Tiering 2025 Ryder Cup Players

With less than 24 hours until the opening tee shot, it’s time to tier Ryder Cup players. It can be a little difficult to feel confident about what we’ll see from each player, as this is a different format and completely different environment from what we’re accustomed to seeing 51 weeks of the year. Nevertheless, we tier. 

The illustration below reflects my confidence level in all 24 players teeing it up at Bethpage Black. 

A few notes: 

I don’t think where I have anybody slotted should be controversial. My main prediction for the week is that Justin Thomas is much more likely to be a significant liability for Team USA than a reliable force. And I suspect captain Keegan Bradley will use JT more than he should. Thomas can’t drive the golf ball and this is a golf course that demands solid driving. If you want to play him in fourballs and hope he runs into some birdies, go for it. If you roll him out in foursomes and it backfires, you have nobody to blame. 

My long-standing admiration for Cameron Young is well-documented. This week, it is put to the test. I want to see a healthy dose of Young in action over the next three days, especially in fourballs. Is he going to hit a couple of shots that leave you scratching your head? Of course, we know the drill. Will that kill you in fourballs, though? It will not. 

RYDER CUP PLAYER PROFILES: Team USA | Team Europe

I don’t want to make any guarantees, but there is no foursomes team I have more confidence in than Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley. These are two of the best and most consistent players in the world. Signs point to Team USA rolling with that team, and I cannot wait to see it. Good luck beating that pairing. 

My official prediction is that these are pretty evenly matched teams with relatively balanced skillsets. One team, however, has by far the best player in the world in Scottie Scheffler, and that shouldn’t be undervalued. Home course advantage is also a legitimate factor. On the other hand, I trust the Europeans to optimize their pairings and approach to the golf course much more than the Americans. As far as I’m concerned, this is very close to a coin flip. Once pairings are announced, I’ll likely end up giving a slight edge to Team Europe, but I truly believe we’re in for a dog fight. Let’s get the action underway.