On Friday, Justin Thomas was one of the most enigmatic figures representing Team U.S. at Bethpage. Teaming up with Cameron Young, the 2-time major winner lit up the course as their collective effort helped Team U.S. earn their only point against the Europeans in fourballs for the day. Fans could have witnessed more of the same on Saturday as well. But their unruly behavior led to Thomas shifting his focus from beating the opponents to protecting them. As sad as that was, a PGA Tour pro was still grateful to him for being the guardian at Bethpage.
PGA Tour veteran turned storyteller, Mark Baldwin, shared his experience of watching the 2025 Ryder Cup with his 5-year-old son, Miles. Still at a very impressionable age, it wouldn’t have been wise to show Miles how the American fans behaved towards Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry on Saturday. But Thomas acted very responsibly, and Baldwin acknowledged how he was the perfect role model for young fans watching the tournament.
Speaking about the abuse Lowry & McIlroy faced, he said, “To American players’ credit (and my relief as a parent), some tried to calm the crowd, Justin Thomas chief among them. It was relieving to see Thomas waving his hands at the height of match tension to quiet the crowd, before an important Lowry putt. (Despite my efforts to steer Miles towards Cameron Young, Thomas became his favorite American player on Sunday.)”
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The father-son duo was eagerly watching all the action on television. As Mark expressed, he was impressed by the way Thomas was controlling the crowd to ensure Lowry & McIlroy had the right environment to complete their putts. While that didn’t play in Team U.S.’s favor, it did allow Justin’s personality to shine, earning him a fan in Miles Baldwin.
However, it wasn’t only the 32-year-old who impressed the veteran pro. Mark added, “The European players out Saturday afternoon – McIlroy, Lowry, Fleetwood, Rose, Rahm, Straka, Hatton, Fitzpatrick – protected each other in the face of calamity and lifted one another to perform at their best.”In team matches, Team Europe certainly proved that they are the better side, as they had each other’s backs after every hole. The visitors absolutely annihilated the home team, recording a historic 11½ points from a possible 16, the highest ever score achieved in 2 days.
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But, those were not the only beautiful sportsmanship moments that Mark and Miles Baldwin would have enjoyed during the Ryder Cup broadcast. There were a few more instances where other American pros also behaved amicably that left a positive impression on everyone. Let’s discuss some of them.
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Despite the tough defeat, Justin Thomas & Co. show respect to the Europeans
It was one of the most heartbreaking losses Team U.S. could have suffered on home soil. With Keegan Bradley leading the charge, everyone had hoped he would get his winning moment as he guided the squad to victory. With Cameron Young finally making his debut in the Ryder Cup and Bryson DeChambeau‘s return to the squad, the Americans really wanted this win. But even when facing defeat, some of the players showcased class and acknowledged the brilliant efforts of their opponents.