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  Jeff CarlisleOct 2, 2025, 10:30 AM ET

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  Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC.

AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson highlight the 26-player roster named on Thursday by United States men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino for two friendlies in the October international window.

The U.S. will play Ecuador in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 10, followed by another match four days later against Australia in Commerce City, Colorado. All three countries have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted next summer by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Players will begin reporting for training camp in Austin on Oct. 4.

Following a September window that featured some experimentation in terms of personnel, this roster is comprised mostly of players one would expect to feature for the full U.S. team. Robinson received his first call-up for 2025 after recovering from knee surgery last May, while McKennie returns for the first time since the Concacaf Nations League last March.

Other returnees include Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson, Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris, Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann and New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner. St. Pauli midfielder James Sands earned his first call-up under Pochettino.

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Tessmann and Morris were both rewarded for outstanding starts to the club season, with Tessmann scoring twice in recent weeks for Lyon, while Morris has earned multiple Man of the Match awards with Middlesbrough. Club América midfielder Alejandro Zendejas has continued his fine form, scoring twice in a recent victory over Pumas UNAM in Liga MX. Coventry City forward Haji Wright leads the English Championship with seven goals.

Pulisic is the most in-form player of anyone on the U.S. roster. He has so far scored six goals and added two assists in all competitions this season for AC Milan. His four goals in league play top Serie A.

AFC Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams is the most noticeable absentee, with Pochettino expected to explain the player’s absence later on Thursday.

Injuries also resulted in several players not being named to the squad. This list includes the PSV Eindhoven duo of defender Sergiño Dest and forward Ricardo Pepi, as well as Atlético Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso and Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Giovanni Reyna.

Another somewhat surprising exclusion is Gladbach defender Joe Scally, who has turned in some impressive performances in recent weeks as a wingback, even as his side has struggled. His absence means Orlando City SC’s Alex Freeman is the only player who operates primarily as a right-sided defender or wingback for his club.

Christian Pulisic has scored six goals in all competitions this season for AC Milan. Photo by MATTEO BAZZI/EPA/Shutterstock

There was also no room for Norwich City forward Josh Sargent, who while getting off to an impressive start to the league season, has struggled mightily in a U.S. uniform, having not scored an international goal since 2019. Atalanta midfielder Yunus Musah was also left off the roster, despite contributing an assist in his club’s midweek win over Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League.

Ecuador recently clinched its fifth World Cup appearance, having finished in second place in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying table behind Argentina.

Australia secured its spot by finishing second in its group during the third round of Asian Football Confederation qualifiers, marking the country’s sixth consecutive World Cup appearance.  

DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 9/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 52/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 12/1), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 19/0), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 9/0), Mark McKenzie (FC Toulouse/FRA; 22/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 77/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 33/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 50/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 35/3)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 53/9), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 14/3), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 60/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 9/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 39/0), James Sands (FC St. Pauli/GER; 11/0), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 8/0), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 25/3)

FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Derby County/ENG; 12/5), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco/FRA; 19/6), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 80/32), Tim Weah (Marseille/FRA; 45/7), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 17/5), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 13/2)

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• 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.

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.

His second Ryder Cup victory as captain barely finalized, Luke Donald was already being showered on Bethpage’s 18th green with chants of, “Two more years!†That included several players and even someone from his immediate family. Donald is already the betting favorite to lead a third European team at Adare Manor in 2027, though if he opts to step down, perhaps he’ll take an assistant’s role under Justin Rose, the 45-year-old and six-time Ryder Cupper who starred again in New York but is certainly nearing the end as a competitor. Either way, it’s surely one of those two for Europe.

As for the Americans, there is far more captain uncertainty.

Keegan Bradley is the early favorite to run it back in Ireland in two years, while the group of contenders is crowded behind him. One option that has already been ruled out is Phil Mickelson, who took to social media this weekend to take his name out of the hat, if it was even in the hat because of his move to LIV Golf three years ago.

