The opening day of the Ryder Cup brought more heartbreak than hope for Team USA. Europe jumped out to a 4-2 lead, and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler once again found himself at the center of the storm.
Scheffler entered the week as the hottest player on the PGA Tour, with six wins this season, including two majors. Expectations were sky-high. But instead of leading the charge, he became the first top-ranked golfer since Tiger Woods in 2002 to lose both of his Friday matches.
For a player who thrives in week-to-week competition, the Ryder Cup has been a stumbling block. Since 2021, Scheffler has only twowins in nine matches, and he has now earned just one point in his last six.
A Brutal Day at Bethpage
The morning foursomes set the tone. Paired with Russell Henley, Scheffler couldn’t find a rhythm and lost 5 & 3 to Europe’s Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. The afternoon offered a chance at redemption, but instead turned into another setback.
This time, Scheffler teamed up with J.J. Spaun in fourballs. Facing Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka, the Americans trailed early and never recovered. Even a late run of birdies from Scheffler wasn’t enough, as Europe closed out a 3 & 2 win.
The numbers tell the story. In 26 holes played on Friday, Scheffler was a combined 14 down with his partners. The defeats marked the worst Ryder Cup start for a No. 1 player in 23 years.
Frustration Mounts
After the round, Scheffler admitted the team “hit a lot of nice shots” but failed to make the key putts when they mattered. Analysts were less forgiving. American journalist Alex Miceli told BBC Radio his foursome play was “atrocious,” calling the gap between his PGA success and Ryder Cup struggles“hard to explain.”
While Scheffler stumbled, Europe’s stars took advantage. Rahm remains undefeated in his Ryder Cup career, and Straka delivered steady support in the afternoon win. Rory McIlroy also added to his career points tally, edging closer to breaking into the top tier of Europe’s all-time list.
For Team USA, the message is clear: if they want any chance to close the gap, Scheffler must find a way to flip the script. Until then, Europe has every reason to believe their early lead can grow into something much larger.
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