Europe's Dramatic Ryder Cup Win Signed Off a Strange Week at Bethpage Black
The Ryder Cup 2025 was held at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, unfolding in a week overshadowed not only by intense golf competition but also by significant political tensions and spectacle. The event featured high security measures including Air Force One flying over the first tee, a presidential limousine, airport-style screening procedures, and snipers positioned on the clubhouse roof.
The opening ceremony set the tone for the politically charged atmosphere, with outspoken heckling directed at New York Governor Kathy Hochul and visible political signage and apparel among the crowd. Throughout the week, scenes of Donald Trump-related imagery and related political tensions permeated the venue and the surrounding town, significantly overshadowing the golf moments.
Memorable on-course highlights included a long approach shot by Scottie Scheffler, a 40-foot putt by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm's impressive chip-in, and a notable performance by Keegan Bradley known as the "Trump shuffle." Despite these remarkable sporting moments, the event was marked by tension elsewhere, such as a heated exchange over seating on a train.
Team USA endured one of the worst two-day performances in team-sport history, and the Sunday singles matches led to pivotal changes in the leaderboard that left observers, including the author, with a nauseous feeling on the flight home.
The week closed reflecting on the long, strange experience where the quality of golf was ultimately eclipsed by the surrounding political spectacle and tension, marking the Ryder Cup 2025 as a uniquely memorable tournament.
