Ryder Cup 2025: Fast starts, crowd pressure and leadership shape Bethpage battle

The 2025 Ryder Cup gets under way Friday at Bethpage Black in New York, with the United States aiming to reclaim the trophy after Europe won it in Rome. Bookmakers have the US as slight favourites, but Europe arrive confident they can win away for the first time since 2012, bringing a mix of experience, fast-start potential and a belief that the home support can be managed.

Past five Ryder Cups have shown the home side often setting the tone early, and the opening day foursomes are frequently decisive. In the last five events the overall victors have overwhelmed the visitors in the Friday morning session. Europe dropped only a half-point from 12 in the 2014, 2018 and 2023 foursomes, but the United States surged in recent away matches: at Whistling Straits four years ago the hosts opened 3-1 in foursomes on the way to a 19-9 victory, and in 2016 the US started 4-0 on Friday at Hazeltine before clinching the cup. This week, Europe must reverse that trend if they are to conjure an away win on American soil.

Overcoming the home advantage will be a central test, and Bethpage’s atmosphere is shaping up as a talking point alongside the golf. The build‑up has been dominated by questions about how the boisterous New York crowd will affect the away players. American Collin Morikawa said the practice days felt relatively tame, with autograph-signing youngsters admitted for free, but he hopes for “absolute chaos” when the matches start on Friday. Europe, in turn, have plotted to keep the noise at bay, mindful of recent home crowds that have helped swing momentum in the Americans’ favor.

The contrasting psychology is part of the narrative generated by the two captains. Luke Donald, who guided Europe to victory in Rome and oversaw a settled squad that includes just one new face in Rasmus Højgaard, arrives in New York with a measured, quiet confidence. He even sprinkled a line into his opening ceremony remarks that touched on American paydays for the event, keeping the focus on performance rather than banter. Keegan Bradley, by comparison, has faced a more rattled countdown to a captaincy that comes with a larger weight of expectation after a career spent as a player and now as a leader. He admitted, somewhat nervously, to a memorable misstep during the opening ceremony, reflecting the high nerves that accompany a leadership role at the Ryder Cup.

Europe’s experience edge is part of the calculus for this week. The European side has 32 appearances between its dozen players, versus 15 for the Americans, and they have a points advantage in Ryder Cup history, leading 68½-30 in matches won. Among Europe’s veterans, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose bring a combined 33½ points across 13 appearances, and both arrive in New York after strong seasons. McIlroy this year completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, while Rose added a PGA Tour title in August. They are joined by a rotating group that includes Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Shane Lowry, all returning for a second Ryder Cup on U.S. soil. Fleetwood underscored the need to feel that “justice” was done in Rome and said the team would carry that motivation into Bethpage.

For the Americans, Scottie Scheffler stands as the standout player, the world’s top-ranked golfer who added two majors to a prolific year. Yet former Euros captain Nick Faldo has cautioned that Scheffler alone may not be enough to tilt the balance, arguing that Europe will fear multiple threats rather than a single man. In Rome, Scheffler, paired with Brooks Koepka and others, faced a European squad that showed depth and resilience, and Faldo’s assessment suggests the United States will need a broader point‑scoring spread to win back the cup on home soil. Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay carry some of the strongest Ryder Cup records for the U.S. side, a factor echoed by observers who say the Americans have a genuine strength in depth in 2025.

The tournament’s larger backdrop features the so‑called Trump effect, with the U.S. president set to attend Friday’s play and security preparations tightening in advance of crowds expected to be electric. Bryson DeChambeau, who has spoken openly about the president’s support, said the presence could inspire the home team and help mobilize fans. Organizers have urged early arrival to manage security and minimize disruption, following the tone set at recent major events.

As is typical in Ryder Cup weeks, form and mood will be tested by the match schedule and pairings that emerge, with Friday’s foursomes and fourball sessions shaping momentum for the weekend. The 2025 edition, the 45th in the biennial series, runs September 26–28 at Bethpage Black and will be broadcast with live text and video across multiple platforms, including BBC Sport’s coverage in the UK. The players, captains and thousands of fans head into a weekend where the tone is as important as the shots, and where the home crowd’s energy could be decisive in a tightly contested alignment of talent and nerves.