The Ryder Cup is golf’s greatest soap opera. Every two years, 24 of the best players in the world turn into emotional wrecks, grown men fist-pump like they just won the Masters for the first time, and fans lose their minds–and their lunch if they’ve over-imbibed all day–over a made six-foot putt. Now, add the Bethpage Black/NY factor into the story, one of the hardest, nastiest, loudest golf stages on the planet. This Ryder Cup will transcend golf, which is great for the game!
Here are the 10 storylines that will make it must-watch chaos, plus a few bold predictions just to stir the pot.
1. Bethpage Black: The Beast Awakes
Bethpage Black is an 18-hole bully for us mere mortals. Fairways are claustrophobic, rough is straight out of a horror movie, and the greens are smaller than a New York studio apartment. The infamous warning sign at the first tee says it all: “Only for highly skilled golfers.” Translation: even the best teeing it up this weekend will not finish holes with “ball in pocket”, and will become the meme of the hour.
2. Captains on the Hot Seat
Keegan Bradley is the U.S. captain, and he’s already made headlines for leaving himself off the team. Bold. Luke Donald returns as Captain for Europe after masterminding their win in Rome. Both guys know the deal: win and you’re a hero, lose and you get blamed for everything.
3. The Captain’s Picks Gamble
Bradley rolled the dice with Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns, and some new blood like Cameron Young and Ben Griffin. Europe went with battle-tested vets, including 11 of the 12 winning gents who played in Rome. The only player for the Euro squad who didn’t play in Rome is replacing his Danish identical twin brother. If the picks flop, the second-guessing will be merciless.
4. Rory, Rahm, DeChambeau, Scheffler: The biggest stars are about to throw down.
This Cup is dripping with star power. Rory McIlroy will be looking to erase the pain of Whistling Straits. Rahm and DeChambeau are built like linebackers and play with passion. Scottie Scheffler is golf’s cheat code, and playing like Jack/Tiger. Whoever carries their team on their back might just write the script.
5. Rookies in the Fire Pit
Guys like Ben Griffin, JJ Spaun, and Cameron Young will find out quickly what it’s like to hit a tee shot while 40,000 New Yorkers are waiting to cheer or boo after every swing. Some rookies turn into heroes. Some crumble. Place your bets.
6. Chemistry Class in Session
The Ryder Cup isn’t stroke play—it’s speed dating with golf clubs. Who pairs with who? Especially with the foursomes format. Who can hit it straight, and who can drain snakes? And then there’s the great ball debate: Do we play with yours, mine, or do we mix it up? Not all balls are the same. And not all players feel comfortable playing with a ball they aren’t used to. A bad foursomes pairing can sink a team faster than a double bogey on 18. Watch the captains shuffle the deck all weekend.
7. The New York Crowd Factor
Bethpage fans will not be polite golf clappers. They’ll be loud, they’ll be rowdy, and they’ll remind every European player that they’re in enemy territory. Think Yankees bleacher creatures with a 9-iron. Will Europe embrace the chaos and play villain? Or will the heckling rattle them like it did Sergio at Medinah?
8. Revenge vs. Repeat
Europe shocked the U.S. in Rome in 2023. Now, they’re chasing the holy grail: back-to-back wins, including one on American soil. The U.S. hasn’t lost at home since 2012. One side has a chance at redemption (US), the other could earn the moniker of dynasty (Euros). Simple as that.
9. Sunday Singles = Pure Chaos
When the scoreboard tightens and the Cup comes down to the singles, all bets are off. Captains have to gamble: do you throw your best players out early to grab momentum, or anchor them late hoping for a clutch finish? Sunday at the Ryder Cup is where legends are born—and where big names flame out. We’d love to see Scheffler or DeChambeau tee it up early against Rory. That would make for fantastic TV.
10. The Ryder Cup’s Secret Ingredient: Chaos
Wind, weather, bad lies, ricocheted shots off grandstands—Bethpage is unpredictable. Add nervy 3-footers, adrenaline, and the occasional rogue fan yelling mid-swing, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for drama.
Our Bold Predictions – which will undoubtedly fall short!
- A rookie clinches the winning point. Don’t be shocked if Rasmus Højgaard or Cameron Young writes themselves into Ryder Cup lore with a Sunday dagger.
- A superstar lays an egg. At least one of Rory, Rahm, DeChambeau, or Scheff will go ice cold. That’s the Ryder Cup. Not every hero can win every battle.
- Crowd interference. At least a few Europeans will complain (rightfully) about the crowd being too rowdy. It’s New York—they/we know what’s coming. The question really is just how far officials and security will let it go before fans start getting kicked out of the park.
- Keegan regrets not picking himself. He swears he’s fine with the decision. But if the U.S. loses, everyone will ask: “What if?”
- A viral moment steals the week. Whether it’s a fist pump, a meltdown, or a fan running on the fairway dressed as Uncle Sam, the internet will have its Ryder Cup meme locked and loaded.
Hey, US squad. Let’s goooooooo!