The 45th Ryder Cup returns this weekend, September 26-28, at Bethpage Black on Long Island, New York. It’s USA vs Europe in one of sport’s great rivalries, where momentum swings, roars from the crowd, and match-play tension create drama unlike anything else in golf.
Europe arrive as defending champions after their convincing victory in Rome two years ago, while the Americans are determined to strike back on home soil. With history, pride, and pressure on the line, this edition promises to be every bit as fiery as the stage demands.
2025 Ryder Cup Betting Tips
Bethpage Black, New York, September 26-28
Team USA
Team USA bring a blend of raw talent, power, and home-crowd energy. Automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau form the backbone of the side, while captain Keegan Bradley added Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Ben Griffin and Cameron Young as his six picks. On paper it is a team full of heavy hitters, with Scheffler as world number one and several others proven in major championships and pressure environments.
But despite the firepower, questions linger. Four rookies will make their Ryder Cup debut, and with the intense spotlight of Bethpage and the volatility of foursomes play, nerves will be tested. The Americans are hoping to lean on the roar of the New York crowd and their length off the tee, but Bethpage Black can punish recklessness as quickly as it can reward aggression. With so much pressure to bounce back from Rome, the US need to find cohesion fast if they want to ride their early energy through to Sunday.
Team Europe
Europe arrive with a squad that looks reassuringly familiar. Ten of the twelve players return from the victory in Rome, with Rasmus Højgaard replacing his twin Nicolai as the only change among the automatic qualifiers. Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton and Højgaard made the team on points, while captain Luke Donald added Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick as his picks. It’s a lineup dripping with experience, star power and an ingrained understanding of what the Ryder Cup demands.
The continuity could prove decisive. McIlroy, Rahm and Hovland provide the firepower at the top, while the likes of Fleetwood, Rose and Lowry bring battle-tested grit and chemistry that has been forged over years of team golf. Europe will know they need to silence the crowd early and draw energy from their underdog status on US soil, but that mindset has often been their greatest strength. The hunger to retain the Cup and prove themselves away from home gives this squad a powerful edge.
The Course
Bethpage Black is not a course that gives up birdies easily. At over 7,350 yards and playing to a par 70, it is a relentless test of accuracy and endurance. The fairways are narrow, the rough is punishing, and the bunkering is deep and unforgiving. The greens demand precise distance control, and the New York crowds packed around the amphitheater-like setting will add an extra layer of tension to every shot.
This venue has seen major championships and is infamous for its blunt warning sign at the first tee: “The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” Its teeth will force both teams to manage risk carefully. Aggression can pay off, especially for the long hitters, but rash mistakes will be costly. It is a course that rewards patience and resilience, two qualities that could favour Europe’s more battle-hardened approach to match play.
Prediction
This Ryder Cup feels tight, but Europe look the more complete and cohesive side. Their familiarity with each other, their proven pairings, and their ability to rise in pressure moments all suggest they are primed for another statement performance. Even though the Americans will have the home crowd and plenty of muscle, the demands of Bethpage may expose their lack of control when matches become scrappy. Europe’s blend of experience and youth seems better balanced, and they know exactly how to grind out points in hostile territory.
The USA are too strong to be blown away, and Bethpage’s atmosphere will ensure plenty of volatility across the three days. Yet when Sunday singles roll around, Europe’s stars feel more likely to deliver when the margins are smallest. It might not be dominant, but it will be decisive. The prediction here is Europe to win 15–13 and retain the Ryder Cup in New York.
