FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. captain Keegan Bradley is making sure fans get their money’s worth at the Ryder Cup.
It’s been 12 years from the time Bethpage Black was announced as the host of this Ryder Cup, two years since Europe celebrated victory in Rome and four days of anticipation that has been building even on a rain-soaked course Thursday.
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And then Bradley announced Bryson DeChambeau would be smashing away in the opening foursomes session with emotionally charged Justin Thomas. They face Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm, the fiery Spaniard who has never lost in this format.
“They’re a formidable force,” DeChambeau said. “But we want to send a message.”
Soon after the four matches were announced, DeChambeau headed to the range and began blasting drives to simulate the 389-yard opening hole, slightly downhill that turns hard to the right over trees, reachable by those who can fly their drive some 365 yards in the air.
“That’s nothing, right?” DeChambeau said. In his last Ryder Cup, at Whistling Straits in 2021, he drove the green on the first hole and walked 364 yards to the green carrying his putter.
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European captain Luke Donald has 11 players back from his winning team in Rome. He considers this a new team for a new challenge — Europe hasn’t won on the road in 12 years — and he mixed up a few of his pairings.
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are together again. They won both foursomes matches in Rome. But he split up Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, both with new partners.
Bradley said he had DeChambeau and Thomas in mind for a while. DeChambeau hasn’t played foursomes in the Ryder Cup since 2018 — he lost matches while paired with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in France — and the alternate-shot format requires a measure of conservative play so as not to give away the hole.
DeChambeau is not one to play it safe. He is an entertainer as much as an elite golfer, and Bradley expects him to hit driver off the first tee.
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“We want him to do what he does, and he got up there today and hammered one right in front of the green,” Bradley said. “Bryson thrives under this sort of atmosphere. I can see him walking out there just relishing the moment and relishing the chance to get up there and hit that shot.”
Thomas brings so much emotion to these matches that in an informal poll in 2023, most Europeans said he would be the one player who gets under their skin.
Europe countered by sending out the same team that put the first blue point on the board for Europe at Marco Simone. And neither Rahm nor Hatton lack emotion.
“We are facing two fantastic, very accomplished players. It will not be easy,” Rahm said. “They are both players that like to get the crowd going. It will be a very energetic match. But I wouldn’t say Tyrrell and I are short of energy ourselves. So I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for both teams.”
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In other matches: Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, and Russell Henley take on Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick of Europe; McIlroy and Fleetwood face Collin Morikawa and Harris English; and Hovland and Robert MacIntyre play Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
It all unfolds Friday morning for spectators who paid $750 for a ticket at face value. The high anticipation is now fueled even more by the planned visit of President Donald Trump in the late morning. President Donald Trump and DeChambeau golf together, and Trump appointed the two-time U.S. Open champion to his fitness council earlier this year.
At stake for the Americans is to win back the 17-inch gold trophy from Europe, which has won 10 of the last 14 times and seems to have the recipe to win this team game.
Donald has spent all week reminding his team what it is capable of doing on the road. The uniforms in practice each day were colors won by previous European teams that won on U.S. soil — for the final practice day, it was Saturday’s colors from the “Miracle at Medinah” that Europe won in 2012.
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The last five Ryder Cups have not been particularly close, with the home teams winning by five points or more. The Americans hold the record with a 10-point win over Europe in 2021.
“Whatever team … is the one to break that duck, I think honestly is going to go down as one of the best teams in Ryder Cup history,” McIlroy said.
Beyond the mystery of how DeChambeau performs with his clubs and revving up the gallery is whether Bethpage Black lives up to its reputation of having the loudest and rowdiest fans for a championship of this magnitude — two U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship since 2002.
But they are sure to be entertained from the start with the opening match.
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“We wanted to send out a fiery group to lead us out with these fans that have been waiting … to see this tournament,” Bradley said. “Bryson just relishes in these opportunities. He wants them. He’s one of these guys where you hear on a basketball team who wants the ball for the last shot. He’s one of those guys — and so is Justin. Let’s not forget, Justin is the heartbeat of our team. They are to go out and be a really tough team to beat.”
Donald has been part of the Ryder Cup dating to 2004. He appreciates how each day brings a little more anxiety to the start of three days of competition that are relentless with passionate, flag-waving fans.
“The buildup of any Ryder Cup is pretty intense. You feel every day getting a little bit more, Tuesday, Wednesday and even today a little bit spicier, a little bit more stuff going on,” Donald said. “And tomorrow will be a different level.
“It’s pure energy. It’s pure passion. But I think my guys are ready for it.”
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AP Ryder Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/ryder-cup
