The pride of Long Island could represent a stain on America. 

Day 1 of the 45th Ryder Cup kicked off Friday morning at Bethpage Black, and concluded with Europe quieting the bulk of the 55,000-plus and crushing the confidence of Team USA, seizing control with a 5½-2½ lead at the iconic public course. 

Bringing back a record 11 of the 12 players who dominated the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, returning captain Luke Donald’s side became the first European team in the 98-year history of the Ryder Cup to win the opening three foursomes (alternate shot) matches, while America’s top stars (Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau) went a combined 0-4 on the day. 

No host nation has lost the Ryder Cup since 2012. The U.S. needs 14.5 points to win the event. Europe needs 14 to retain the trophy. 

READ MORE

Team Europe seemed to show their feelings toward the American fans during the opening day of the Ryder Cup.

Both Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy shot the middle finger towards the crowd at Bethpage Black on Friday in response to the rowdy crowds.

McIlroy was caught on video seemingly shooting the bird at the crowd behind the 11th green after the European pair went two up on the United States’ Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns in the afternoon session.

READ MORE

Golf has looked really easy for Scottie Scheffler for the past few years as he’s won 19 times since 2021, including 13 the past two years, and spent 156 weeks as the No. 1-ranked player in the world. 

On Friday, the first day of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, golf looked hard for Scheffler. He spent the day looking as frustrated as many of the public-golf hackers who get their butts beaten by the brutal course. 

Scheffler looked out of sorts and off his game. He missed fairways. His world-class iron game was not in sync. And, most importantly, he couldn’t hole a putt that mattered. 

READ MORE

It all came down to Rory McIlroy because, well, of course it did. 

The polarizing golfer, ranked No. 2 in the world, further entrenched himself as the villain of this road Ryder Cup for Team Europe when he predicted a win at Bethpage as soon as Rome ended. He embraced that role during Friday’s sessions, as fist pumps blended with roars on some holes before eventually boiling over when he flipped off fans at the 11th hole during four-ball. 

READ MORE

The tee times for Saturday's matchups are set with play getting started at 7:10 a.m. from Bethpage.

Team Europe finishes the day with a 5 1/2 to 2 1/2 edge over the Americans heading into Saturday's play. The final match between the two squads ended in a tie.

Bryson DeChambeau and Ben Griffin tried to come away with half a point, but Justin Rose's birdie putt sealed the European win.

The American golfer with the booming shot sank a key birdie putt to cut the Europeans advantage to 1-up heading into the final hole of the day.

A video making the rounds on social media appeared to show Rory McIlroy flipping off fans after Shane Lowry's birdie putt on the 11th hole.

The Europeans picked up their first points of the afternoon, beating Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun, 3&2.

The effort on Friday was an impressive Ryder Cup outing for Rahm.