“No rumors,†Mickelson wrote. “My Ryder Cup involvement is over. I’m happy being a spectator and rooting for Team USA.â€

Let’s size up some candidates for 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup captain:

1. Keegan Bradley

Bradley and his assistant captains showed some ineptitude with analytics when it came to a few pairings, but where he most went wrong was with the setup. Perhaps it was telling that on Saturday night he said, “I think historically we play faster greens on the PGA Tour than they do.†News flash: Every member of the European team is a full-time PGA Tour (or LIV) member, some for over a decade. It’s almost as if they thought they were still playing the likes of Donald and Lee Westwood; this modern European squad, one loaded with firepower, feasted on a benign Bethpage with little rough. All that said, where Europe has found an advantage is with continuity, from the top down. The U.S. might not have a better option than to run Bradley back, letting him correct mistakes, which, credit to him, he admitted to. The good news is the away captain doesn’t control the setup.

Woods was the biggest story in 2018 as he returned to action following a fourth back surgery and won his first PGA Tour title since 2013. He’ll look to get back in the win column in the majors in 2019. He’s won 14 of them, four shy of Jack Nicklaus’ record, and he’ll play three major venues this year where he’s won before – Augusta National (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005), Pebble Beach (2000) and Bethpage Black (2002). Oh, and he’ll captain – and maybe play on? – the 2019 U.S. Presidents Cup team in Australia this December.

2. Tiger Woods

If it’s true that Woods turned down the 2025 captaincy, then perhaps he’d feel the same disinterest in taking for reins in Ireland. But if not, there isn’t another captain who would inspire his players more. Who knows how Woods would do with pairings, but he did just fine in Australia in 2019, and the intimidation factor alone is enough to consider him, especially on enemy soil. Then again, considering Woods’ career Ryder Cup record – 13-21-3 – is he really that intimidating in this event?

3. Webb Simpson

If I was a betting man, I’d probably put my money behind Simpson. He’s been part of the assistant rotation in Cups, including at Bethpage, and he’s arguably got the most leadership qualities of any realistic candidate. Plus, he was a player on that 2007 U.S. Walker Cup team that snapped a lengthy away drought at Royal County Down. He could get some of that band back together, too, by appointing Rickie Fowler and Billy Horschel as assistants.

4. Steve Stricker

He’s been a winning Ryder Cup (2021) and Presidents Cup (2017) captain, so if the U.S. is only concerned about winning, then why not give Stricker a crack at an away game? He’s had some health issues in recent years, so maybe he’s not interested in the stresses and demands of being a captain again, but he’d be a good pick.

5. Brandt Snedeker

He’d likely be higher up this list if not for the fact that he’s set to captain the 2026 U.S. Presidents Cup team at Medinah. But he’ll get to captain a Ryder Cup one day, perhaps as soon as 2029 at Hazeltine.

6. Jim Furyk

It did not work in Paris in 2018, what makes you think it will somehow pay off at another away Ryder Cup nine years later? Still, he’s by far the most experienced American option, ranking second all-time in matches played and serving twice as a Cup captain (also 2024 Presidents Cup) and four times a Ryder Cup assistant.

7. Kevin Kisner

He’s been a Cup assistant twice now and is clearly a team-room favorite because of his personality, but it’s hard to see Kisner’s role expanding right now.

8. Gary Woodland

Got his first spin as an assistant at Bethpage, though he’s likely several Ryder Cups away from a captain’s nod, if he gets one at all.

9. Stewart Cink

Have his Ryder Cup captaincy hopes expired after being dropped as an assistant this year? Cink came out and said he was disappointed that the PGA of America bypassed him in selecting Bradley, so maybe he sees the writing on the wall.

10. Justin Leonard

A true dark horse – and favorite pick of Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee. He’s a Ryder Cup hero as a player (see: 1999 at Brookline), and he might be the closest the U.S. has to a Luke Donald. However, he declined multiple chances at being an assistant in the past, so that may have ruined his chances of ever leading a Ryder Cup team.

11. Paul Azinger

So much of what’s been good about U.S. Ryder Cup teams in the last decade-plus is credited to Azinger, and yet he only led once, in 2008 at Valhalla. Times have changed, yes, but Zinger getting a chance to captain in an away pressure-cooker would, at the very least, be entertaining.

