Scheffler's Ryder Cup woes deepen as world No. 1 loses twice on opening day in front of Donald Trump

Scottie Scheffler's Ryder Cup woes deepened on Friday at Bethpage Black, where the world No. 1 suffered losses in both of his opening-day matches and, in the process, matched a rare Tiger Woods-era mark for a reigning world No. 1 on the event's first day.

In the morning foursomes, Scheffler teamed with Russell Henley against Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. The European duo dominated the front and back nine, and Scheffler and Henley could only sparingly threaten the course, eventually losing 5&3 before reaching the 16th hole. It was a rough start for the Americans, who were already facing an unfamiliar blend of partners and pressure on a day when the course’s conditions were unforgiving and the energy around the host venue was high.

Hours later, Scheffler returned to the first tee for the fourballs alongside another rookie, JJ Spaun, only to be beaten 3&2 by Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka. The afternoon match added to a string of misfires for Scheffler, who had few opportunities to flip momentum in New York and left the course with a growing ledger of putts that refused to drop.

The day left Scheffler with two matches played and two losses on opening day. The team’s overall performance on Friday was marred not only by his results but by a wider set of struggles among the Americans, including Henley’s rough morning and Spaun’s late slog in the second session.

Trump watched from behind a pane of glass as Spaun danced for the president after their pairing’s winless status on the day. The former president has historically kept in touch with Scheffler when he wins—texting or calling after titles—adding a unique political backdrop to the event in New York.

Scheffler’s all-time Ryder Cup record now stands at two wins, four losses, three ties. Across his last six matches, he is 0-4-2, and his three foursome appearances have all ended in routs. In those 41 holes of foursomes, he has won only three. The numbers underline a troubling pattern that has followed him from the 2021 debut, where he went undefeated, to a more challenging spell in recent editions.

The day’s results came despite the presence of Bryson DeChambeau on the American side, who also finished 0-2 on Friday. DeChambeau’s misfortune echoed Scheffler’s, highlighting a rough start for a U.S. lineup that features several first-timers and a need for the veteran anchors to steady the ship as the event moves into its second day.

The opening-day onslaught extended beyond Scheffler’s own performance. Spaun didn’t finish a hole between the seventh and the 14th in the morning session, while Henrik Henley’s struggles in the morning and a few missed opportunities in the afternoon put the Americans in an early hole to climb out of. On the European side, Rahm and Straka’s victory over Scheffler and Spaun provided a clear signal that the European pairings have found a stronger rhythm.

There was a palpable sense of the moment’s pressure as fans, including European supporters and some high-profile spectators inside Bethpage, offered taunts when putts slid by the edge of the cup on the 14th green. The refrain, echoed by some sections of the crowd, underscored the challenge Scheffler and the U.S. team face as they regroup for the weekend.

"It really just came down to me not holing enough putts," Scheffler said after the day’s play. "We’ll come back out tomorrow."

For context, the Ryder Cup has a long history of up-and-down days for world No. 1 players, but Scheffler’s two losses on opening day are a rare marker in the event’s modern era. The last time a reigning world No. 1 lost twice on the opening day was Tiger Woods in 2002, and such occurrences have only happened a handful of times since the event began in 1927. The early results place a premium on the American veterans to rally the team under pressure and push for a stronger showing in Saturday’s sessions.

As the team looks ahead to day two, the goal remains simple: convert more opportunities on the greens, tighten the finish on tight holes, and convert the critical par saves that eluded Scheffler and his partners on Friday. The Ryder Cup, after all, is often decided by how a team responds to a tough start, and the Americans will need a collective push from their anchor players if they are to reverse Friday’s trend and keep themselves in contention this weekend.