Ryder Cup review

Team Europe won the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, with the U.S. rally falling short in a 15-13 victory that marked the first time a European team won on American soil since 2012.

Europe built a commanding early lead over the first two days, dominating the foursomes and four-ball matches. The American team mounted a strong comeback on Sunday during the singles matches, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.

While Europe's 2025 Ryder Cup victory was a team effort, several players delivered standout performances. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Tommy Fleetwood were pivotal to Europe's win. Tommy Fleetwood also received the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award for embodying the spirit of the event.

Tommy Fleetwood was the undisputed MVP, earning 4 points with a 4-1-0 record at Bethpage Black. He was a part of the formidable foursomes pairings, going 4-0 over the first two days.

Rory McIlroy delivered crucial points despite facing relentless hostility from some American fans as Europe's on-course leader. He teamed up with Fleetwood for two crushing foursomes victories and secured a vital half-point alongside Shane Lowry.

Team Europe’s captain, Luke Donald, guided his team to an impressive victory over the United States and became the first European captain since 1987 to win back-to-back Ryder Cups.

Team USA's defeat in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black can be attributed to several factors, ranging from on-course decisions and individual player performance to internal team dynamics and the disruption caused by LIV Golf. While they mounted a historic comeback on Sunday, their performance in the first two days left them too far behind to secure the win.

Captain Keegan Bradley's selections and pairings were criticized by fans and analysts, with some stating that his chosen foursomes duo of Harris English and Collin Morikawa was statistically the worst possible option for the team. Bradley compounded the error by sending the same pair out again despite a thrashing in the first session.

While the New York-based Bradley had significant knowledge of the Bethpage Black course, he oddly benched players who also had deep knowledge of the course. Promising players like New York native Cameron Young and U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun were benched during key sessions, despite Young's strong eventual performance.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a devastating first two days, going 0-4 in his matches. His individual struggles were a major reason the U.S. fell so far behind. While Scheffler recovered to win his crucial singles match against Rory McIlroy, his poor performance in team formats has become a recurring issue that needs to be solved.

While Europe's captain, Luke Donald, enjoyed a deep, experienced support staff that helped build a cohesive team, the U.S. lacked the same level of continuity and preparedness.

Despite these challenges, the U.S. team refused to quit, putting on a spectacular singles display and winning 8.5 of the 12 available points. This historic effort brought them within two points of victory and somewhat redeemed what had been an otherwise embarrassing performance.

Massimo Buonagurio is a second-year student majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email mkb6750@psu.edu.