Team Europe Clinches Ryder Cup After U.S. Rally Falls Short at Bethpage Black

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — In a gripping conclusion to the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, Team Europe edged out the United States 15-13, overcoming a significant deficit as the Americans mounted a late comeback in Sunday’s singles matches. However, the final score conceals broader struggles for the U.S. team, who were decisively outplayed in the earlier foursomes and fourball sessions.

Since 1995, the U.S. team has managed just four wins in the Ryder Cup, underscoring a persistent competitive disadvantage. PGA Tour professional Michael Kim expressed candid reflections on the American side’s performance via social media, stating, "I hope this finish doesn't stop Team USA from looking at the entire process that led to the first two days. Clearly there are issues that need to be fixed."

First-time U.S. captain Keegan Bradley accepted full responsibility for the loss while defending the efforts and resources provided by the PGA of America, the organizing body for the team. Bradley remarked, "The PGA of America put me in an amazing position to succeed. They gave me every resource. They gave me every option. I had everything at my fingertips. This is no one's fault but mine. When you are the leader of the team and you're the coach, the captain, whatever you want to call it, and you lose, you have to take the blame."

Bradley acknowledged Europe’s consistent superiority throughout the competition, particularly citing their advantage in putting. When questioned about shortcomings compared to European captain Luke Donald, U.S. player Justin Thomas defended Bradley, saying, "We needed to make more putts. That's what Keegan needed; he needed us to make more putts. That's what he needed to do."

Standout performers for the U.S. included Xander Schauffele and rookie Cameron Young, who posted strong 3-1-0 records. Conversely, four players — captain's picks Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns along with automatic qualifiers Russell Henley and Harris English — failed to secure victories. Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Cantlay both finished with modest 1-3-1 results. Scottie Scheffler notably became the first player under the current format to lose all four sessions he participated in, though he managed to defeat world No. 1 Rory McIlroy in a closely contested Sunday singles match.

Europe's Luke Donald highlighted the importance of key players performing well, stating, "You absolutely need your big guns to fire, and that's what we are proud of, that the U.S. guys' big guns didn't get as many points as ours."

The selection process for the American team, especially regarding the six automatic qualifiers, is expected to face scrutiny following this result. Players such as Henley and English accumulated qualifying points over an extended period but entered the tournament exhibiting diminished form.

The event was also marred by unsportsmanlike behavior from a subset of attendees who verbally targeted McIlroy, his teammates, and his wife, prompting the PGA of America to face criticism. The tournament emcee, comedian Heather McMahan, resigned after inciting inappropriate chants against McIlroy.

Bradley and Thomas rejected any link between team leadership and the misconduct of the spectators.

A tactical miscalculation by Bradley involved the course setup at Bethpage Black. Expecting firmer, faster greens that would favor American players accustomed to such conditions, the greens instead remained unusually soft, benefiting the European side, particularly in putting.

Bradley reflected, "For whatever reason, that wasn't the right way to set the course up. The greens were as soft as I've ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up."

At 39, Bradley was the youngest Ryder Cup captain since Arnold Palmer and was chosen to bring fresh energy to the U.S. team. Despite a challenging outcome, he remains hopeful for the future, stating, "It was a unique approach, and like I said, I had to learn on the fly. But I also had been on a lot of these teams, and I had the resources of all the vice captains and all the previous captains, as well, that helped me.\n\nI think the goal was to give the captaincy a fresh face, a different way to go about things. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. But we have some momentum going forward. I think we can continue down this road, and I'll help out the best I can to help the next captain or the next whoever it is."