Nothing quite like an impending natural disaster to shift event plans! 2025’s Ryder Cup was defined by friendly competition, passionate fans, plenty of spectacle, and an incoming hurricane that necessitated a major scheduling curveball for our LEO Events team.
Right up to the finish line, details of this incredibly high-profile event continued to evolve with LEO’s executive producer Sara Orzech receiving one of the biggest asks at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Though the opening ceremony was set to occur Thursday at 4 p.m., the rain rolling in forced an epic gameplan shift—the team would have to pull off the opening ceremony a full day early.
Our LEOs rose to the occasion. Orzech’s calm command kept things moving, leading our teams alongside the PGA of America and other vendors through every twist and turn.
“Essentially anything that happened with the players, captains, and VIPs for the opening ceremony, LEO had a hand in, and I think the success of the efforts served to further solidify our relationship with the PGA,” Orzech said. “They treated us like a real partner in this effort, and it was an honor to have their trust and be their go-to on site.”
Orzech said our involvement with this program has grown since we produced the 2021 opening ceremony and trophy presentation, with LEO taking on more and more responsibility even in the moment onsite. She said she is infinitely proud of how LEO’s team showed unwavering adaptability, pivoting as needed and meeting each challenge while managing client expectations and attendee experience with equal grace.
The 45th Ryder Cup at Farmingdale, N.Y.’s Bethpage Black course was a milestone event for golf enthusiasts and the LEO Events team alike. Both on the course and behind the scenes, this event was all about teamwork; not just that of the players, but also the teamwork exemplified by the LEOs and vendors who showed up in full force to ensure the success of this highly anticipated, widely celebrated, globally broadcast event.
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Seeking to capture the perfect balance of sport and pageantry, the PGA of America looked to LEO for support with the production of Ryder Cup’s opening and closing ceremonies, talent sourcing, technical direction, stage design, script writing, speaker coaching, and content creation, as well as player introduction at the first tee. Crews spent nearly three weeks on site ensuring every element of the event was executed with excellence.
Standout moments included celebrity host Carson Daly welcoming fans and viewers worldwide; a custom LEO-produced opening video voiced by Jimmy Fallon; five different military flyovers, including a procession of international flags presented by the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights Parachute Team, who dropped in from the sky; and a custom-designed lectern displaying the 2025 Ryder Cup trophy. The LEO team also helped coordinate the entrance of President Donald J. Trump.
Sportsmanship and spectacle came together in front of a global audience, and delivering this work is a true point of pride for all of us at LEO Events. We’re grateful for our partnership with the PGA, and we look forward to what comes next for our teams.