MD Headlines: Tom Watson and Paul McGinley motivate Ryder Cup teams

12. Tom Watson

It’s time for some good, old-fashioned discipline again. He also is the last U.S. captain to win in Europe (1993, The Belfry).

13. Zach Johnson

To quote those New York crowds: Fuhgeddaboudit.

14. Nick Saban

One word: Winner.

15. Scott Scheffler

If Scottie Scheffler hadn’t gone 1-4, the Americans would’ve won at Bethpage. He’s struggled in some of these Cups already, so why not employ his dad to get the most out of the world No. 1.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — On the Wednesday before the Ryder Cup, Collin Morikawa was asked a pointed question: Which of Team USA’s stoic squad would he like to see go wild in a charged Ryder Cup setting?

He thought for a moment before settling on his answer.

“I would love to see Cam Young just throw a massive fist pump in someone’s face. I would love it,” he said.

Four days later, he got his wish.

Young led the U.S. side in Sunday singles, going off first against Team Europe’s veteran firebrand, Justin Rose. He and his teammates began the day in a 12-5 hole, and in a race to 14, winning seemed out of the question but salvaging some dignity was still a worthy goal.

It was meaningful that Young was first out. Meaningful because of his New York connections, which run deep; not only did Young grow up at Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County but his first big-time victory came in the New York State Open at Bethpage Black, which he counts among his favorite golf courses in the world.

It was meaningful because the last time the U.S. played a Ryder Cup, Young was left at home. He finished 9th on the 2023 qualifying points list but was passed over while Nos. 10, 12, 13 and 15 were chosen; Keegan Bradley’s snub was documented on Netflix while Young’s was more anonymous but no less painful. The fact that Bradley chose Young to represent the U.S. side this time around was worth something extra.

And it was meaningful because it reflected his standing on this team. In the preceding two days Young had proven himself to be the U.S. player best suited for this Ryder Cup. He’d sat on the bench for Friday’s opening foursomes but came out firing in afternoon four-ball; he played both matches Saturday and improved to 2-1-0. Because the team sessions were such a nightmare for his teammates, Young’s 6-and-5 and 4-and-2 victories served as spots of bright red. He let his clubs do the talking alongside excitable partners Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau. The scoreboard, the stats and the fans all saw the same thing: Young was playing as well as anyone on property. He earned that first Sunday tee time.

Young’s match against Rose began with a bang, a 25-footer for birdie at No. 1 that sent a jolt through the thousands lining the ropes. But when Rose won Nos. 3 and 5, Match 1 turned blue on the board — and behind him, more blue followed. Justin Thomas 2 down. Bryson DeChambeau 2 down. Scottie Scheffler 1 down. Patrick Cantlay 1 down. Five matches were on the course, the U.S. trailed in all five, and the home team’s horror show was somehow getting worse.

Then Young got hot. Birdie-par at 6-7 was enough to win both and regain a 1-up lead. Another birdie and a string of pars got him to 3 up through 12. Behind him, Young’s teammates followed his lead; a red wave began to sweep across Bethpage.

“Kind of felt like nothing could go wrong,” Young said.

But then several things went wrong, one after the next.

“Justin Rose started doing some interesting things,” Young said. “Made some putts on me. And all of a sudden just feels like I’m just going to give it away.”

Rose made birdie at 13. Birdie at 14. Birdie at 16. Suddenly he’d tied Young, and that’s where they remained heading to 18. Home-team roars still stretched out behind him, Thomas and DeChambeau and Scheffler mounting their respective comebacks. But given their precarious position, the U.S. needed every point it could.

Young hit the fairway. He hit the green. He dodged a Rose miss. And then he stepped up to a 12-footer for birdie and the win, took a final breath and sent it rolling into the center of the bottom of the cup. Young’s fist pump would have made Morikawa proud.

“I’ve been thinking about having a putt like that for a while,” Young said in an emotional post-round interview. “The way things were going halfway through the back nine today, I didn’t want that putt — and then the way things were going through 17, I was very grateful that I had a chance there.”

He added this:

“This is the biggest event that we have, really. There’s no bigger stage to play on, in my home state, a golf course that I love … that one right there I’ll remember for a long time.”

