The Ryder Cup: rivalry, taunting, and golf. Since 1927, the Ryder Cup has been a battle like no other, pitting Americans against Europeans and bringing out the best golf from both. This year, it was held on American soil at the Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
The Ryder Cup follows a match-play format rather than stroke play, meaning players are awarded for holes won rather than strokes hit. Each match is worth one point, with 28 total points available across three days, consisting of foursomes and four-ball matches on Friday and Saturday, followed by 12 singles matches on Sunday. Teams compete to reach 14½ points to win the Cup outright, while 14 points are enough for the defending champion to retain it. With ties being worth half a point, one point is awarded per match win between an American and a European player.
At the beginning of the 2025 Ryder Cup, Europe took an early lead, dominating the foursomes with strong pairings and efficient teamwork. On the European team, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood had near-perfect performances, while Jon Rahm delivered clutch putts to win many matches. Bryson DeChambeau brought momentum for the U.S. team, using his powerful swing to earn key points in four-ball play, but his inconsistent putting prevented total dominance in his matchups. Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, showed resilience in singles play as he defeated Viktor Hovland on Sunday. Still, Europe’s early lead proved impossible to overcome, bringing them to a 15–13 victory.
While the Ryder Cup had some excellent golf gameplay, the conduct of many fans proved to be below par. Usually, fans are respectful to players and quiet during important moments, but that wasn’t the case at the Ryder Cup. Unlike other tournaments, fans were incredibly rowdy with their incessant shouts, profanity, and beverage projectiles — with even Rory McIlroy’s wife being pelted by a beer.
Ryan Damasco ’26 watched the Ryder Cup and had this to say about it: “The Ryder Cup was such a fun event to watch. Like many, I was Team USA all the way. I did notice the fans were pretty rowdy throughout the Cup, and I was shocked that McIlroy’s wife was caught in the crossfire. Fans should root for their team but not be disrespectful toward their opponents.”
McIlroy was also subject to much taunting throughout the tournament. Most notably, fans initiated the chant “F— you, Rory!” on the first hole as McIlroy tried to tee off. Even the host for the first hole, comedian Heather McMahan, joined in on the mic, leading to the PGA of America relieving her of her duties. She did apologize afterward, but this type of conduct is not what the culture of golf is about.
In the end, the 2025 Ryder Cup was an exciting and suspenseful tournament with a memorable yet rowdy crowd. As the sport looks ahead to the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland, players and organizers alike will need to focus on the integrity of golf while still embracing the intense passion that makes this tournament so unique.
