DeChambeau goes 0-2 in Ryder Cup opening as U.S. slips on Friday

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Bryson DeChambeau’s Ryder Cup return started with palpable energy and a record-setting moment, then ended with two losses as Team USA fell behind on Friday at Bethpage Black.

In the morning Four-Balls session, DeChambeau and Justin Thomas could not build more than a one-up advantage, allowing Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton to turn the match around by the seventh hole and ultimately close out a 1-up decision. DeChambeau’s roar-drenched drive on the opening hole — a 344-yard hit that sent fans into a frenzy — underscored the emotional energy he brings to the event, even as the scoreboard told a different story. He later sent a tee shot on the 15th into the stands area, a miscue that helped the Europeans seize momentum in the later holes. ! Keegan Bradley and DeChambeau in team shot

The afternoon Four-Balls session brought more fireworks as DeChambeau, paired with DeChambeau’s partner, again drew energy from the crowd when he shook President Donald Trump’s hand before his first shot of the session. He contributed a clutch moment by sinking a 6-foot birdie to keep his match with Ben Griffin against Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose alive through the 18th hole, a moment he described as being “clutch when I needed to be.” He also missed a birdie attempt on the 13th when the match was still tied, and other misplayed shots punctuated a day that left the U.S. with mounting work to do on Saturday.

“I played good golf, just not good enough,” DeChambeau said after the afternoon session. “And they made everything. Luck is on their side right now.”

Team USA captain Keegan Bradley offered a pragmatic read of the day, acknowledging the flashes of brilliance while stressing the core issue: more putts needed to drop. “He hit a lot of incredible shots,” Bradley said. “... But ultimately we needed to make more putts. I think everyone on our team would say that. I think that they would say that we’ve got to go out tomorrow and roll those putts in, and we didn’t do that [Friday].”

The day carried a deeper backstory for DeChambeau. Two years after he was left watching from afar as the United States assembled for the previous Ryder Cup, his path to a Rome roster was complicated by his decision to join LIV Golf. The buildup to Rome had been simmering, and Friday’s results offered a tempered reminder that the Ryder Cup’s match-play theater can be as punishing as it is exhilarating. Earlier this week, DeChambeau said seeing Team USA lose on home soil in 2023 had “put a fire in my stomach,” and Friday’s results appeared to confirm that fire was burning, even as the scores didn’t tilt in his favor.

DeChambeau’s performance on Friday marked the first two losses of his Ryder Cup career on home soil, after he had not dropped a single match at Whistling Straits in 2021. That history underscored the magnitude of the challenge in front of him as the United States looks to rebound in Saturday’s sessions. Friday’s results left the Americans with a 5 1/2-2 1/2 deficit as the teams prepare for a pivotal Saturday ahead of Sunday’s finish.

Bradley signaled that momentum could turn quickly in the Ryder Cup’s unique format, noting that the energy and environment can swing both ways and that the Americans would need to capitalize on opportunities when they arise. “We’ve got to go out tomorrow and roll those putts in,” he repeated, signaling a renewed focus on execution rather than just spectacular shot-making.

As play moves to Saturday, DeChambeau and his teammates will look to reset, tighten the screws on the short game, and convert more of the birdie chances that have slipped away. The Friday results, while disappointing for DeChambeau personally, set the tone for a championship-driven weekend in which Team USA will look to reverse momentum on its home soil.