World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has endured a historically poor start at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, becoming the first player to go 0-4 through the opening four sessions in the modern era.
The Texan’s struggles have placed the U.S. team in a precarious position heading into Sunday singles as Scheffler‘s disappointing performance marks a stark contrast to expectations for the world’s top-ranked golfer.
It’s a position he has held for the past 860 days, earning comparisons to Tiger Woods, which have been frequent in recent years, but over the last few days, he has barely looked like a Top 100 player.
Whilst Woods thrived in Ryder Cups, Scheffler has stumbled. On Saturday, he officially became the first player in Ryder Cup history to start 0-4-0 through the first four sessions since the United States vs. Europe format began in 1979.
He is also the only world No. 1 to record such a start across the event’s full history, including the era when the U.S. competed solely against Great Britain as he battles to find form in New York.
Partnered with Russell Henley in Friday’s foursomes, he lost both matches, 5 & 3 and 1UP. In four-ball play, he fell 3 & 2 alongside J.J. Spaun on Friday and again 3 & 2 with Bryson DeChambeau on Saturday.
His current Ryder Cup record now stands at 2-6-3 and cross the last two events, the 2023 competition in Rome and this year, Scheffler has failed to secure a single victory, posting a combined 0-6-2.
Even as a rookie, he went 2-0-1, leaving him with just 3.5 points from 11 career matches, representing 31.8% of available points for the U.S. team.
While Woods also began a Ryder Cup 0-4-0 in 2018, his performance came at a stage when he was past his prime, despite a brief resurgence at the 2019 Masters. In contrast, Scheffler is in the prime of his career, making his start unprecedented for his ranking.
Woods finished his eight Ryder Cup appearances with a 13-21-3 record, winless in his final two events, but Scheffler’s current trajectory threatens to establish a historically poor benchmark for a reigning world No. 1.
How has Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup turned hellish?
For U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, the 2025 Ryder Cup has become a near-nightmare scenario as Europe leads 11.5-4.5 after four sessions, heading into the final day of the competition.
This the first time a host U.S. team has been swept in every session and only the second time any squad has done so in Ryder Cup history.
With ties to the area and high expectations for this team, the first two days of competition have turned into a rout.
Bradley, who has dreamed of Ryder Cup success in any role for nearly three decades, now faces the reality of a historic defeat on home soil. Europe has the potential to reach 20 points by Sunday, echoing the decisive 19-9 U.S. victory in 2021.
While the team captain will bear the bulk of the scrutiny, the primary responsibility lies with the players on the course. Scheffler’s unprecedented 0-4 start is emblematic of a U.S. side struggling to gain traction under immense pressure before their home crowd.
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