Scheffler's Ryder Cup struggles deepen U.S. deficit at Bethpage

Scottie Scheffler became the first American to lose a match in each of the first four sessions of a Ryder Cup, a historic skid for the world No. 1 as the United States faced a widening gap at Bethpage Black. The memory of his 2023 meltdown in Rome—when he cried after a loss—hung over the event, and Scheffler extended that emotional burden with four straight defeats as this year’s competition progressed.

Scheffler is winless in his past eight Ryder Cup matches and is the first top-ranked player to lose more than two matches in the event. He led for three of his 65 holes at Bethpage, but that advantage did not translate into a victory. In the foursomes session, his pairing with Russell Henley fell to Viktor Hovland and Bob MacIntyre, 1 up, continuing a troubling pattern in that format for the American side. In the four-ball session, Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau briefly built an early lead, but Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose surged back to win 3 and 2. Fleetwood has won all four of his matches this week, cementing his role as a driving force behind Europe’s surge.

In the wake of the results, Scheffler’s individual rhythm has drawn heavy attention. He is 2-0 all-time in singles play at the Ryder Cup, a small bright spot amid a week that has gone awry for the Americans. No American has ever lost five matches at a single Ryder Cup, a stat that underscored the magnitude of the challenge facing the U.S. squad as it moved toward Sunday’s singles sessions.

Bradley defended the approach as the U.S. attempted to stabilize a struggling lineup. 'We’re sticking to our plan. We’re not going to panic and make those sort of mistakes. We’re going to stick to what we know. We have a lot of confidence in them,' the captain said as he trialed two of Friday’s losing pairings in hopes of turning momentum around. The Morikawa-English duo, brought back on Saturday, showed signs of strain early, trailing Rory McIlroy and Fleetwood by four after eight holes, while the rest of the U.S. lineup sat on the bench. Harris English summed up the mood: 'They were tough the last two days. They didn’t give us anything.'

European captain Luke Donald praised his stars for delivering when it mattered most, saying, 'You need your superstars to perform at their highest. And they certainly have done that.' The early exchanges left the European side with a commanding hold on the competition as the rounds progressed. McIlroy, Fleetwood and Rahm along with Hatton have been central to a pattern where Europe has seized control in the foursomes, building a lead that has put increasing pressure on the U.S. team.

McIlroy’s recent form remains a talking point around the event, with his record in Ryder Cup play continuing to skew in his favor. He has shown consistency over the last several matches, moving to 8-1-1 in his past 10 Ryder Cup matches. Fleetwood’s standing is equally notable; his career Ryder Cup win percentage remains among the highest for any European with at least 10 starts, a testament to how the European lineup has performed in the critical formats this week.

The Saturday results also highlighted how quickly momentum can swing in the Ryder Cup’s traditional formats. In foursomes, the European teams have found rhythm, while the Americans have struggled to convert early leads into winning holes. The contrasts in play between the superstar-heavy European squad and a U.S. roster trying to find its footing have spurred questions about personnel decisions and strategic choices as the teams move toward Sunday’s singles.

As Sunday approaches, the U.S. will be leaning on Scheffler again in search of a breakthrough and on the remainder of its lineup to deliver a more complete performance than has been seen through the first four sessions. The Ryder Cup’s history shows that comebacks are possible, but the path requires a holistic improvement from every facet of Team USA—short game, putting, and pairing chemistry alike.