USA fans slam Ryder Cup team over fashion at gala dinner

Sands Point, N.Y. — A Ryder Cup gala dinner at Hempstead House on Long Island drew immediate postevent scrutiny as Team USA and Team Europe arrived for the week’s competition, with fans online reacting to the Americans’ attire. European players were seen in tailored suits, striped shirts, ties and black dress shoes, while the U.S. contingent also wore suits but with white dress shirts, no ties and top buttons open. The most talked-about element was the white leather sneakers worn by several American players, a choice that sparked social media chatter about formality and tradition ahead of the matches at Bethpage Black.

Fans wasted little time in weighing in on X, with posts that ranged from playful to pointed. One observer wrote, ‘Europe is going to win. Business trip for them. America in tennis shoes? Who wears tennis shoes to a castle?’ A second post questioned American attire more bluntly: ‘Why are the Americans wearing sneakers, come on have class.’ Others described the scene as a letdown relative to the European group’s formal appearance, and several comments criticized the lack of ties among the U.S. players. The dialogue reflected a broader sense among some spectators that style should mirror the prestige of the event and the historic rivalry with Team Europe.

[Image embedded here to illustrate the scene at the gala dinner.]

Of the 12 Team USA players who arrived, only two were unaccompanied: Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau. Schauffele’s father, Stefan, has previously spoken about his family’s decision to boycott Ryder Cup events in response to what they described as unacceptable fan behavior in the past, a history that colors the expectations around a player who is one of the team’s veterans. It remained unclear whether Schauffele’s wife Maya joined him at the event. On DeChambeau, local chatter touched on rumors that he is dating a recent college graduate, Lilia Schneider; there has been no official confirmation of that relationship.

The gala and its fashion moment come as the United States seeks to reclaim the Ryder Cup after a challenging showing at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome in 2023. The competition this year pits Team USA at home, with Bethpage Black serving as the centerpiece for the matches that begin Friday. Proponents of the U.S. squad have stressed that performance on the course will ultimately determine outcomes, but fashion and presentation have not been entirely severed from the narrative surrounding golf’s premium team event. As teams prepare to take the course, the emphasis remains on skill, strategy and the evolving dynamics between players and their support crews, even as social media continues to weigh in on every sartorial choice.

The Ryder Cup atmosphere has long blended sport with pageantry, and this year’s sartorial debate underscores the ongoing clash between tradition and modernity in a tournament that grows increasingly global in its audience. While many fans focus on the swings and strategy, others will continue to dissect photos from the gala, looking for signals about team chemistry, leadership and momentum going into the Friday tee times at Bethpage Black.