Azinger slams Bethpage Black as ‘biggest mistake’ that could haunt U.S. at Ryder Cup

Paul Azinger, the former U.S. Ryder Cup captain, has labeled Bethpage Black the “biggest mistake” that could haunt the United States at this year’s Ryder Cup, arguing the home-course advantage may not materialize on Long Island. The comments surfaced during an appearance on Trey Wingo’s Straight Facts Homie! podcast, where Azinger warned that the American team could face an extra hurdle in adapting to Bethpage’s layout ahead of the biannual matches.

"I feel like Keegan’s going to have to get these guys on a mission and on a mission quickly and single-minded to figure out how to fall in love with Bethpage Black," Azinger said. "I guarantee you they don’t love it either. Me and you don’t love it. They don’t love it. Europe doesn’t care what the course is. Our guys might."

"Nope, not at all. We don’t know the course," he added, emphasizing the players’ relative unfamiliarity with a public Long Island course that has hosted major championships this century and is set to host the 2025 U.S. Open. Azinger’s critique rests on his broader point that Americans tend to select venues that aren’t always easy for their own players to master, a consideration he views as potentially detrimental when facing a European squad accustomed to adapting to any layout.

Bethpage Black has a storied record in this century, having hosted the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009 and the PGA Championship in 2019. The course will again be in the spotlight in a Ryder Cup context this week as the U.S. hosts the biennial event on Long Island. Bethpage’s pedigree as a challenging, publicly accessible venue feeds Azinger’s critique: familiarity, or the lack thereof, could influence how teams approach the setup.

From a practical standpoint, nearly half of the current U.S. Ryder Cup roster played in the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage, giving a cogent cross-section of experience on the layout. Patrick Cantlay finished third in that event, Xander Schauffele was 16th, Justin Thomas 23rd, Sam Burns 29th, J.J. Spaun 54th, and Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut. Yet Brooks Koepka, the 2019 U.S. captain’s pick and former major winner, has spent this season facing struggles across LIV Golf events and majors, complicating any notion of an automatic home-course edge.

Bradley, who is leading the U.S. team this year, chose not to be a playing captain despite a strong season, instead focusing on strategy and leadership from the sidelines. That decision has drawn scrutiny in light of Azinger’s cautions about course familiarity and the need to galvanize the squad quickly. Cameron Young, a Westchester native who has spoken fondly of Bethpage, is part of a lineup that emphasizes power and precision—traits Azinger suggested Europe is prepared to counter with its own depth of length and skill. The dynamic underscores a broader trend: while the U.S. may benefit from crowd support and home support, the actual course experience at Bethpage could prove a deciding factor in the matches.

Azinger’s perspective is rooted in his own Ryder Cup track record. He captained the 2008 team that toppled Europe 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 at Valhalla in Louisville, a performance that reinforced the value of a well-prepared squad facing unfamiliar ground. His comments about Bethpage echo a long-running debate about when home courses help versus hinder, and they arrive as the 2025 U.S. Open is scheduled to return to Bethpage Black, adding another layer of familiarity to the course’s evolving legacy.

Bradley’s leadership will be tested as the event unfolds this week. While the player lineup includes a mix of veterans and up-and-coming stars, the real question is how quickly the Americans adapt to Bethpage’s length, green contours, and windy, often damp conditions. Europe’s team, by contrast, has shown a willingness to embrace a variety of setups and environments, a factor Azinger pointed to when he noted that the other side “doesn’t care what the course is.” Whether Bethpage’s particular layout will tilt the balance in favor of the hosts remains to be seen, but the early chatter from prominent figures suggests this Ryder Cup could hinge as much on psychology and preparation as on raw skill.

As the matches approach, Bradley and his assistants will need to translate Azinger’s warning into tangible preparation: how to teach the team to love a difficult, public course and how to leverage its quirks to maximize performance. The player roster’s breadth, including names that have historically performed well under Ryder Cup pressure, will be tested by a course that has repeatedly demanded precision off the tee and disciplined shot-making. The event’s outcome will likely influence how future U.S. captaincies weigh course familiarity against the broader goal of fielding a team capable of thriving in any environment.