A few minutes later, when Justin Thomas matched Young’s winning birdie putt with another one of his own, Young was there to greet him with a scream and a giant hug. DeChambeau completed a 5-down comeback of his own to earn a valuable half-point. And then Young, DeChambeau and Thomas hopped on carts, racing back toward their teammates. The comeback was on.

Bradley called out the spark in his post-round presser.

“When we sent out Cam Young first from New York to lead us out, we had to have that match,” Bradley said. “He went out there in front of the whole world, in front of his home state, and made a 10-footer to beat Justin Rose who is an all-time Ryder Cupper and get to celebrate at Bethpage Black in front of everybody.”

Ultimately for the U.S. it was a memorable and valiant but losing effort. Their mountain was too tall to climb; Europe scratched out enough half-points to reach 14, then 14.5, then the 15-13 final.

We’re not used to hearing much from Young in either victory or defeat. He’s not on social media, he’s allergic to attention-grabbing and he doesn’t waste words. But when he was asked to sum up his week, Young delivered the monologue of the press conference.

“It’s been incredible,” he said. “I mean, from the moment I got the call from Keegan, you know, I feel like this group is incredibly close. We were incredibly driven to win this week. I think that’s been the coolest part of it for me is to just be one of the 12 guys that’s here playing for our country, playing for each other.”

And then he turned to his teammates, who’d started nodding.

“Y’know, that last bit there where we were making a run, I don’t know about any of you guys, but I haven’t felt anything like that playing golf before. I mean, that was truly unbelievable to watch one after the other just start making putts, fighting the way that they did. I’ve never seen anything like that, and I’ve never felt anything like that watching golf, playing golf, doesn’t matter.

“So I think it’s really just a testament to how much it means to all of us to be here and how much we all want to play well for each other. It was truly unbelievable.”

Young’s team didn’t win. The U.S. fans left inspired but ultimately disappointed. There will be days, weeks, months of second-guessing ahead. But Young left a mark on Bethpage Black — and the other way around.

Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Sunday at the Ryder Cup only confirmed what we believed on Saturday night: Luke Donald is a brilliant captain and sublime tactician and we are still not sure about Keegan Bradley.

The second-guessing and American handwringing began even before Shane Lowry finished his victory dance after assuring Europe retained the cup and, as is always the case at the Hindsight Cup, Bradley’s captaincy was atop every list.

It will not help Bradley’s legacy that he ran up against the greatest captain in the history of the matches, either for Europe or the United States, or that his American team was utterly thrashed for two days of team play by a dozen Europeans that will likely go down as the Continent’s best.

Criticism comes with the job and Bradley knows this. He also knew in the honest moments that followed the American’s 15-13 loss that much of his criticism he’d come by honestly.

“We tried to set the course up to help our team. Obviously it wasn’t the right decision,†Bradley acknowledged. “I definitely made a mistake on the course setup. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition. For whatever reason, that wasn’t the right way to set the course up.

“The greens were as soft as I’ve ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up.â€

This American team — peppered with players who have thrived on the most demanding layouts — needed a U.S. Open-style Bethpage. At the very least, the U.S. team needed a PGA Championship-like Bethpage. Instead, the layout that Bradley & Co. concocted more resembled a Barclays Bethpage, the softer-side venue that hosted the PGA Tour playoff event twice.

Bradley hacked the rough to just 2 inches and heavy rains on the eve of the matches left unexpectedly slow greens. For a team that included Bryson DeChambeau, a two-time U.S. Open winner; Scottie Scheffler, a player whose game is built for major championships; and J.J. Spaun, the reigning U.S. Open champion, it was a glaring miss for the captain.

The softer side of Bethpage was particularly troubling during foursomes play, with the Europeans posting 5- and 7-under rounds to dominate both sessions and collect six out of eight points.

“We sat, or I did, and looked at a lot of info. We thought this was the best way to set the golf course up to win. You look at past Ryder Cups, and that’s kind of how it goes,†Bradley said. “You know, sometimes, you’ve got to make a decision on what to do, and you know, if I could go back, I probably would have changed that.â€

Europe entered Sunday singles at Bethpage Black leading by seven points before the U.S. gave the visitors everything they had in what ended a 15-13 European victory.

