Team USA’s 2025 Ryder Cup Outlook: Scheffler, Bryson, and the Battle at Bethpage

Young Horn
Aug 19
4 min read

The U.S. Ryder Cup team is starting to take shape — and it already looks like a heavyweight roster that could walk into Bethpage Black with one mission: take back the Cup from Europe. Six men have officially punched their tickets as automatic qualifiers, and now Captain Keegan Bradley has six more picks to make. The pressure is on — and so is the excitement.

But before we dig into bubble boys and captain’s selections, let’s take a moment to appreciate the obvious: this is Scottie Scheffler’s world, and the rest of the field is just renting tee times.

🔥 Scottie Scheffler: The Face of American Golf

It’s almost unfair at this point. Scottie Scheffler has been so relentlessly good that golf fans are running out of superlatives. In 2025 alone, Scheffler has:

PGA Champion
Captured The Open Championship in clinical fashion.
Added wins at The Memorial, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and most recently the BMW Championship, where he casually reminded everyone he’s still the best in the world.
Played with such consistency that his “bad” weeks are top-10 finishes.

Scheffler isn’t just dominating — he’s redefining what dominance looks like in modern golf. He’s become the closest thing we’ve seen to Tiger Woods’ early-2000s stranglehold on the game. If the U.S. Ryder Cup team is a rock band, Scheffler is the frontman — the guy whose name is on the marquee.

And here’s the kicker: the Ryder Cup has historically been the one event where all that individual dominance doesn’t guarantee victory. But this year, the U.S. has something Europe can’t match: a generational superstar at the absolute peak of his powers.

✅ The Six U.S. Automatic Qualifiers

Scottie Scheffler – The undisputed No. 1 in the world. Enough said.
J.J. Spaun – Fresh off a U.S. Open win at Oakmont, Spaun’s ball-striking and confidence have earned him his first Ryder Cup call.
Xander Schauffele – Steady as they come, even while fighting through injury. A player Europe has learned to respect in match play.
Russell Henley – A first-timer, but Scheffler’s reliable partner in the Presidents Cup. Don’t be surprised if Bradley pairs them again.
Bryson DeChambeau – Say what you want about Bryson, but the guy shows up in majors. And he made this team without PGA Tour points. That’s firepower you can’t ignore.
Harris English – A grinder. Two runner-ups in majors this year pushed him across the finish line in points. Think of him as Team USA’s quiet assassin.

That’s already a lineup with power, precision, and pedigree. But we know Ryder Cups aren’t won with six players. They’re won with depth. That’s where the captain’s picks come in.

Who Will Be Keegan Bradley’s Six Captain’s Picks?

Bradley’s decisions will be dissected like the Zapruder film, but here’s where the smart money is heading:

Justin Thomas – Yes, his game has been streaky. But Thomas bleeds red, white, and blue in Ryder Cups. He’s the emotional sparkplug the U.S. needs. Leaving him off would be like leaving ketchup off a hot dog at a ballpark. Just wrong.
Collin Morikawa – Cool, calm, major champion. His iron play makes him a matchup nightmare. Pair him with someone steady, and you can chalk up points.
Ben Griffin – The sneaky choice. He’s had his best season on Tour, flirting with multiple wins and showing nerves of steel. He’s earned it.
Sam Burns – Don’t underestimate the “best buddy” factor. Burns and Scheffler are practically joined at the hip. Their friendship translates into on-course chemistry — and in foursomes, that matters.
Cameron Young – Young has Ryder Cup written all over him: long off the tee, fearless in big moments, and he’ll have a New York crowd behind him at Bethpage.
Keegan Bradley – The wild card. Will the captain pick himself? He’s played well enough to be in the conversation, and if he closes the FedEx Cup strong, the decision writes itself. After all, who wouldn’t want to lead by example on home soil?

Bubble Watch: Patrick Cantlay, Chris Gotterup, Maverick McNealy, and Andrew Novak are lurking. But unless one of them wins the FedEx Cup finale in spectacular fashion, Bradley’s likely leaning toward proven Ryder Cup firepower and players peaking at the right time.

🏟️ Bethpage Black: The Real X-Factor

If golf courses had personalities, Bethpage Black would be that grumpy New Yorker who shouts “fuhgeddaboudit” before hitting you with a jab. It’s long, it’s brutal, and it demands precision.

And here’s the thing: a New York Ryder Cup crowd is unlike anything Europe has ever faced. The roars will be deafening. The jeers will be merciless. Think of it as Fenway Park energy combined with Yankee Stadium swagger. Players who embrace it will thrive. Players who shrink will fold.

🇺🇸 Can Team USA Take Back the Cup?

Europe’s squad will be strong — Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, and the usual cast of Ryder Cup heroes. But the U.S. has the edge this time:

Scheffler as the anchor – The best golfer in the world, entering the Ryder Cup with Tiger-esque confidence.
Depth from 1 through 12 – Veterans (Thomas, Morikawa, Schauffele) + new blood (Griffin, Young, Henley).
Home-course advantage – On U.S. soil, in front of a raucous New York crowd, at one of the hardest courses in America.

The last time the Ryder Cup came to New York (2002 at Bethpage for the U.S. Open, albeit not Ryder Cup), the energy was so intense it rattled even the steeliest players. Multiply that by Ryder Cup fervor, and Europe’s going to feel like they’re playing against 50,000 New Yorkers at once.

This team feels different. It’s not just talent; it’s the mix. A generational superstar, major winners, emotional leaders, and fearless newcomers. The Ryder Cup is always unpredictable — but if there was ever a year for the U.S. to slam the door, this is it.

As the old Bethpage Black warning sign says:

“The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.”