With fewer than three months until the first tee shots at Bethpage Black, the Ryder Cup is starting to take shape — and the storylines are already overflowing. From shifting rosters to course setup debates and the unshakable weight of home-field advantage, 2025 is shaping up to be as unpredictable as any Ryder Cup in recent memory.
But as the PGA TOUR makes its annual swing through Europe, the questions surrounding the sport’s most intense team competition are getting louder.
Let’s break down the five biggest questions per PGATour.com still lingering before the stars and stripes clash with the blue and gold in New York.
1. Is Keegan Bradley About to Pull a Tiger and Play-Captain the Team?
At the start of the process, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he’d only play if he qualified automatically. Fast-forward to July, and he’s now No. 9 in the standings and won the Travelers Championship. Suddenly, the tone has changed — and so has the conversation.
Bradley says he’ll play “if it’s the best thing for the team.” But is it viable?
It hasn’t been done at the Ryder Cup since the 1960s, and while Tiger Woods pulled it off at the 2019 Presidents Cup, the Ryder Cup requires far more day-to-day management — from pairings to press to the constant captain-to-player flow.
Even Sam Burns, a likely teammate, questioned the idea: “Doing both is going to be very difficult. I would think you’ve got to pick one or the other, right?”
Could it happen? Yes. Is it smart? That’s entirely on Keegan.
2. Can Slumping Americans Turn It Around in Time?
Several assumed Team USA locks are trending in the wrong direction. Max Homa, one of America’s best in Rome, has lost form. Wyndham Clark has been shaky. Tony Finau, Cameron Young, and Patrick Cantlay — all underwhelming. Injuries have sidelined Sahith Theegala and Billy Horschel. Despite winning two majors in 2024, even Xander Schauffele has admitted to struggling in recent months.
There are plenty of big chances left — The Open Championship, FedExCup Playoffs, and more — but if the current form holds, the U.S. could be headed into Bethpage with a team of question marks, not killers.
3. Who Rounds Out Team Europe?
Compared to the U.S., Team Europe looks locked in.
Nine names feel close to locked: Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm (unofficially), Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Shane Lowry, Ludvig Åberg, and Sepp Straka.
That leaves a short list of hopefuls — Rasmus Højgaard, Thomas Detry, Matt Wallace, Niklas Norgaard, Laurie Canter, and a few dark horses — fighting for 1–2 captain’s picks.
The core is strong, and the leadership (including Luke Donald) is familiar. Europe’s only real drama is over the final few spots, and even those have a solid bench of rising talent ready to step in.
4. Is the U.S. Distance Advantage Gone?
Historically, hosting teams build courses to their strengths. In America, that’s meant one thing: make it long and lean on the bombers.
But at Bethpage Black, that might not be the move. According to Data Golf, the U.S. team’s distance advantage is down to just 0.5 yards on average over Europe — practically nothing.
Gone are the days of Americans blasting it 30 yards past their opponents. With most top Europeans now PGA TOUR regulars, the skills gap has shrunk.
So, what do you tailor Bethpage for? That’s the puzzle U.S. organizers are trying to solve.
5. Does Any of This Actually Matter?
Here’s the inconvenient truth: home teams don’t lose Ryder Cups.
In the last 20 years, only once has the road team won — the miracle comeback in 2012 at Medinah. The Ryder Cup is as much about geography as it is about putting.
So while we scrutinize the captain’s picks, rankings, and rough height at Bethpage, the cold reality remains — the host almost always wins.
Still, this is sports. And maybe this is the year something unexpected happens. After all, that’s what the Ryder Cup does best: builds pressure, creates chaos, and sometimes, delivers a miracle.
