The 2025 Ryder Cup is underway, with the first foursomes session at Bethpage Black in the books. With just four of 28 points awarded, Team Europe has mounted a 3-1 lead over Team USA. Mathematically speaking, it hardly means that the matches are over. But Team USA Ryder Cup fans should be panicked after watching another Team Europe masterclass in foursomes.
The home team has won each of the last five Ryder Cups, every one since a European comeback in 2012 at Medinah. Team USA was favored coming into the matches partly because of that. But Europe's continuity and elite ball striking proved to be the more valuable factors in the first four matches.
The American team panicked after they went down 4-0 in morning foursomes in Rome in 2023. That led to captain Zach Johnson pairing Scottie Scheffler with Brooks Koepka for the first time in the competition. They were quickly served a 9&7 loss that effectively ended the competition and brought Scheffler to tears.
There may not be panic in the captain's room yet, but Keegan Bradley was an unorthodox choice. Just the idea that he could pick himself after a stellar PGA Tour season was a new idea that got the captaincy started on an odd foot. Not the wrong foot, but just one that no team had experienced before. The choice by the PGA of America to go with a younger player as the captain may have already backfired, even if it is not all his fault.
The questions about Bradley began on Thursday evening when the pairings were announced. According to DataGolf's pairings tool, Harris English and Collin Morikawa were the worst pairing Team USA could have deployed in foursomes, based on their strokes gained profiles. They were downed by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, 5&4.
What now for Team USA at the Ryder Cup?
The beauty of the Ryder Cup is that a bad session can be quickly washed away. Friday afternoon fourball starts shortly after the foursomes matches end. Team USA has traditionally been better at the fourball session, where players play their own ball, more similar to traditional stroke play.
But there are players on Bradley's squad who have lost the confidence of the fans, and potentially the captain. Russell Henley was paired with Scheffler, just like he was at last year's Presidents' Cup. But the Georgian's Ryder Cup debut was disastrous, missing key iron shots and putts to lose the point. Even after a long birdie putt on 14, it'll be tough to see Henley back out in alternate shot on Saturday morning
Collin Morikawa did not have a fantastic season, and that continued on Friday morning at the Ryder Cup. He was not set up for success with English, but none of his shots put pressure on McIlroy and Fleetwood. Reports surfaced from the practice round that Morikawa had a new putter in play, which did not help his stroke on the greens.
It looked like the Americans were going to secure an easy point in the final match. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were three up through 11 against Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland. But a putting masterclass from Hovland put the match in the balance, tied through 15 holes. The Americans won thanks to poor tee shots on 17 and 18 for the Europeans, but the one point Bradley's squad got did not come easily.
Three Ryder Cup rookies on the Team USA bench can come out and make a statement later in the event. JJ Spaun has been playing great golf, Ben Griffin made the team off a fantastic season, and Cam Young is a New Yorker who will be a crowd favorite. Sam Burns is the lone veteran on the bench. His greatest skill is putting, something the Americans need to improve.
The Ryder Cup is far from over, but the Americans have not put themselves in a good position through the first session. A 4-0 drubbing out of the gate essentially ended the 2023 matches. They cannot let that happen again this year in front of the home crowd.
