviour from our American crowd at Bethpage. As a former player, captain and as an American I am ashamed of what happened.â€

Watson, an eight-time major winner who played in five Ryder Cups and captained the US team in 2014, also relayed his apology directly to the European team.

His comments are in stark contrast to the class of 2025. Collin Morikawa had asked for fans to bring “chaos†and the American captain, Keegan Bradley, stopped well short of properly condemning the situation at Bethpage despite police and dogs lining fairways. “I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,†said McIlroy, who encountered vehement abuse towards himself and his wife.

Watson’s comment shows it may take some time for dust to settle on the 45th Ryder Cup. European team celebrations, which ran long into the night, were understandably wild after a first victory on US soil since 2012.

Success under Luke Donald means Europe now favour captains for multiple Ryder Cups. Those behind the team regard it as far easier to prepare for an away staging of the event with knowledge built up from a Ryder Cup at home. His approach to captaincy in Rome two years ago and New York has been widely praised. It seems inevitable he will be involved in some capacity in the future. For now, he is not completely ruling out a third term.

Donald had taken guidance from tennis players, including the three-time US Open champion Ivan Lendl, on how to handle a New York crowd. Lendl defeated home favourite John McEnroe for the first of his victories, in 1985. Donald believed the backdrops to tennis and golf, where spectators are urged to remain quiet for shots, were the most comparable.

Rory McIlroy condemns Ryder Cup abuse after his wife was hit by a beer – video

“The weeks we spend together are the ones we remember the most and the ones we cherish the most because of the time we get to spend with each other,†he said. “That’s a big part of my captaincy, to create an environment where these guys are having the best weeks of their lives. We’ll always remember this. We’ll always go down in history.

“We talk about all the people that came before us that paved the way for us. Now future generations will talk about this team and what they did and how they were able to overcome one of the toughest environments in all of sport.â€

Justin Rose had been the most likely European captain for 2025 and Adare Manor in Ireland. However, Rose’s playing performance here may give him cause to think he could compete again in two years’ time. Francesco Molinari would come into the frame in that circumstance.

It has been widely assumed Tiger Woods will succeed Bradley and lead the US, but the absence of the 15-time major winner from Bethpage raises questions over that scenario.

Sep 29, 2025, 02:27 PM ET

Two-time U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson on Monday apologized to the winning European team for the behavior of American fans at Bethpage Black.

“I’d like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory,” Watson posted to X. “Your team play the first few days was sensational. More importantly, I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage.

“As a former player, Captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”

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The 76-year-old Watson, who counts five Open Championship wins among his eight major titles, played on four Ryder Cup teams. He was the winning captain of the U.S. team in 1993 in England, and the losing captain for the U.S. in the 2014 matches in Scotland.

The European team, and Rory McIlroy in particular, were the target of constant heckling and insults — some directed at his wife and family — over the three-day event in Farmingdale, New York. Oftentimes, the jeers took place as he was in the process of hitting a shot, and it caused delays and prompted the PGA of America to add extra security.

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said Sunday after Europe finished off a 15-13 win against the United States. “… I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.”

McIlroy later added: “There was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behavior.”

A video on social media showed Lowry having to be held back by his caddie as a fan said something before McIlroy hit a drive Saturday. Another video showed McIlroy walking with his wife, Erica, when a beer appeared to be thrown in their direction and hit her.

U.S. team member Justin Thomas, after witnessing the verbal abuse directed toward McIroy and Shane Lowry on Satuday, said “we felt for them.”

“It was unfortunate,” Thomas said. “Cam [Young] and I just wished that we gave them something to cheer for instead of people to cheer against. I think that was kind of the main consensus of the last two days, that we weren’t giving them enough to cheer for, and they were just trying to help us win. I guess that’s the New York fans for you.”

ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti contributed to this report.