It was rough at Bethpage Black, and I’m not talking about the tall grass off the fairways.
Team USA came out so slowly on day one that they should have played from the Bethpage Whites.
And in a tournament in which there was more chirping than chipping, more cheap shots than wedge shots, and more giving the bird than making a bird, the European team came out victorious 15-13 in front of a raucous United States crowd.
The Americans embarrassed themselves with their vulgar play, childlike antics, and amateur performance. And the golfers weren’t much better.
One fan even threw a beer at Rory McIlroy’s wife, hitting her in the head. For the Americans, it was one of the few shots that were on target.
For Team USA, there was plenty of blame to go around.
The world’s number one player, Scottie Scheffler, would end up going 1-4-0 in the three-day event, winning only his individual match against McIlroy. Struggling off the tee box, the last time I saw Scheffler drive that poorly, he was in handcuffs at the PGA.
Team USA’s Bryson DeChambeau (1-3-1) wasn’t much better. DeChambeau played four-ball matches twice, partnered with Scheffler, and was defeated both times. DeChambeau’s accuracy was so suspect that they should have called it Fore!!!-Ball.
Team USA sure could have used vintage Tiger Woods in Four-ball, Individual, and Foursome. Heck, the way Tiger was getting around in those days, he probably had plenty of threesome experience as well.
But forget DeChambeau, most of the blame must be on the captain, Keegan Ro Sham Bo. Bradley’s team pairings were so questionable that I assumed he used Rock-Paper-Scissors to make them.
Things got really chippy when the European team of Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood accused DeChambeau’s caddie of standing in their line before a putt. I figured it was just a caddie being catty.
Credit via CNN
The action continued as Team Europe’s Shane Lowry had to be held back from going after an abusive fan. For a second, I thought Happy Gilmore had made the squad.
Generally, fighting doesn’t happen on the golf course unless the beer is flowing and a group behind you hits into you, but this Ryder Cup was more like the Fighter Cup.
A couple of swings, a left hook or two, now let’s go to the scorecards.
Credit via Wikipedia
The Ryder Cup even had Heather McMahon, daughter of WWE icon Vince McMahon, emcee the event.
I mean, dropping the gloves in hockey is one thing. But dropping those little shiny white FootJoys is just embarrassing.
McMahon would later step down as the event emcee after participating in a derogatory chant targeted at Rory McIlroy. Despite having a podcast entitled, Absolutely Not, it seems that you can Absolutely Not yell “F-you, Rory!” at the Ryder Cup. Even in New York.
McIlroy and his wife would end up taking plenty of abuse from the fans, but eventually McIlroy dished it out as well, telling a group of fans to “Shut the F-up!” Although I’m not sure if it means the same thing in Irish.
I’m used to seeing McIlroy hit bombs off the tee box, but not F-bombs.
FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 27: Rory McIlroy of Team Europe reacts on the 14th green during the Saturday afternoon four-balls matches of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 27, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Throwing a beer at a player’s wife is just classless, barbaric, and un-American. In the game of golf, Americans throw tantrums, we throw clubs, but we never waste beer.
In Team USA’s defense, if you think Keegan Bradley can get a dozen Americans to cooperate, get along, and work as one for the good of the team, you haven’t been paying much attention lately.
Bonding for Team Europe must have been a snap. Find a pub. Check. Drink some beer. Check. Hate America. Check.
Speaking of a divided America, President Donald Trump made an appearance at the Ryder Cup this weekend. Apparently, he heard it was a good place to “fix your lie.”
The President is an avid golf fan who owns multiple courses, plays often, and is known as a scratch golfer. As in, scratch that six from my scorecard and put me down for a four.
At one point, even the announcers were throwing jabs. After a Tyrrell Hatton’s wayward tee shot, the announcers said that the Americans were looking good in the middle of the fairway, while European in the woods.
If you think about it, did we really lose to the Europeans? McIlroy, Lowry, and Matt Fitzpatrick live in Juniper, Florida. Sepp Straka lives in Birmingham, Alabama. And Viktor Hovland just relocated to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, after living in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for most of his life.
Luck of the Irish was with the European team as they had McIlroy, Fitzpatrick, and Robert MacIntyre on their squad. While the Americans had no Flannagan’s, O’Sullivan’s, or most importantly, Mulligans.
Also not fair to have any British on your team. They have a Tee Time practically every day.
The truth is, if you’re really a true American, it didn’t matter whether Team USA or Team Europe won the Ryder Cup. You were watching Penn State versus Oregon, Alabama versus Georgia, NFL football, and the MLB race. Golf is for snobby rich kids.
Between McIlroy’s colorful language, DeChambeau’s childish behavior, the LIV Tour’s bad boy image, and John Rahm and Scheffler seeming like they don’t care, it’s getting hard to remember who to hate anymore.
Seriously, after three days of the Ryder Cup what did we learn? Golfers are spoiled, New Yorkers are rude, and no one likes America these days.
Could have told you that before.
Credit via The Independent
Images via the independent, Wikipedia, abc news, npr, cnn.
Alan Tapley is an educator, author, and blogger who has lived just outside of Boulder for the last twenty years. His published work includes two novels, two children’s books, a series of cartoons in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and multiple sports related articles. His love for family and the state of Colorado is only matched by one thing, his passion for sports. The first baseball game he ever attended was at Wrigley Field, before there were lights. At the final Bronco game at the old Mile High, he allegedly cut out a piece of his seat in the South stands. But regardless of being here for the Avalanche’s last Stanley Cup, the Rockies only World Series appearance, and all the Broncos’ Super Bowl Victories, his wife never fails to remind him that he wasn’t at the University of Colorado in 1990, like she was. The year the Buffs football team won the National Championship
