Quick Read
- President Trump attended the Ryder Cup’s opening day at Bethpage Black, boosting security and crowd energy.
- Team Europe took a commanding 3-1 lead over Team USA in the morning session.
- Trump’s presence was met with cheers, and US players hoped his support would inspire a comeback.
- The Americans, favorites on paper, struggled early despite home advantage.
- Europe aims to defend its title and win on US soil for the first time since 2012.
President Trump’s High-Profile Arrival at Bethpage Black
On a crisp Friday morning in Farmingdale, New York, the 2025 Ryder Cup teed off with an electric atmosphere—one charged not just by the clash of golfing titans from the United States and Europe, but by the arrival of President Donald Trump. As Air Force One thundered overhead and the president’s motorcade rolled into Bethpage Black, thousands of fans packed the stands, their anticipation palpable.
Security was tight, with “TSA-style screening points” dotted around the clubhouse and grandstands. Tournament organizers, bracing for the influx of spectators and presidential presence, had urged fans to arrive early and restrict personal items. The result was long lines and a sense of heightened occasion—a blend of sport and spectacle that few events can match.
Trump, an avid golfer and owner of several championship-level courses, was accompanied by his granddaughter Kai Madison Trump—a promising golfer herself. As they settled behind the first tee box, chants of “U-S-A” erupted from the crowd, a surge of patriotism echoing across the course. The president waved to the masses, his presence both a boost to Team USA’s morale and a magnet for media attention.
Europe’s Dream Start Stuns the American Favorites
While the grandstands buzzed with excitement, Team Europe quietly orchestrated a masterclass on the course. In the morning session of alternate shot foursomes, the Europeans raced to a 3-1 lead over the USA—an early shock for the American squad, who had entered the tournament as favorites. With four of the world’s top five golfers and seven of the top ten, the US team was expected to dominate, especially with the famously bombastic Bethpage fans behind them.
But golf, especially the Ryder Cup, is rarely predictable. The European team, defending their title with a near-identical roster to the one that triumphed in Rome two years prior, displayed meticulous organization and steely motivation. The only change? Denmark’s Nicolai Høygaard replaced by his twin, Rasmus—a swap that, as Rory McIlroy quipped, didn’t even change the team’s DNA.
Experience is Europe’s secret weapon. Teams with one rookie or less have either won or retained the trophy in recent history. Write the Europeans off at your peril. As CNN reported, “Europe have traveled with a team of veterans and on the four previous occasions when a Ryder Cup team has played with either one rookie or less, they’ve either won the trophy or retained it.”
Pressure, Patriotism, and the Ryder Cup’s Unique Drama
The Ryder Cup is more than a golf tournament; it’s a high-wire act where pressure is omnipresent and every detail—from team room decor to bed sizes—can tip the scales. The home team has won the past four Ryder Cups, with Europe’s last victory on US soil dating back to 2012. This year, Europe aims to break that streak, defending their trophy with the same precision that saw them conquer Rome.
Bethpage Black is a course steeped in challenge and history. Its sprawling 1,500 acres and rowdy crowds make for a cauldron of emotion, especially with President Trump in attendance. The event is, as one observer put it, “a perfect Trump stew”: his favorite sport, on home turf, in a county that backed him heavily in 2024.
For the journalists covering the event, the experience is as demanding as it is thrilling. From pre-dawn alarms to navigating security lines reminiscent of JFK airport, the day is a marathon. Yet, as the sun rises over the first tee, the sense of being part of something historic is undeniable.
Team USA’s Uphill Battle—and the Trump Effect
On paper, Team USA should have the edge. But the morning’s matches told a different story. Europe swept three of the four contests, silencing the home crowd and piling pressure on the Americans. Only the experienced duo of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele managed to notch a win, surviving a late scare to secure a much-needed point.
The Americans now face a daunting stat: according to the Elias Sports Bureau, teams that win at least three matches in the Friday morning session of the Ryder Cup have a cumulative record of 7-1. History is not on their side, and the pressure is mounting as the afternoon fourball session approaches.
Yet, hope remains. With President Trump watching from behind the 18th green, Team USA hopes for a shift in momentum. US captain Keegan Bradley, deeply honored by the president’s support, emphasized the significance: “Having the president there to support you is something that is just absolutely incredible.” Golfer Bryson DeChambeau, a co-chair on the president’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, echoed the sentiment, hoping Trump could “inspire” the team to victory.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked player, told The Athletic, “It’s been a tough few weeks for our country with some of the stuff that’s been going on, and to have our president here and for us to represent the United States of America, albeit being in a golf tournament, is extremely important for us.”
The Weekend Ahead: High Stakes, High Drama
As the afternoon matches begin, Team USA faces the challenge of clawing back Europe’s lead. The pairings promise drama: Scheffler and rookie JJ Spaun take on Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka; Bryson DeChambeau and Ben Griffin battle Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose; Cameron Young and Justin Thomas face Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard; and Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay square off against Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
The fans, still smarting from the morning’s setbacks, look to the president’s presence and the American spirit for a turnaround. The scoreboard is awash in blue, but the Ryder Cup is a marathon, not a sprint. As chants of “ole, ole, ole” echo from the European supporters, the Americans steel themselves for the fight ahead.
It’s a scene emblematic of the Ryder Cup’s enduring allure: sport, national pride, and the unpredictable pulse of competition. The next sessions will test not just skill, but resilience and resolve.
With Europe’s meticulous preparation and early dominance at Bethpage Black, Team USA faces a defining moment—where history, home advantage, and presidential presence converge. The Ryder Cup’s opening day reminds us that in sport, as in life, expectations can be upended in an instant, and the smallest details often make the biggest difference.