Ryder Cup glory

Ryder Cup glory | Daily Tribune

With the professional golf season coming to a close, there really isn’t much for golf fans to look forward to apart from the Ryder Cup matches in late September. While there are still a few months left in the calendar year, the majors are all done, and the FedEx Cup has been won. What’s really left for us fans is the Ryder Cup. I would argue, though, that aside from the majors, the Ryder Cup might be the most-awaited spectacle in golf.

The Ryder Cup wasn’t always such a big deal. In its early days, when the contest was between the US and Great Britain and Ireland, it was more of an exhibition match, with pride on the line, but with limited interest.

It didn’t help that the US dominated the matches since the biennial event started in the 1920s until the early 1980s. A significant change was necessary to keep fans interested, so in 1979, continental Europe was included in the British-Irish team, making the matches US vs Europe.

The entry of Europe transformed the Ryder Cup, driven largely by the brilliance of one man — Severiano Ballesteros.

Seve was one of golf’s biggest stars from the late 1970s through the 1980s and into the early 1990s. Aside from being a major winner, the Spanish golfer’s passion and charisma had Europeans excited.

Instead of simply showing up to the Ryder Cup, Seve brought an intangible to the matches — a competitive drive that lifted his team and brought some heat to the Americans.

From the mid-1980s onward, the Ryder Cup ceased to be just an exhibition among gentlemen golfers — it became a biennial battle of nerves, tempers, and passionate play.

The Shift

After decades of American dominance dating back to the inaugural matches in 1927, Europe now holds the superior winning record.

From 1927 to 1977, the US dominated, winning more than 80 percent of the matches. Since 1979, Team Europe has seized the upper hand, carving out triumphs that turned into some of the most painful defeats in American Ryder Cup history.

From epic comebacks on singles days to wins on away matches, to the domination displayed in the most recent matches in 2023, Team Europe has mostly had the Americans on their heels.

Adding to the pressure is that traditionally, the US Teams have higher-ranked players than the Europeans.

Fueled by an underdog mentality and a trademark sense of “family,” Team Europe has flourished — especially from the 2000s onward.

Players like Ian Poulter, who has no majors and isn’t someone ranked highly, suddenly become Ryder Cup heroes. It all started with Seve bringing the fight to the often-favored Americans. Now, Team Europe brings its own brand of confidence into the matches.

The 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome

The last contest in Marco Simone, Rome, was won convincingly by the Europeans.

In the opening morning session, Europe stunned the US with a commanding 4-0 sweep. There were record-winning margins, too, such as the 9&7 win by Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland over Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.

As if sending opponents home with seven holes to go wasn’t enough, doing it to the world number 1 and to Koepka, a multiple major winner, was a huge statement. Hovland and Aberg have no majors between them, but in the Ryder Cup, major records seem not to matter.

While 2023 matches ended in Europe’s favor, their winning the 2025 edition isn’t guaranteed. The matches not only return to US soil but to Bethpage Black in New York — a storied public course where the famously passionate, often rowdy New York crowds are sure to make their presence felt.

The Teams

As of writing, the US and European teams are complete.

The US, captained by Keegan Bradley, will be composed of the following:

Automatic qualifiers — Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau

Captain’s Picks — Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns

Team Europe, captained by Luke Donald, will be composed of the following:

Automatic qualifiers — Rory McIlroy, Robert McIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tyrell Hatton

Captain’s Picks — Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Matt Fitzpatrick

The contrast between the two teams could not have been more glaring. The US lineup is an even split, with six returnees from 2023 and six fresh faces.

Team Europe returns with nearly the same roster from 2023, the lone change being Nicolai Højgaard’s spot now taken by his twin brother, Rasmus.

The US enters 2025 with only six holdovers from its 2023 roster, while Europe arrives at Bethpage with an almost intact lineup — 11 of 12 players returning.

Will it be a case of history repeating itself for Europe, or will new blood help the Americans’ cause?