Roberts: Keegan Bradley got things badly wrong at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage

Luke Donald's Europe have been magnificent at the 2025 Ryder Cup, but there is no doubt in mind Keegan Bradley and the PGA of America have got things badly wrong for the hosts in New York.

Honestly, from the moment I first got here on the ground at Bethpage Black bright and early on Tuesday, something seemed amiss.

The noise, the vibe, the moment. It just felt off. 

At least compared to Marco Simone in Rome two years ago, where the stands were already bouncing and you instantly got the impression there was no way Europe were leaving empty-handed on Sunday.

That's of course how it panned out from start to finish in 2023, with Europe opening up with an historic 4-0 whitewash en route to a comfortable five-point win.

Fast forward to America's turn to replicate things and show exactly what the Ryder Cup really means to them in the Big Apple, and well, let's just say it's not been very fruitful. 

Why has it gone so badly wrong for USA?

Well, there's been a few things, starting with a major red flag in my book. 

Other than Saturday morning when the volume was turned up a few notches, and before it got very nasty out there in Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry's fourballs match, the atmosphere has just been flat as I say. 

Even Collin Morikawa admitted it during his press conference on Thursday. 

"It's kind of tame so far," said Morikawa, who wasn't speaking about his golf game. 

I mean can you really disagree when watching this video of Team USA trying to hype up the 1st tee / 18th green grandstand?

I even overheard one American journalist standing behind me in the media stand saying “I’ve been to many Ryder Cups and this is the worst 1st tee stand in history no question.” 

The most excitement on the 1st tee has been watching Jim Furyk cut shapes to form the letters USA while attempting to raise the volume amongst all the home fans. 

But I think there is a big reason for the tedious atmosphere out there. 

The PGA of America has well and truly priced the majority of its most ardent punters out of attending the 2025 Corporate Ryder Cup. 

Maybe that's just a state of the world we live in today, but it's going too far the other way now and I don't like it. 

Without the fans, the sport is nothing. 

Except when a minority cross a line with their unacceptable behaviour around McIlroy this week of course. It’s simply been a disgrace. 

I even think some of the abuse McIlroy has received has made a lot of the American players feel bad too. 

At one moment yesterday even Justin Thomas told a group of unruly spectators to ‘STFU’. 

It was horrible out there, and it was an extremely bad look for the PGA of America who had to deploy extra state troopers to eject fans who were crossing the line. 

Maybe USA should re-think its ticketing strategy for Hazeltine in 2029 as to avoid another drubbing from Europe? 

If you were financially able to get yourself a daily ticket at face value, then you were looking at around the $750 mark.

Then if you missed the boat on that, you were looking at four figures elsewhere online.

That's quite frankly ridiculous. 

The only positive I can add is that free cheese burgers and hot dogs with a drink and pack of crisps are readily available free of charge for spectators. 

Even the practice day passes were selling for $255, which was the same price for a daily ticket to the actual tournament days at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Practice day passes at Marco Simone were a much more reasonable $50.

That's also the price of two large Michelob Ultras at Bethpage, I might add. 

One American fan I spoke to on the ground on Saturday said he was only here because of a work client, but that he would usually have attended a home Ryder Cup with his family, only this time he could not afford it. 

"I know for a fact the prices have put so many people off and it's a shame cos New York loves its sport even if some guys cross a line out here like they did today with Rory," the fan told GolfMagic. 

My good news for American fans right now is that ticket prices have been slashed by nearly 60% online for the final day. 

That's because people are selling up as a result of the scoreline, which sees Europe trouncing USA by seven points. 

Sites such as SeatGeek and StubHub have tickets on offer for around $300. 

But it's too little too late, both on and off the course for Team USA. 

Anyway, enough about money, we've heard too much about all that this week...

Another area where I think the PGA of America and Bradley have let themselves down is in the course setup.

Gone are the days where Americans held a huge driving distance advantage and there was a need to get the rough down. 

This week has turned into a putting contest if truth be told, and I don't mean that with any disrespect to Bethpage Black at all. 

If Bethpage had been set up as a tougher test with deep rough and faster greens like a US Open-style test, this contest might be closer. 

Bethpage Black makes a big thing about it being a brute of a golf course with its 'WARNING' sign behind the 1st tee. 

"WARNING: The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers."

Only it's been nothing of the sort largely a result of the rough being down.

You can spray it just about wherever you want out here and get a good lie. 

Bethpage has been turned into a birdie fest and that's why I say it's turned into a putting contest. 

Europe simply have better putters on their team, and they have proven it over the first four sessions. 

And other than Bryson DeChambeau, you could argue Europe also have the longest hitters on their team, so was there really a necessity to get the rough down after all? 

That to me just lies in a lack of preparation and not understanding your opposition. 

As for Bradley himself as captain, well where do we really start? 

Bradley first got off to a shocker when he said Justin Rose instead of Justin Leonard when reflecting on his first Ryder Cup experience at Brookline in 1999 during his Opening Ceremony speech. 

