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Well, that was a bloodbath. If you’re a fan of Team USA, Day 1 of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black was about as pleasant as a root canal. The Europeans came out swinging and didn’t let up, storming to a commanding 5.5 to 2.5 lead. It is the first time they’ve led on U.S. soil after the first day since 2004, and frankly, it felt like they couldn’t miss a putt. The American side, on the other hand, looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. Let’s break down the carnage. Winners: The European Juggernaut If Day 1 had a king, it was Jon Rahm. The Spaniard was an absolute monster, winning both his matches and looking like he was playing a different sport. Paired with Tyrrell Hatton and then Sepp Straka, Rahm was a force of nature, draining putts from everywhere and single-handedly crushing American morale. He went 2-0-0 and looked ready for more. Not far behind was Rory McIlroy. After getting steamrolled in recent Ryder Cups, he came out with a point to prove. He and Tommy Fleetwood dismantled their morning opponents, and he scraped out a crucial half-point in the afternoon. You could see the fire in his eyes; this wasn’t the same guy we saw get emotional after Whistling Straits. This was a man on a mission. Speaking of Fleetwood, the guy is just built for the Ryder Cup. He was another European who went undefeated, remaining an absolute buzzsaw for his team. And how about Matt Fitzpatrick finally getting his first Ryder Cup point? You love to see it. Losers: The American Collapse Where to even begin with Team USA? Let’s start with the world’s No. 1, Scottie Scheffler. To say he had a bad day would be a massive understatement. Scheffler went 0-2-0, becoming the first top-ranked player to do so since Tiger Woods in 2002. His putter went colder than a winter day in Green Bay, and he looked completely lost out there. It was a shocking performance from a guy who has dominated the sport for two years. Then there was the much-hyped pairing of Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, which got absolutely decimated in the morning. DeChambeau can hit a golf ball to the moon, but it doesn’t mean much when your team is getting hammered. The high-energy experiment with U.S. Captain Keegan Bradley also failed to produce a spark when things went south. And let’s not forget Collin Morikawa and Harris English. They were so invisible, you have to wonder if Captain Bradley will send them out for a nice tour of New York City on Saturday instead of putting them on the course. Final Thoughts The lone bright spot for the Americans? Patrick Cantlay and Cameron Young. Cantlay fought like a cornered animal to salvage a half-point, and Young, in his Ryder Cup debut, looked like one of the few Americans who actually showed up to play. But it wasn’t nearly enough to stop the European freight train. The U.S. team is now staring down a massive deficit. Can they pull off a miracle comeback? Maybe. But after watching the Ryder Cup beatdown on Day 1, you wouldn’t want to bet on it. The Europeans look too good, too confident, and too hungry.
