Scottie Scheffler has admitted he finds it “really weird” that previous United States teams have gone into Ryder Cups without playing tournament golf for several weeks.
In a change of protocol from previous years, Scheffler and nine of his 11 USA team-mates played over the weekend at the Procore Championship, with the world No 1 emerging victorious in California.
Ahead of the last Ryder Cup, when Europe claimed a dominant victory in Rome in 2023, only two members of that US team – Justin Thomas and Max Homa – played in the final PGA Tour event before the famous team competition.
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The best of the action from day three of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy
Scheffler believes the change of approach, encouraged by captain Keegan Bradley, has put the home side in a stronger position to win back the trophy when the Ryder Cup takes place in New York from September 26-28, live on Sky Sports.
“When I look at my experience from the last few team events, it’s weird to have such a long break after the season ends to one of our biggest events being either the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup,” Scheffler said after claiming his sixth win of the 2025 season.
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Highlights of day four from the Procure Championship at Silverado Resort’s North Course
“Those are huge for us as Americans and something we take a lot of pride in. I find it really weird there’s four or five weeks between the end of our season and a huge team event.
“So, staying sharp is something that’s always important to me, but it is important to also get rest at the end of each season. I mean, playing tournament golf out here for an entire year, being in contention, it takes a lot out of you physically and mentally.
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Donald looks ahead to the Ryder Cup and discusses the challenge facing Team Europe in New York
“So, there is a balance between rest and getting ready for the team events, but going into this Ryder Cup I felt like, for our preparation, this was something we needed to do – to come here and play this week.
“I think we’re all feeling very prepared to go into Bethpage and excited to get that week started.”
Team Europe style ‘Bethpage scouting trip was floated’
Partly due to the DP World Tour schedule, European players have tended to find it easy to compete in the weeks building up to a Ryder Cup.
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Rory McIlroy ‘loves’ the team Donald has assembled for the Ryder Cup and believes Team Europe ‘have a wonderful opportunity’ at Bethpage Black
This time around, all but one of Luke Donald’s 12-strong side played in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which ran at the same time as the Procore Championship.
Donald’s squad and staff headed straight to New York after the tournament on Sunday night for a scouting trip of their own at Bethpage Black, which Scheffler revealed the US team had also considered doing.
“It was something we discussed at the beginning of the year. We floated the idea of doing a scouting trip to Bethpage or coming here and playing this event,” Scheffler said.
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Speaking as strategic advisor to Team Europe, Paul McGinley explains the decision to fly all 12 European players to New York a week in advance of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage
“We felt it would be a little bit more valuable to get all the guys together here this week to play tournament golf in order to stay in shape.
“For me there’s just a difference between practising and playing at home and getting under the gun in a tournament.
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Scottie Scheffler will make a third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance for Team USA
“Especially going into a team event where you play formats that you’re not totally used to with it being match play on Sunday and playing a best ball and an alternate shot. It’s a little bit of a different format than we’re used to, so I think it’s even more important to stay sharp going into a tournament like that.”
Bradley was in attendance in California and, aside from Xander Schauffele, who recently became a father, was able to get all of his players – including Bryson DeChambeau – together ahead of the tournament for a dinner.
“It was definitely good prep,” Scheffler added. “It was nice to get all the guys together. We had some fun at the beginning of the week, played our practice rounds together.
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Team Europe made a ‘scouting mission’ to Bethpage Black ahead of the Ryder Cup
“Once the tournament starts it’s pretty much business as usual for us, but overall it was a great week. We could all hang out and stay sharp.”
What’s next?
There will be extended live coverage from every day of Ryder Cup week, starting on Monday September 22, where Team Europe look to regain the trophy with a historic away win in the United States.
Round-the-clock coverage of the opening day’s play will begin with live build-up from 9am on Friday September 26, ahead of full coverage from midday. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
