Three things to look out for at this year’s Ryder Cup
USUA TODAY Sports’ Chris Bumbaca breaks down the three biggest storylines surrounding the 2025 Ryder Cup.
- Bethpage Black, known for its difficulty, will be set up differently for the 2025 Ryder Cup.
- Team USA, as the home team, tailored the course layout to favor its players’ strengths.
- Players expect an aggressive strategy will be necessary due to the more forgiving conditions.
FARMINDALE, N.Y. – Not many golf courses come with warning signs. This one does.
“WARNING,” the red-lettered notice reads as players walk to the first tee.“The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers.”
At the 2025 Ryder Cup, the Bethpage Black Course won’t live up to that brutal reputation, which has flummoxed golfers at all proficiency levels, from 30-handicaps to professionals. Brooks Koepka won the last major here, the 2019 PGA Championship, by shooting four-over par over the four days of play. Tiger Woods won the first major at Bethpage, the 2002 U.S. Open, at -3, three shots ahead of second-place finisher Phil Mickelson.
“Bethpage is a tough course,” Europe captain Luke Donald said, “but it’s certainly not set up like a U.S. Open.”
“The golf course was a beast,” American Bryson DeChambeau said.
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The fescue-thick rough has been stamped down to be a more forgiving and playable surface in the event of errant shots. To account for the massive grandstand behind it, the first tee is closer to the pin than normal. A public course, Bethpage’s greens are less severe, although there is more undulation in the fairways and many elevated greens.
Based on previous Ryder Cups in the U.S., Donald said, the setup isn’t surprising at all with the speeds on each green consistent and fairway widths manageable.
“I think you’re going to have to expect to go out there and make some birdies,” Donald said. “These are world-class players.”
And birdies are better than blow-ups. The rough is thin enough that a bad shot doesn’t doom a player on any hole. Being conservative, even if the other side hits a bad shot, doesn’t guarantee a win.
“Because if you get lucky and have a nice lie, you can easily make birdie from out of position here,” Europe’s Viktor Hovland said. “So I think aggressiveness is probably going to be a good strategy. You still are just going to have execute and play like you’re trying to birdie almost every hole.”
The home team decides how the course is laid out, and U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said that aspect has been a fun part of the job for him. He estimated he’s played the Black Course “50 to 100 times.”
“This is probably the best condition I’ve ever seen it,” he said.
The Americans incorporated their analytical data to best suit the course to the 12-person team’s strengths. The U.S. hasn’t said anything explicitly, but the setup seems to try and maximize their advantage over Europe in the short-wedge game.
Consistent rain Thursday will also make for softened conditions when the first foursomes go off Friday morning.
“It’s going to be fun to see how this golf course presents itself for us in these types of conditions,” DeChambeau said. “It’s a little softer, but being match play, that’s going to provide a unique challenge for all of us, and hopefully I can do some fun stuff this week.”
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