Friday opening session could shape Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black

Friday morning's opening session at Bethpage Black could prove decisive in the 45th Ryder Cup, with U.S. captain Keegan Bradley sticking to his preferred approach of starting with alternate-shot foursomes. The format is widely regarded as the most demanding test in team golf, with no second chances once the balls are in the air and partners must work in lockstep under pressure.

History underlines the stakes. Alternate-shot starts have often set the tone for the event, and a strong performance on day one can shape momentum for the next two days. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson sparked memorable drama in 2004 at Oakland Hills, a reminder that missteps in this format can reverberate across the Ryder Cup. Europe, by contrast, have frequently opened with more forgiving fourball sessions on home soil, though Luke Donald bucked that trend in Rome two years ago with a spectacular alternate-shot start that helped his side build an early lead.

Since the Miracle at Medinah in 2012, the host nation has dominated the opening day foursomes in each Ryder Cup. In five consecutive events the winners swept the first session, with Europe dropping only a fraction of the total points on days one in 2014, 2018 and 2023. At Whistling Straits in 2021, the U.S. opened 3-1 in foursomes on Friday as part of a rout that finished 19-9. The pattern underlines the pressure on both camps: a fast start by the home team can be a psychological edge, while a spirited away performance requires an early breakthrough to turn the tide.

Bradley has four rookies in his starting pool—Ben Griffin, JJ Spaun, Russell Henley and Cameron Young—while Donald can lean on a veteran-heavy lineup that contains 11 of the 12 players who helped Europe win on Italian soil in 2023. Europe’s leadership group includes former champions and strategic minds: Luke Donald works with adviser Paul McGinley, while Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjorn and Jose Maria Olazabal provide vice-captaincy wisdom.

Bradley has ample captain’s support in Jim Furyk, a nine-time Ryder Cup participant who has served as a vice-captain this week, and he is joined by Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson as other back-ups. Furyk was the losing captain to Bjorn in Paris in 2018. The mix of youth and experience is sized to respond to the moment if the opening session does not go as planned.

Bradley is famous for saying he would never open his kit bag from Medinah until he wins a Ryder Cup, a line that has become part of his identity in this event. The remark underscores the pressure on the rookies and on the veterans who must deliver for the hosts under a watchful New York crowd.

The event unfolds as much as a business as a battle, with a notable financial dynamic: players in the U.S. contingent are scheduled to earn about $500,000 each, with $300,000 going to their charity of choice. That structure has prompted discussion about how prize money might influence performance, even as Europe is described as focused on team success rather than financial reward.

With lineups not finalized until Thursday evening in New York, Friday’s order of play remains in flux. BBC Sport will provide daily live text commentary and in-play clips from 11:30 BST, with radio coverage on 5 Live and BBC Sounds beginning at 12:00 and full daily TV highlights on iPlayer from 00:00.

All eyes will be on the opening session, as the Ryder Cup’s recent era of home dominance meets a Europe team steeped in experience and a collection of tested partnerships. If the first-day results fail to establish a clear leader, the contest may still swing over the weekend. But the early morning start at Bethpage Black will almost surely set the tone for the 2025 edition.