Scheffler's Ryder Cup start raises Team USA concerns, echoing Tiger Woods-era dilemmas

Scottie Scheffler's opening-day Ryder Cup performance alongside Russell Henley has raised questions about how Team USA will fare in a team format, drawing comparisons to Tiger Woods-era concerns about a dominant individual player's ability in Ryder Cup play.

On Friday morning, Europe’s Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick posted a 5-under par performance in their 15-hole foursomes, while Scheffler and Henley finished even through the morning's session. The U.S. duo had chances but could not sustain a push, reflecting a trend of uneven results for Scheffler in team formats.

Scheffler's Ryder Cup résumé in foursomes is far from stellar. He is 1-6 in the format across Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups. He also has a history of tough moments in recent team matches: in 2023 he and Brooks Koepka were defeated 9 and 7 in a foursomes match, and in the 2022 and 2023 Presidents Cups he went 0-2 in foursomes or team matches.

Henley, ranked No. 3 in the world, faced pressure in his Ryder Cup debut on the big stage, and Scheffler noted that the pair did some good things but did not hole enough putts early. The two generated chances, but the opponents were sharp and converted when it mattered.

Two weeks earlier, Scheffler acknowledged that he had not felt as prepared as he could have been for the event and said he had rededicated himself to getting ready for this Cup.

Comparisons to Tiger Woods are a reminder that even the most dominant players can struggle in a team setting. Tiger Woods went 13-21-3 in 37 Ryder Cup matches, a figure that underscores the challenge of translating individual greatness into team play, and the current U.S. squad will be watching Scheffler closely as the event progresses.

With the first Friday results in the books, the United States will look to rebound in the remaining matches and hope Scheffler can regain his form with a new partner or in adjusted formats as the Cup moves forward.