The players on both teams for the 2025 Ryder Cup have only a week left to prepare before the event at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. Efforts have been extensive to get them finely geared up for the biennial competition.
The European team recently completed a charter flight from Wentworth to Bethpage Black after participating in the BMW PGA Championship, where 11 of the 12 players made an appearance. Adhering to the successful strategy from the 2023 Ryder Cup, also under Luke Donald’s leadership, the team will spend two days evaluating their performance as well as the hosting course.
Recent successes among European players include Rory McIlroy’s triumph at the Irish Open and Tommy Fleetwood’s win at the Tour Championship, which secured him the FedEx Cup. Additionally, Justin Rose celebrated a dramatic playoff victory in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, contributing to the team’s momentum.
However, it’s not just the Europeans excelling. The top American player, Scottie Scheffler, recently claimed his sixth victory of the year at the Procore Championship, overcoming a two-stroke deficit against teammate Ben Griffin, who has also been performing impressively.
Cameron Young clinched his first career victory at the PGA Tour’s regular-season final, while J.J. Spaun narrowly lost to Rose in Memphis. Both sides feature players who are well-acquainted with the pressure of competition and can effectively manage their emotions in high-stakes scenarios.
These warm-up events serve as a means to experience a fraction of the Ryder Cup’s intensity, although they are still incomparable in scale. Such tournaments help gauge a player’s resilience, as demonstrated by Griffin’s challenging experience in Napa, California.
As the countdown to the Ryder Cup continues, it’s crucial to assess who has been performing consistently and who may need to elevate their game for this prestigious international event. The Americans enter as slight favorites at -145, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, but both teams have formidable contenders.
