Having boots on the ground at Bethpage for the Ryder Cup was an all-time experience. I got to go with my wife, and we had an amazing time taking in the atmosphere. Our only day on the grounds was Sunday — and even though Team USA was already deep in a hole, we were full of excitement just to be there.
We never really felt like the U.S. had a shot to come back. That said, we did get to see Cameron Young, Justin Thomas, and Scottie Scheffler win their singles matches on 18, which was awesome. Still, with so many people packed onto the property, getting a good view of actual golf shots was tough — you’re often watching reactions or relying on big screens.
The Result: A Flat Performance from the U.S.
Let’s just call it what it was: a poor showing. Losing the Ryder Cup isn’t the end of the world, but being out of contention before Sunday is what makes it so frustrating. Europe only took one match in Sunday singles — one — and still won the Cup by three points. How is that even possible?
If I had told you on Thursday that Europe would only take one singles match, you’d assume Team USA was in great shape. But no — they got blown off the course in the team formats, especially early. The opening foursomes scores were brutal: 5&4, 5&3, 4&3. What are we doing?
Roster & Strategy: Keegan’s Plan and its Pitfalls
Heading into Friday, I actually liked what Keegan Bradley was trying to do. He leaned into our distance advantage by cutting the grass way down. But then the rain hit, the greens softened, and with no wind, Bethpage became extremely gettable — for everyone. There was nothing left to protect the course.
I didn’t mind the matchups early, and honestly, I thought he picked the right team overall. But once things went sideways on Day 1, I fully expected adjustments. Instead, we got more of the same. Running Collin Morikawa and Harris English back out on Day 2 felt like stubbornness. I understand wanting to stick to a game plan — but in match play, you have to be willing to pivot fast.
As for roster construction, Russell Henley was a weak spot, and I don’t think Morikawa or English should have been on the team. But beyond that, this really wasn’t about the wrong personnel. It was a failure in preparation and strategy — and maybe something deeper.
The Intangibles: What’s Missing in the USA Team?
I’m a data guy. I believe in analytics, expected value, strokes gained — all of it. But this Ryder Cup left me questioning how predictive skill set really is in this format. On paper, the U.S. had statistical edges in almost every key category. But on the course? It didn’t matter.
There’s something the European team has that the Americans just don’t. Call it camaraderie, brotherhood, passion — whatever. It matters. Watching guys like Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Viktor Hovland… they wanted it. And they looked like they were having the time of their lives chasing it together.
If you had to choose a team to have a beer with, who would you pick? Lowry, Hatton, Fleetwood, Bobby Mac? Or Cantlay, Henley, Morikawa, English, and Sam Burns? It’s a weird way to think about team chemistry, but I think it says something. Europe’s guys seem to genuinely enjoy playing with and for each other. Team USA? It feels like a group of solo contractors showing up for a group project.
Looking Ahead to 2027
I won’t throw Bradley under the bus. He picked the team most of us would’ve picked, minus maybe Morikawa. And he made bold course setup choices to give us an edge. But when things went south, he didn’t adapt quickly enough. That’s on him — and on the players who didn’t show up.
My real fear is that this generation of American golfers simply doesn’t have the fire to win this thing on foreign soil. Europe will be even stronger in Ireland in 2027. The challenge only gets steeper. If we don’t bring in new blood — players with hunger, personality, and a team-first mindset — it’s hard to see the result changing.
And until we figure out how to win as a team, we’ll keep racking up stats and trophies as individuals… and getting worked at the Ryder Cup.
Maroochi out.