With the Ryder Cup teeing off this week, the atmosphere at Bethpage is absolutely electric, as golf fans from around the world watch the best players on the planet compete against one another.
Both Team USA and Team Europe have stacked rosters again this year, but the former is searching for revenge from the loss at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy, where the Europeans dominated for a 16.5-11.5 victory.
And unlike typical golf tournaments, there’s a special kind of buzz anytime the two continents go head to head, with fans going all out to show support.
Given that type of environment, it’s only natural for pro golfers like Justin Thomas — a 2-time major champ who’s competing in his fourth Ryder Cup — to feel a little differently in a team even like this.
Why Justin Thomas Loves the Ryder Cup
So what makes Justin Thomas love the Ryder Cup so much? During a recent golf trip to Florida, the Rainmakers Golf crew asked him.
“Yeah, it’s hard to explain, but it’s just a different feeling,” Thomas said.
Seeing a 2-time major champion speechless was not on my bingo card, so I asked Thomas to elaborate a bit more.
“It’s not individual, so you’re rooting for the guys that are on your team,” he adds. “You’re not necessarily rooting against them during the season, but you’re certainly not rooting for them — you’re trying to beat them.”
Outside of the team aspect, Thomas references the aura of the Ryder Cup as being one of the coolest feelings for him to experience.
“It’s something that’s very hard to explain,” he says. “Just the feelings, the adrenaline, the nerves, just all of it is just heightened at team events [like the Ryder Cup].”
It’s clear Justin Thomas loves repping his country, so he pours all of his energy into playing for pride, soaking in all of the emotions that comes with that.
It’s part of the reason why he expressed so much desire to be part of Team USA for the 2023 Ryder Cup, saying “it’s the f***ing best,” during the second season of the TV show Full Swing on Netflix.
Thomas ultimately made the team in 2023, and is now hoping to bring a title back to America.
Like JT, his buddy (and Ryder Cup teammate), Xander Schauffele, also shared his feeling about what makes the team event so special, telling Rainmakers the following:
“What we do as a team [is awesome], and it’s where you fall in love with sports because you see how close a team can be,” Schauffele told us. “Celebrating with your team is… well, there’s nothing like it.”
Whether you’re a golf fan or not, anytime America goes head to head against anyone, there’s a good reason to tune in, wear red, white, and blue, and maybe even blast some good ol’ “Born in the USA” to really set the mood.
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