2025 Ryder Cup Storylines: Scottie, Rory, and the Closest Event in Years

Scottie v. Rory

We may or may not see Scottie Scheffler square off head-to-head with Rory McIlroy at some point this weekend, but this year’s Ryder Cup is absolutely a battle between the two top-ranked players in the world. Not only do they actively hold three of the four major championships, but each is the clear leader of his side, and both are deeply aware of the importance of winning.

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“These are the weeks when you look back on your career, these are the weeks that I remember the most,” Scheffler said in his press conference on Tuesday. McIlroy, similarly, has not shied away from the importance of this year’s Ryder Cup, a position that’s evolved drastically from the beginning of his career.

Regardless of whether or not these two find themselves sharing a tee box, this week offers the rare, special opportunity for golf fans to witness the two best players in the world try to assert their dominance with a team on their shoulders.

A Long, Soft Golf Course

Those who have not visited the grounds at Bethpage might be surprised to see how physically demanding a walk the golf course is. Are we going to see a bunch of golfers gasping for breath as they trek their way up the 18th fairway? No, let’s not get carried away here. But I am curious to see how many golfers will have the stamina to perform in five matches here in a setting that’s already emotionally and physically exhausting.

With significant rainfall in the Thursday forecast, any hopes of a firm golf course appear to be dashed. Additionally, as PJ Clark wrote yesterday, the rough at Bethpage is nowhere near major championship length, or even the length many locals are accustomed to seeing.

This is a classic golf course and setup to bomb and gouge your way around – an easy version at that. Expect a deluge of birdies and a Friday full of preferred lies and mudballs!  

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Finally a Competitive Ryder Cup?

No Ryder Cup since 2012 has been decided by fewer than five points. Will this year be a different story?

Though golf course setup and skillset mismatches have played major factors in past Ryder Cups, that shouldn’t be the case to anywhere near the same extent in this year’s competition. The American and European sides are much more balanced in skill than in recent years, and the golf course itself won’t favor one side or the other to the magnitude it did in 2021 at Whistling Straits or in 2018 at Le Golf National.

If the American side wins, there will be cries to take setup out of the home team’s hands or brainstorm other ways to mitigate the advantage of home turf. Should Europe win, scrutiny and relentless analysis of another unsuccessful American escapade will quickly follow.

This time around, though, the truth should lie much closer to the center. In the event of a European loss, golf course setup shouldn’t be the scapegoat. And barring disastrous pairings, a seemingly unlikely proposition given early clues, American preparation and cohesiveness appear much improved over past years. Perhaps an era of competitive parity is upon us.

Famous last words, but all signs point to the most competitive version of the Ryder Cup in recent history.