Scheffler stumbles on Day 1 as U.S. Ryder Cup hopes face early test at Bethpage
Defending champion’s rough start raises questions about form as Americans look to regroup at Bethpage Black.
Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, N.Y. — Scottie Scheffler, who has dominated golf since 2021, endured a rough start to the 2025 Ryder Cup on Friday. The American star went 0-2 on the day, including a 5-and-3 loss to Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick in the morning foursomes while he teamed with Russell Henley.
Scheffler's ball-striking failed to click for much of the day — he missed fairways, his iron play was out of sync, and he could not hole a putt that mattered.
That performance contrasted sharply with Scheffler’s recent run of dominance. Since 2021, he has won 19 times, including 13 victories in the last two years, and spent 156 weeks as the world No. 1.
Fitzpatrick, who joined Aberg in the morning foursomes, carried a 1-7 Ryder Cup record into this event, a reminder of the volatility that can accompany the biennial competition. The pairing’s 5-and-3 win underscored how quickly momentum can shift in a Ryder Cup match, even as Scheffler faced a long day of misfires and missed opportunities.
With one day in the books, the United States confronted an early test as the event moved into its remaining matches. The results from Friday set a clear reminder that even the sport’s best players can encounter rough patches under Ryder Cup pressure, and that the course conditions at Bethpage Black can magnify mistakes. Analysts and fans will be watching closely how Scheffler responds on the weekend, and how his teammates adapt to the challenge of keeping the U.S. in the hunt across the remaining sessions.