But short grass and soft greens were not the captain’s only faux pas.

Before this week’s competition, the Europeans had outscored the American team by six points in foursomes play while the Americans had a six-point advantage over the Continent in fourballs. With that historical context, starting with the home team’s stronger format would have seemed like the play to build moment and maximize the frenzied crowd, but Bradley began both Friday and Saturday with alternate shot.

The Europeans dominated both sessions, essentially taking the crowd out of the equation early.

Bradley also seemed married to a game plan that left the U.S. team in a 5 ½-to-2 ½ hole after Day 1. Instead of pivoting on Day 2, he went with almost the same lineup early Saturday to the exact same result, a 3-1 rout.

Collin Morikawa and Harris English — who had been rolled on Friday morning, 5 and 4, by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood — were sent back out on Saturday and lost to the same team, 3 and 2.

Rinse and repeat.

Bradley also seemed flummoxed by the injury to Europe’s Viktor Hovland which required the captain to sit a player who had been placed in the archaic “envelope†(he chose English). There’s no easy way to make that decision, but English wasn’t the American team’s worse performer statistically and he was also an automatic qualifier, which should factor into that decision.

This is how the 45th Ryder Cup played out at Bethpage Black over the course of five sessions with Europe winning on the road, 15-13.

“I think anytime you’re the leader of a team or the captain or the coach, or whatever, we talked about this last night, you’re going to get the accolades and you need to take the blame for when things don’t go well,†he said.

To be fair, Bradley made plenty of inspired moves starting with his decision not to pick himself to play the matches. Although he should have been on the team by nearly every metric, he put the team first.

He also deftly adjusted some of his plans on the fly, like sending Cameron Young out with Bryson DeChambeau in the first foursomes match on Day 2. They rolled to a 4-and-2 victory over Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg for the U.S. side’s only point in the session.

Bradley could also take a modicum of credit for the spirited American comeback on Sunday, but ultimately that rally fell short giving way to the Draconian truth of being a Ryder Cup captain — all that matters is winning.

Sep 28, 2025, 05:39 PM ET

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Europe has retained the Ryder Cup, fending off a furious rally from the United States in singles play Sunday at Bethpage Black.

The Americans’ hopes of a historic comeback ended when the eighth singles match between Shane Lowry and Russell Henley was halved, with the Irishman sinking a 6-foot birdie putt on No. 18 after Henley missed short from a similar line a few feet farther out.

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That half-point gave Europe the coveted 14 it needed to retain golf’s ultimate team prize.

“I mean, I’ve been so lucky to experience amazing things in this game,” Lowry, in tears, said. “That was the hardest couple hours of my life. Honestly.

“I just can’t believe it. I can’t believe that putt went in. … The Ryder Cup means everything to me.”

Europe started play Sunday needing just 2 points to beat the host Americans. It led 11.5-4.5 when play concluded Saturday, and the score moved to 12-5 when Norway’s Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw from singles due to a neck injury, which turned his scheduled match against Harris English into a draw.

Shane Lowry celebrates the putt that sealed the Ryder Cup win for his Europe team. Carl Recine/Getty Images

The U.S. got two points early, with Cameron Young and Justin Thomas both converting birdie putts on No. 18 to win their respective matches over Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood.

Bryson DeChambeau halved his match with Matt Fitzpatrick despite being 5 down through 7 holes, and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, winless through the first four sessions, beat Rory McIlroy, 1-up.

But Ludvig Ã…berg’s 2-and-1 win over Patrick Cantlay moved Europe within a half-point of victory, allowing Lowry to win with a half.

Sep 28, 2025, 09:55 AM ET

European captain Luke Donald accused American fans of “crossing the line” after a fractious second day at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

The visiting players, most notably Rory McIlroy, were subjected to heckling throughout both sessions of Saturday’s play.

Comments were repeatedly aimed at McIlroy as he prepared to play shots.

At one point in the morning the Northern Irishman shouted at a fan and his afternoon match was held up a number of times as appeals for calm — some from opponent Justin Thomas — were made.

Donald said: “It was loud, it was raucous.

