9/28/25
If you read our Ryder Cup preview on Wednesday, the prediction was Europe winning 15-13. No one foresaw Europe leading 11.5 to 4.5 heading into Sunday Singles. No one foresaw nearly the biggest comeback in Ryder Cup history from the Americans. The week is still an embarrassment for the United States, and there needs to be a complete overhaul on how the team attacks the Ryder Cup.
Sunday went from wondering how bad the beatdown would be to “can they do this?” It was as dramatic as we had all hoped, but the improbable comeback fell short. There was controversy with Viktor Hovland’s neck injury and the envelope rule, which saw his match against Harris English halved due to Hovland’s withdrawal on Sunday. Those who are short-sighted and small-minded will blame and are blaming the envelope for the Americans’ loss. The United States lost the Ryder Cup on Friday and Saturday by playing like a $3 violin for the first four sessions. Only getting 4.5 points at home is unacceptable, and those involved should be held accountable.
The Europeans almost always give themselves a chance in road Ryder Cups. The United States, almost always, in recent memory, looks more lost than a blind man trying to find an outhouse in the fog. The United States needs a leader for 2027 when the Ryder Cup heads to Ireland’s Adare Manor. That leader should be Tiger Woods. Woods was the first and seemingly only choice for the PGA of America in 2023 to be the Ryder Cup captain this year, but Tiger declined due to feeling he couldn’t fully devote his time and energy to being a sufficient captain. The PGA of America panicked and threw the responsibilities to Keegan Bradley. Meanwhile, before the last Ryder Cup, Europe changed captains after Henrik Stenson left for LIV Golf and might’ve accidentally found the best Ryder Cup captain the 98-year competition has ever seen in Luke Donald.
That alone represents how far behind the United States is to Europe when it comes to the Ryder Cup. After the 2014 debacle, the task force was created, and that worked for a grand total of one Ryder Cup, when the United States won the 2016 Ryder Cup in Minnesota. Tiger Woods has done everything in golf but win a road Ryder Cup. Doing it as a captain and ending the 34-year drought would check one final box in his historic career. The entire team would be inspired to play for their hero. The race to be the 12 players would be must-watch TV. If Woods isn’t the choice, Phil Mickelson should be the second option. Who cares if he’s on LIV Golf? Who cares about what he posts on social media? Who cares if he’s burned some bridges? When it comes to the Ryder Cup, Mickelson has largely been right about a lot of things. He’s one of the rare people in golf who can use his aura and presence to galvanize his own team and ruffle the feathers of the other.
In 2029, the Ryder Cup heads back to Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota. It’ll be interesting to see what lessons the Americans have learned from this year and the 2027 result. They need to start planning for 2029 now. This arrogant approach to the Ryder Cup, of thinking “we are Americans, so we will win,” can’t continue. There needs to be some strategy, thought, planning, and a true elimination of the boys’ club. Someone needs to step in, make things uncomfortable while rallying and galvanizing the team to play for pride, each other, the team, and their country. The lack of patriotism from recent United States teams has been laughable. The PGA of America needs to get its head out of its ass and figure out a clear vision on how to strategize for home and away Ryder Cups. Paul McGinley talked about the Europeans having templates for home and away Ryder Cups, and the United States needs to come up with those for itself.
This generation of American golf could be, and candidly, should be extremely successful. Everyone involved with this year’s United States Ryder Cup team needs to take a hard look in the mirror, forget about money, forget about egos, and work together to put together a competitive plan for the 2027 Ryder Cup. If/when that happens, there will be hope for the U.S. to win a road Ryder Cup and a home one. The talent, process, and potential are all right in front of the United States and the PGA of America if they can all come together.
A road Ryder Cup win after losing one at home would be the sweetest Ryder Cup win the United States has ever had.
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