And it's been dowhill ever since. 

I'll be honest in the fact he is unfortunate to be coming up against a strong European team that is largely unchanged with 11 of the same 12 in Rome.

With poor Rasmus Hojgaard, the only change to the side replacing his twin Nicolai, sitting out three of the first four sessions. 

So this has been largely the exact same team for Europe, and it's shown with their togetherness, energy, spirit and passion for playing and winning alongside one another.

"They just get it these Europeans," one fan told GolfMagic sat beside the 17th green while watching Europe storm into a huge lead on Saturday.

"On paper you'd think Scheffler and DeChambeau would beat Rose and Fleetwood, but this is the Ryder Cup and those guys play for each other and we don't - we are bunch of individuals with massive egos. We know it and they know it."

The disgruntled American fan added: "They'll probably play better on Sunday because they're on their own." 

To cut them a bit of slack, United States is in something of a transition period with their team at the moment, following what was arguably their most successful and dominant side of all time when crushing Europe by a record 10 points at Whistling Straits in 2021.

There are clearly teething issues with this current American setup, and I think it's obvious. 

By that I mean pairings just don't come naturally for them, especially with four rookies in the side. 

You can see that for yourself, with Bradley chopping and changing his foursomes and fourballs pairings with regularity. 

Scheffler has had three partners in four sessions, and that has largely resulted in him going 0-4 as there just isn't a comfort factor like on Europe. 

One major red flag in the foursomes pairings for USA was sending Morikawa (sorry to pick on you again Collin) out with Harris English.

According to stats specialists Data Golf, the pairing of Morikawa and English was ranked 132nd out 132 for the best possible pairing for foursomes.

The rank was then validated when Morikawa and English were defeated by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood 5&4 on Friday and 3&2 on Saturday.

Yes, you could argue no matter who you stuck against McIlroy and Fleetwood wouldn't have mattered, but it was more the fact Bradley opted for that pairing when all the stats leading into the Ryder Cup suggested otherwise.

Bradley was questioned about the decision to send Morikawa out with English after the first day, but the skipper told reporters he felt it was the right combination for his team and that he and his group of vice-captains knew best. 

It was also no time to panic, he said. 

Right. 

When you look at all the work that goes into both foursomes and fourballs pairings on Team Europe, you sort of begin to see why simple mistakes like this are going against Team USA too regularly now at the Ryder Cup. 

Zach Johnson had the same flaws in Rome. 

Of course, the 2025 Ryder Cup is not yet over and I am maybe jumping the gun here ahead of a miraculous final-day comeback from Bradley's men.

He could be made to look a genius if he turns this around and USA somehow win 14.5-13.5. 

But USA need at least 10 points from a possible 12 on Sunday, and that's never happened before and likely never will. 

Europe needs to pick up just 2.5 points to retain the cup and 3 points to win it outright.

The bookies think it's all over at least, with Europe available at odds of 1/50. 

European wins are likely to come early too in the Sunday singles as Donald has front-loaded his team with two of his star performers this week in Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, who have both maintained impressive 100% strike rates at Bethpage. 

Fleetwood has won all four sessions and he is the top scorer for the week as it stands. 

England's experienced Rose, who has won two out of two matches both alongside his compatriot Fleetwood, has been sent out first and he will take on Cameron Young, who has proven the one bright spark for Team USA in his home state of New York. 

Fleetwood will then take on Justin Thomas in the second match, before Matt Fitzpatrick meets Bryson DeChambeau in game three. 

Then the clash everyone has been waiting for will take place in the fourth game as Rory Mcllroy squares off against World No.1 Scottie Scheffler. That will be box office, we hope. 

McIlroy has gone unbeaten taking 3.5 points, while Scheffler has become the first player to go 0-4 in a Ryder Cup week since 1967. 

If the Ulsterman beats the American then he will pull level with late great Seve Ballesteros into a tie for sixth on 22.5 points in the all-time European list. 

Europe will want to get the Ryder Cup won early today, of course they will, but I think they might also just have one eye on that record 10-point winning margin that was dished out to them at Whistling Straits in 2021.

That week in Wisconsin hurt a lot of the Europeans, many of which are still on this team. 

Make no mistake, Europe have been first class this week.

But the job has been made so much easier for them as a result of American flaws both on and off the course at Bethpage. 

Does the Ryder Cup just mean more to Europe because it swings around every two years, whereas on the United States they also have the Presidents Cup to fill a void each season?

I think that plays some part for sure...

Either way you look at it, Donald's Europe are now on the verge of becoming the first away team to win the Ryder Cup since last doing so at Medinah in 2012.

Donald is also on the cusp of becoming the first captain to win consecutive Ryder Cup matches since Tony Jacklin in 1989.

There is already talk that Donald might want to make it three Ryder Cup captaincies on the bounce at Adare Manor in Ireland, such has been his effectiveness and comfort in the role. 

We'll just have to wait and see whether the Englishman fancies another two more years. 

As for Keegan, well I'm sorry, but you won't be getting invited back again.