The 2025 Ryder Cup kicked off on Friday, with two years of buildup coming to a head as the Americans took on their European counterparts at Bethpage in New York.

Each edition of the Ryder Cup is a hotly anticipated affair, but this year’s edition seemed to have an extra bit of spice in the buildup.

The USA team were clearly wounded by their heavy defeat in Rome two years ago, hoping to avenge that loss this time around. From a European perspective, they were keen to overturn the recent trend of home victories in the event as they went in search of a first triumph on American soil since 2012.

The Friday foursomes featured some brilliant action, but the American captain is already coming in for some heavy criticism on the back of a few puzzling decisions.

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Keegan Bradley Criticised Over Massive Blunder On Key Ryder Cup Decisions

Bethpage is widely regarded as one of the more difficult golf courses in the United States, with the long rough at the New York venue having caused chaos in major championships in the past.

However, the course looks very different for this year’s Ryder Cup.

The trademark rough at Bethpage has been severely stripped back, meaning the punishment for missing the fairway is not as harsh as you would expect on the course.

This is something that has annoyed quite a few viewers on the opening day of play.

Genuinely jarring to see the vaunted Bethpage Black play this toothless…rough down + soft greens amplified by rain…almost unrecognizable.

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) September 26, 2025

Bethpage Black with no rough pic.twitter.com/W8NcktjsyB

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) September 26, 2025

Bethpage’s usually infamous rough playing more like a local course after the first big cut of the season

More friction in your back lawn

— Caolán Scully (@Caolan_Scully) September 26, 2025

the choice to play the rough this short at bethpage is embarrassing tbh

— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) September 26, 2025

I thought Bethpage was going to be a beast… but the short rough doesn’t reward the players for hitting the fairway. I’m all for making birdies and eagles but need to reward players for hitting the fairway.

— Craig Connelly (@theweeman77) September 26, 2025

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Btw Bethpage being set up like this almost makes me want Europe to win…I get rain didn’t help but it’s pathetic to have Bethpage black for a big event and present it like…this

— Brandon Hill (@BrandonHill38) September 26, 2025

USA captain Keegan would have had a big say in the way the course was set up, with some already questioning his role with the team before the end of the Friday morning session. His choice of pairings were a particular point of contention.

To be fair to Keegan in this Morikawa/English match, when you put out your worst possible statistical combo (132/132), with no experience together and no apparent chemistry, there’s no way to predict a result like this

— Shane Ryan (@ShaneRyanHere) September 26, 2025

I’ve said it before and will say it again, Keegan Bradley will go down as a worse captain than Zach Johnson

— Collin McEndree, PGA (@TheRealMcEndree) September 26, 2025

What the fuck was Keegan Bradley doing trotting out Morikawa and Harris English to go up against Rory and fleet… just an absolute brain dead decision… should’ve just given the Europeans the point to start the day cuz this is fucking embarrassing.

— Neighborhood Hooper (@local_hooperr) September 26, 2025

The USA this morning: Russell Henley & Scottie Scheffler are the best pair ever on paper, Keegan Bradley cooked with this one

Reality: pic.twitter.com/pbx8PKi4Z9

— Elisha Surillo (@elishasurillo) September 26, 2025

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I’m putting you in a big spot and I don’t care what anybody says, you’ve got this.

RUSSELL HENLEY: pic.twitter.com/Y9fbxNpeQ0

— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) September 26, 2025

Keegan Bradley is the worst Ryder Cup captain since Zach Johnson.

We absolutely must go into a different direction in 2027. pic.twitter.com/kCHrUQ88uB

— Sekrah (@sekrah) September 26, 2025

 

The decision to set the course up in this manner was a baffling one, with Bradley likely to have played a big part in that. His opening pairings also left plenty to be desired after suffering heavy defeats in three of the matches.

We often see very long rough in European-based Ryder Cups, with the harsher penalties for missing the fairway something that the Americans would not be used to on the PGA Tour. The setup at Bethpage clearly favours the long hitters, who will not be heavily penalised for failing to find the fairway.

In saying that, Paul McGinley pointed out on Sky Sports that one American pairing had particularly suffered as a result of the course configuration on Friday morning. He also suggested that setup was a big error from the USA side.

I think the course set up and the length of it has played against two average hitters in (Scottie) Scheffler and (Russell) Henley. They’ve given up the big advantage there.

On a different style of golf course it would have been more suited to them. Scottie is like 65th in driving distance and Henley’s one of the shortest. They’re giving up a lot on a long, wet, soft golf course…

The Americans have gone with a soft set up. They believe they they’re better on a golf course with low scoring.

They’ve cut down the rough. They’ve tried to make this a Ryder Cup of low scoring. This isn’t the Bethpage that many of us would know from major championship.

Maybe it’s playing into European hands more than theirs. Maybe they’ve outsmarted themselves.

The decision to make the rough such a non-factor certainly did not play in favour of the Americans during Friday’s opening session.

It will be interesting to see how this dynamic plays out over the next couple of days, but it does seem like somewhat of a misstep from Ryder Cup organisers.

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