“What I consider crossing the line is personal insults and making sounds when they are trying to hit on their backswings or very close to when they are trying to go into their routines. That did happen a little bit.”

Much had been made of the hostile reception Europe were likely to be given by a boisterous, partisan New York crowd.

McIlroy and partner Shane Lowry heard much of the abuse sent Europe’s way, repeatedly clashing with fans on their way to a win in their match with Thomas and Cameron Young.

McIlroy described it as a “really challenging day” while Lowry seemed to relish the atmosphere.

“It was intense. It was like something I’ve never experienced,” he said. “But this is what I live for. This is it. This is, like, honestly, the reason I get up in the morning, for stuff like this.”

McIlroy said: “People can be their own judge of whether they took it too far or not. I’m just proud of us for being able to win today with what we had to go through.”

The clashes were not only with the crowd. Bryson DeChambeau screamed in the face of Tommy Fleetwood after his partner Justin Rose had complained about DeChambeau’s caddy Greg Bodine walking across the line of his putt — with players and caddies getting involved in the spat.

U.S. fans heckled European players throughout Day 2 at Bethpage Black. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

“I was ready to hit my putt,” Rose said. “I didn’t feel like that space was being honored. I made my feelings known. Asked him to move.

“Maybe not as politely as I could have done, but in the scenario, it’s coming down the stretch, we both have a lot on our minds and it’s intense out there.”

Ultimately, Europe shut out the noise to win both sessions convincingly on Saturday and open up a commanding 11.5-4-5 lead.

“It’s something we prepared for and we can see, I think, how well they have dealt with it,” Donald said.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley reacted angrily to suggestions that he or his players might have been responsible for some of the more unsavory aspects of crowd behavior.

Bradley has notably been trying to rally fans throughout the week and ran down the 18th fairway with a giant U.S. flag on the final practice day.

Collin Morikawa, meanwhile, said he hoped fans would bring “absolute chaos.”

“Ryder Cups are wild I don’t appreciate those words that you just said,” retorted Bradley in a news conference. “I know what you’re trying to do.

“The Ryder Cup is full of passionate fans, they’re full of passionate players.

– Europe 3 points from glory after dominating fiery Day 2
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“That isn’t right. I thought the fans were passionate. I wasn’t at Rome but I heard a lot of stories that Rome was pretty violent as well.

“But the fans of New York, from what I have seen, have been pretty good.

“You’re always going to have a few people that cross the line and that’s unfortunate.”

Up seven points, 11.5-4.5, Europe unsurprisingly enters Sunday singles as the heavy betting favorite to win the 45th Ryder Cup.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Europe is -4000 to win outright while the U.S. is listed at +6000. Needing only two-and-a-half points to retain the Cup, the Europeans are -10000 to accomplish at least that.

Here are the odds for each of the 12 singles matches (U.S. players listed first):

12:02 p.m.: Cameron Young (-145) vs. Justin Rose (+105)
12:13 p.m.: Justin Thomas (+115) vs. Tommy Fleetwood (-155)
12:24 p.m.: Bryson DeChambeau (-170) vs. Matt Fitzpatrick (+125)
12:35 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler (-145) vs. Rory McIlroy (+110)
12:46 p.m.: Patrick Cantlay (-130) vs. Ludvig Ã…berg (-105)
12:57 p.m.: Xander Schauffele (+125) vs. Jon Rahm (-170)
1:08 p.m.: J.J. Spaun (-145) vs. Sepp Straka (+105)
1:19 p.m.: Russell Henley (-145) vs. Shane Lowry (+105)
1:30 p.m.: Ben Griffin (-145) vs. Rasmus Hojgaard (+105)
1:41 p.m.: Collin Morikawa (+100) vs. Tyrrell Hatton (-135)
1:52 p.m.: Sam Burns (-115) vs. Robert MacIntyre (-115)
2:03 p.m.: Harris English vs. Viktor Hovland*

*odds not listed as Hovland is questionable to compete because of a neck injury

What stands out? Though the Europeans are likely to win on Sunday, it’s worth noting that the Americans are favored or co-favored in eight of the 11 matches with odds.

