Ryder Cup

2025 Ryder Cup: Opening Session Turns Into a Disaster For Team USA

Justin Rimpi

Well, that was a kick in the teeth. The much-hyped Ryder Cup morning session at Bethpage Black was supposed to be a showcase for American dominance. Instead, it turned into a European party, and Team USA was left looking like they’d just been told the clubhouse bar was closed. Farmingdale, New York, was buzzing at sunrise. The stage was set. The crowd was roaring. And then, it all just… deflated. How did things get so off track at the Ryder Cup?

Ryder Cup: How Did It All Go So Wrong?

It started with so much promise, didn’t it? Bryson DeChambeau, draped in an American flag like a pro-wrestling champion, walked to the first tee. He then proceeded to absolutely annihilate a golf ball, driving the green on a par-4. A 10-foot birdie putt later, and the USA was 1-up. You could practically hear “The Star-Spangled Banner” crescendoing across Long Island. Captain Keegan Bradley must have been thinking, “This is it. This is our moment.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

That was the only hole the American power-duo of DeChambeau and Justin Thomas would win all day. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, the European bulldogs, just hung around, weathering the early storm. They watched as the American putters went cold. The U.S. missed a soul-crushing seven putts from inside 15 feet. Any one of them could have flipped a hole, changed the momentum, given the roaring home crowd something to believe in.

Instead, the belief slowly seeped out of Bethpage Black. The Europeans, meanwhile, played like they owned the place. Hatton hit a “hit-and-hope” shot from the rough on No. 7 that miraculously found the green, leading to a crucial par. Then Rahm started dropping putts, and the momentum had officially crossed the Atlantic.

The European Onslaught Continues At the Ryder Cup

It wasn’t just one match. It was a bloodbath.

  • Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick dismantled World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
  • The “Fleetwood Mac” duo of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood put on a clinical performance, making it look easy.

By the time the morning mist had cleared, Europe had stormed to a 3-1 lead. Thank goodness for Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, who managed to salvage a point, preventing a complete and utter shutout. But let’s be honest, it was a catastrophic collapse averted by the skin of their teeth.

So, where does Team USA go from here? Back to the drawing board, for sure. The afternoon session is no longer just about winning; it’s about stopping the bleeding. The Europeans are fired up, and the Americans look shell-shocked on their own turf. The Ryder Cup isn’t won on paper or with one Herculean drive. It is won with clutch putts and relentless grit, something Team Europe had in spades this morning.

Justin has been a sportswriter for nearly a decade. He has previously written for 247 Sports an Sports Illustrated.

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