Bethpage Black, the beastly New York golf course, lived up to its reputation on Friday as the 2025 Ryder Cup kicked off with a bang. The notoriously rowdy American crowd turned the volume to 11, but it was Team Europe who turned the screws, storming to a commanding 5.5-2.5 lead after the opening day. In a rare double-session sweep—winning the morning foursomes 3-1 and the afternoon fourballs 2.5-1.5—Luke Donald’s squad put the U.S. on the back foot early, setting the stage for a weekend thriller. But amid the birdies and blowouts, one moment stole the spotlight: Rory McIlroy’s apparent middle-finger salute to the fans, a flashpoint that’s got everyone talking.
Morning Foursomes: Europe Sets the Tone with Convincing Wins
The day started under overcast skies, but Europe’s play was anything but gloomy. Captain Donald sent out heavy hitters, and they delivered in the alternate-shot format, grabbing three points while the U.S. salvaged just one.
- Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton (Europe) defeated Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas (USA), 4 and 3: The blockbuster opener saw the Americans snag an early birdie on No. 1, but Rahm and Hatton’s back-nine fireworks— including Hatton’s birdie barrage—flipped the script. Hatton’s fiery energy matched the crowd’s, closing the deal with four holes to spare.
- Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick (Europe) defeated Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley (USA), 5 and 3: World No. 1 Scheffler, expected to anchor the U.S., couldn’t find his groove. Åberg and Fitzpatrick jumped ahead with a birdie on the first and never looked back, turning at four-up and cruising to victory despite a late U.S. push.
- Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood (Europe) defeated Collin Morikawa and Harris English (USA), 5 and 4: McIlroy, fresh off a strong summer, wasted no time, teaming with Fleetwood for three straight birdies on holes 4-6. They led five-up by the eighth, leaving Morikawa and English chasing shadows.
- Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (USA) defeated Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre (Europe), 2-up: The U.S. finally got on the board in a nail-biter. Leading three-up with seven to play, Schauffele and Cantlay weathered a late European surge, clinching it with a par on 17 and birdie on 18.
Europe’s precision putting and clutch par saves gave them a 3-1 edge heading into lunch, silencing the partisan Bethpage faithful—at least temporarily.
Afternoon Fourballs: Halves and Heroes Keep the Momentum
The best-ball session ramped up the drama, with fresh pairings and the crowd’s energy hitting fever pitch. Europe added 2.5 points, highlighted by more star power, while the U.S. notched a rout but couldn’t stem the tide.
- Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka (Europe) defeated Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun (USA), 3 and 2: Scheffler’s tough day continued (he went 0-2 overall), as Rahm’s birdie spree on the front nine and a dagger 20-footer on 15 sealed another L for the Americans.
- Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose (Europe) defeated Ben Griffin and Bryson DeChambeau (USA), 1-up: DeChambeau, pairing with Griffin for the first time, kept it tight until Fleetwood’s birdies on 14 and 16. DeChambeau forced extra holes with a birdie on 17, but Rose’s clutch 18th birdie edged it out.
- Cameron Young and Justin Thomas (USA) defeated Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard (Europe), 6 and 5: Finally, a U.S. blowout! Young’s 21-footer on No. 2 and Thomas’s hot putter led to a five-hole lead by the turn, closing with room to spare.
- Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (Europe) halved Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay (USA): A back-and-forth affair saw Lowry and McIlroy grab a 2-up lead with birdies on 2, 6, and 7. The Americans leveled on 10 and 13, and both sides missed birdie tries on 18, splitting the point.
With Scheffler and DeChambeau a combined 0-4 on the day, the U.S. locker room has work to do. But Europe’s blend of youth (Åberg) and experience (Rahm, McIlroy) proved too much.
The McIlroy-Lowry Controversy: Flipping the Script on Rowdy Fans
No Ryder Cup recap would be complete without some spice, and Bethpage delivered courtesy of McIlroy and Lowry. During their fourball match against Burns and Cantlay, the Irish duo built a 2-up lead with birdies on 6 and 7, then Lowry drained another on the 11th to keep the pressure on. As they walked off the green, cameras caught McIlroy making a gesture toward the crowd—widely interpreted as flipping them the bird.
The moment came amid the typical Bethpage bedlam: heckling, chants, and non-stop banter from the pro-USA galleries. McIlroy, no stranger to pressure, let out a guttural roar after a key putt earlier, fist-pumping with Lowry in a rare on-course eruption. The gesture? McIlroy later downplayed it as a “frustrated adjustment” to his glove, but social media exploded, with fans debating if it was a justified retort to over-the-top jeers or unsportsmanlike conduct.
Lowry, ever the straight-talker, leaned into the fray post-round, calling the crowd “rowdy as hell” but adding with a grin, “They paid for their tickets, so they can shout what they want—as long as we keep winning.” The pair even applauded a particularly savage heckle earlier, turning potential tension into team-bonding fuel. No fines or ejections followed, but it underscored the Ryder Cup’s raw edge: passion bordering on provocation.
Looking Ahead: Can the U.S. Roar Back?
Europe’s 3-point cushion is the largest Day 1 lead since 2006, but Bethpage’s home-soil advantage could fuel a U.S. comeback. Captain Keegan Bradley will lean on stars like Schauffele and a motivated Scheffler for Saturday’s foursomes. For Europe, it’s about sustaining the fire without burning out.
Day 1 at the 2025 Ryder Cup was everything we hoped: brilliant golf, electric atmosphere, and just enough controversy to keep us hooked. Tee it up tomorrow—who’s got the edge?
