Ryder Cup opens at Bethpage Black with fans in wild costumes as Europe takes early lead

Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., opened the Ryder Cup on Friday with a sea of fans in zany costumes. Bald eagle outfits and blue-and-yellow European garb dominated the stands as the United States and Europe began their two-day, match-play showdown. Bryson DeChambeau’s booming opening tee shot offered a spark for Team USA, but Europe quickly claimed momentum, taking the first three matches to build a 3-0 lead.

Europe’s early success came from Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton defeating DeChambeau and Justin Thomas 4&3; Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood followed with a 5&4 win over Collin Morikawa and Harris English; and Matt Fitzpatrick paired with Ludvig Aberg defeated Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley 5&3 to push the lead to 3-0.

Not all American matchups were done in the morning. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay stood 1 up through the 13th hole against Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland, keeping hope alive for a U.S. rally. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, speaking on the broadcast, teased a potential spark from a special guest: 'We just had the president fly over in Air Force One, so I got a feeling things are going to turn here,' Bradley said as President Donald Trump was en route to the Ryder Cup.

Fans wore bold team colors in the stands. Team USA supporters showed their patriotism with red, white and blue ensembles, including bald eagle costumes, while Team Europe fans wore blue threads speckled with yellow stars.

After the morning session, Europe held a 3-0 edge, and several U.S. pairings remained in the afternoon lineup with the possibility of a comeback. The crowd intensified as the tournament’s energy built toward the weekend.

Day 1 of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black has delivered a festive atmosphere and a tense competition, with the event’s global reach on display as fans await the next phase of play.