Sep 27, 2025, 06:51 PM ET

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Team Europe already had demolished and disheartened the Americans in another Ryder Cup romp Saturday, and it wasn’t finished.

The final match of a long, loud and obnoxious day at Bethpage Black was all square when Matt Fitzpatrick blasted out of a fairway bunker and heard European cheers when his ball spun back to 2 feet away. Next to play was Tyrrell Hatton, whose shot into the 18th hole spun back and nicked his teammate’s ball.

It summed up how the exquisite golf of the European team, which took on every challenge — starting with a gallery so hostile that extra security was required — and entered the Ryder Cup record book for the largest lead in the modern format: Europe 11.5, United States 4.5.

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“I didn’t really imagine this,” European captain Luke Donald said.

Europe needs to win only three of the 12 singles matches Sunday to take that precious gold trophy back home across the Atlantic Ocean. Donald has turned to 45-year-old Justin Rose to lead off against Cameron Young, followed by Tommy Fleetwood, who can become the first European to go 5-0 on the road and just the fifth player overall to go 5-0.

The main attraction is Rory McIlroy against Scottie Scheffler, the game’s top two players who have three majors and 10 victories this year between them.

The real attraction is Europe. The louder and more vulgar it got, the better they played.

“Things got tougher out there, and it fired them up even more,” Donald said. “They were able to get better through those difficult moments out there. That is what makes me most proud as a captain, just their ability to take the punches and come back even stronger.”

McIlroy caught the brunt of verbal abuse and at one point, turned to the spectators and said, “Shut the f— up!”. And then he stuffed his shot to 5 feet for birdie that closed out the foursomes match on the 16th hole for another blue point.

12:02 p.m.: Cameron Young vs. Justin Rose
12:13 p.m.: Justin Thomas vs. Tommy Fleetwood
12:24 p.m.: Bryson DeChambeau vs. Matt Fitzpatrick
12:35 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy
12:46 p.m.: Patrick Cantlay vs. Ludvig Aberg
12:57 p.m.: Xander Schauffele vs. Jon Rahm
1:08 p.m.: JJ Spaun vs. Sepp Straka
1:19 p.m.: Russell Henley vs. Shane Lowry
1:30 p.m.: Ben Griffin v. Rasmus Hojgaard
1:41 p.m.: Collin Morikawa vs. Tyrrell Hatton
1:52 p.m.: Sam Burns vs Robert MacIntyre
2:03 p.m.: Harris English vs. Viktor Hovland

There was nothing the not-so-mighty U.S. team could do.

“I think it’s one of the best performances of a road team in any sport. They have played incredible. They have played great. They have putted even better,” U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said. “They have come into a hostile environment and played great golf.

“You know, sometimes as a competitor, as an athlete, you have to take a step back and again sort of tip your cap to something like that.”

That’s about all he could do.

Europe became the fourth team to win each of the first four sessions of a single Ryder Cup. Each of the previous teams won singles play as well for good measure.

The previous record after the four sessions of team play was 11-5. No team has rallied from more than a four-point deficit on the last day.

Scheffler also made it into the Ryder Cup record book. The world’s No. 1 player is the first to go 0-4 under the current format.

The Americans had a lead in only three of the 70 holes played in four-balls Saturday afternoon. U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun hit it tight on the 17th and 18th for birdies as he and fellow San Diego State alum Xander Schauffele squeezed out one of only two U.S. points on the day.

The other belonged to Bryson DeChambeau and Young in the opening foursomes match.

“The course is set up relatively easy, and they’re making a lot of birdies and we’re not,” Schauffele said. “They’re just beating us flat-out, and I’m just happy to get a point with J.J. A little bit of red on the board is a win today.”

Scottie Scheffler became the first player to go 0-4 under the current Ryder Cup format. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

At stake for Europe on Sunday is a chance to break the record for the biggest rout — 19-9 by the Americans at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Bradley was asked what message he will give to his team to keep hopes alive, and the New England native pointed to the New England Patriots’ stunning comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in 2017.

“Twenty-eight to three. I was at that Super Bowl,” Bradley said. “I watched it. What a cool thing to have witnessed live in person.”

The way this Ryder Cup has played out, 11.5-4.5 feels much bigger.

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.