Ryder Cup tickets plummet as Team USA falters on Long Island
With Europe nearing victory, fan interest shrinks as third-party markets see steep ticket losses and U.S. play struggles continue into Sunday singles
Tickets for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black have plummeted on the event’s final day as Team USA’s stumble compounds fan apathy and a widening gap on the leaderboard. Face value for the cheapest ticket was $750, and early-week listings on third-party marketplaces showed Sunday access pricing of $775 or more, with some postings climbing above $800 before the matches began. By 8:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, the least expensive ticket to attend Sunday’s singles at Bethpage Black was listed at $294 on StubHub, a loss of more than 60% from the ticket’s face value. The price erosion underscores the sense of urgency around a U.S. performance that has failed to near a comeback despite the Ryder Cup’s high-stakes hype.
Team USA entered Sunday facing a daunting retainer from Europe, trailing 11.5-4.5 after two days of play. The American side has struggled to mount a turnround, with only a single American win through two days in the day’s morning session: Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young defeated Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Aberg in a foursome. In the afternoon, the only other American victory came when Xander Schauffele and JJ Spaun defeated Sepp Straka and Jon Rahm. Europe’s lead has required just two-and-a-half points in Sunday’s singles to retain the Ryder Cup, a target that remains within reach even as the U.S. looks to rally.
Sunday’s singles lineup features a number of marquee matchups that could decide the cup outcome. The day will begin with Justin Rose taking on Cameron Young, a New York native, followed by Justin Thomas against Tommy Fleetwood and Bryson DeChambeau versus Matt Fitzpatrick. Perhaps the day’s most anticipated pairing pits Scottie Scheffler, seeking his first big moment of the event, against Rory McIlroy, who has been the hottest golfer on the European side in recent weeks. The rest of the order includes Patrick Cantlay against Ludvig Aberg, Xander Schauffele against Jon Rahm, JJ Spaun against Sepp Straka, Russell Henley against Shane Lowry, Ben Griffin against Rasmus Hojgaard, Collin Morikawa against Tyrrell Hatton, Sam Burns against Robert MacIntyre, and Harris English against Viktor Hovland.
Hovland’s status loomed over the afternoon decision as he pulled out late Saturday with a neck injury. That development has prompted talk among observers about potential lineup adjustments or contingency measures, including humorous chatter about an “envelope rule” in which a sealed substitute could be inserted if Hovland cannot play. Officials have not announced any changes to the scheduled singles order, and Sunday’s play is set to proceed as planned unless a late medical update dictates otherwise.
The ticket-market dynamics on the weekend illustrate a broader question about fan engagement when a team appears to be falling short of expectations. Even as European players bid to seal the Cup on Sunday, the crowd on Long Island has shown signs of wavering, with many fans choosing not to participate in what could be a decisive moment in the 2025 competition. The Ryder Cup has a long history of dramatic Sunday finishes, but this edition has been notable for the gap between traditional enthusiasm and the current economic calculus of live sports attendance.
As the singles matches unfold, eyes will be on whether the U.S. squad can stitch together a streak that reverses the momentum. The European team, for its part, has maintained pressure and kept its lead intact, needing a relatively modest number of points to clinch a victory. The outcome on Sunday will not only decide this edition of the Ryder Cup but also influence how fans and sponsors gauge the market for future events at Bethpage Black and beyond.