Day 1 at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black

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Europe Explodes Out of the Gate

Team Europe stormed to a 5½ – 2½ lead over the U.S. after two sessions, putting themselves in the driver’s seat early with dominance in both foursomes and four-ball play.

It’s their first such advantage on U.S. soil after Day 1 in over two decades — a rare feat that underscores how well they executed their plan.

Morning Foursomes: Europe 3 – USA 1

The day’s momentum was set early. Europe took three of the four foursome matches, putting immense pressure on the American side.

Rahm / Hatton beat DeChambeau / Thomas 4 & 3
McIlroy / Fleetwood defeated Morikawa / English 5 & 4
Åberg / Fitzpatrick edged out Scheffler / Henley 5 & 3
The United States’ only point came via Schauffele / Cantlay, who defeated MacIntyre / Hovland 2 up

That was a rough start for the home side. Their top pairing — Scottie Scheffler / Russell Henley — were especially overpowered by Åberg and Fitzpatrick.

Afternoon Four-Balls: Europe Keeps Pressure On

The afternoon session didn’t bring relief for Team USA. Europe grabbed two wins and halved another to extend their lead. Only one American pairing delivered a victory.

Here’s how they unfolded:

Rahm / Straka defeated Scheffler / Spaun 3 & 2
Fleetwood / Rose edged DeChambeau / Griffin 1 up
Åberg / Højgaard were overwhelmed by Young / Thomas, 6 & 5 (the lone U.S. win of the afternoon)
McIlroy / Lowry halved their match with Burns / Cantlay

Key Takeaways & Storylines

Scheffler’s Tough Day

Scottie Scheffler, world No. 1 and a favorite to anchor the U.S. effort, went 0-2 on the day. He lost both his matches (in foursomes and four-ball), joining only a select few to suffer that fate. He struggled mightily with his putting and couldn’t find the stroke when it mattered.

Europe’s Stars Stepping Up

Jon Rahm continued his run of dominant team play, now reliably racking up points in multiple formats.
Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy also made big contributions in both sessions, supplying crucial points to build the lead.
The European pairing strategy is working. Their mix of experience and chemistry is showing in execution under pressure.

U.S. Needs Adjustments

Only Cameron Young / Justin Thomas managed a meaningful win in four-ball (6 & 5 over Åberg / Højgaard).
Other American pairs either lost or halved, failing to bring parity back into the lineup.
Captain Keegan Bradley will need to rethink pairings and momentum heading into Saturday’s sessions.

Momentum & Venue Pressure

Europe has the psychological edge now. Bethpage Black is a tough, demanding venue, and with the crowd behind the U.S., the Europeans’ performance is all the more impressive. The home team faces an uphill climb.

What’s Next

Saturday brings another two sessions (foursomes in the morning, four-balls in the afternoon). The U.S. must claw back or risk falling into too deep a hole heading into Sunday’s singles matches.
Matchups, captain’s choices, and player form will all become magnified.
The early 3-point cushion gives Europe breathing room — but in Ryder Cup history, no lead is safe until the final putt drops.