Ryder Cup teams dress to impress at New York gala ahead of 2025 matches

The Ryder Cup Welcome Dinner brought Team Europe and Team USA together in New York on Tuesday night, offering players and their partners a formal introduction to the week ahead at Bethpage Black.

Hosted at Hempstead House in Sands Point, the event gave both sides a chance to mingle in black-tie style as the biennial competition looms on the horizon. Rory McIlroy arrived in a classic black suit, with his wife Erica Stoll opting for a sleek black dress. Jon Rahm followed with his wife Kelley Rahm, who wore a bronze gown with crystal detailing, as the European contingent led by captain Luke Donald posed for photographers ahead of Friday’s start.

The stars were out for a formal team photo, and the European WAGs joined in for a group selfie outside the mansion as captions and smiles circulated on social media. In addition to McIlroy, Rahm, Lowry, Rose, Hatton, Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland, players from across the European team were seen posing with partners and teammates, underscoring a sense of unity ahead of the competition.

The Welcome Dinner is a long-standing Ryder Cup tradition designed to unwind and build camaraderie before the matches begin. The 2025 Ryder Cup officially starts on Friday, September 26, at Bethpage Black in Long Island — one of the PGA Tour’s most demanding courses. This year marks the first return to the United States since the 2021 edition at Whistling Straits, where Team USA claimed a decisive victory. Europe will look to defend the title it won in 2023 at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday as players begin to settle into the course and atmosphere on Long Island, with final pairings for Friday’s foursomes expected to be confirmed in the days ahead.

Security has become a prominent thread of the week’s narrative. President Donald Trump is expected to be at Bethpage Black to support Scottie Scheffler and the United States, a development that has amplified nerves around an event already framed as a high-profile security operation. Major Stephen Udice, who leads Ryder Cup security, told the BBC that organizers are prepared for the worst and that the risk of someone using the event to make a statement has risen. He said the security operation is “on par” with a Super Bowl and includes drones, bomb-disposal dogs and chemical, biological and radiological units.

As players and fans weigh the stakes of this week’s competition, many will be watching not only the golf but the wider spectacle surrounding the event on Long Island. The atmosphere at Hempstead House and the surrounding security presence add a layer of complexity to a tournament that thrives on drama, pageantry and intense competition.

With the foursomes and four-ball formats slated to take center stage over the weekend, the Ryder Cup promises to deliver the characteristic blend of national pride, skill and rivalry that has defined the event for decades. All eyes will be on Bethpage Black as the teams seek early momentum in a week that blends sport and spectacle in equal measure.