Bethpage diary: Captain Bradley teases US combinations as Cantlay finds cap that fits
Europe's Robert MacIntyre on the putting green during a practice session at the Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup starting on Friday. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.
Waiting that extra day for swings to begin in earnest makes Ryder Cup week one of the longer sporting lead-ins.
Any Monday morning newsiness is welcome and so it was when Keegan Bradley’s practice round pairings were announced at 8am.
Bryson DeChambeau led things off alongside Ben Griffin with Justin Thomas and Cam Young rounding out the group. DeChambeau’s bomb-first approach may work well alongside either of rookies Griffin and Young, goes some thinking.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler played with another rookie and rumoured partner Russell Henley, JJ Spaun and Harris English also in that fourball.
The closing group saw major winners Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele paired up with Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay.
Cantlay and caddie Joe LaCava began this Ryder Cup week in much relaxed form than they ended the last one, those ructions with Rory in Rome lingering in the memory. Having finally found a hat that fits, Cantlay played just nine holes before retiring to the practice green.
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That Cantlay was indeed sporting headgear may have had something (or nothing) to do with the fact that American players are being financially compensated this time around.
An appearance fee of $500k each is being issued on the agreement that $300k goes to charity with the remainder called a ‘stipend’.
Hardly short of cash, US players and staff were putting money where their mouths went during Monday’s practice. Vice captain Kevin Kisner wandered over to the DeChambeau and Thomas group on the 12th tee and peeled a $100 bill from a wedge of them to settle a birdie bet without delay.
“Fast money makes fast friends,” Kisner said. And with it flowing, all seems well in the home camp.
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Irish interest on-site will pick up from early doors Tuesday with Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy joining Europe teammates for an official photo session at first light before they begin their first official practice.
Just 25km north of here the stakes will be significantly higher for one fellow countryman. John Doyle is the sole Irish representative in Junior Ryder Cup action as Europe’s next generation get their tilt underway at Nassau Country Club.
The Mitchelstown and Fota Island member has enjoyed a stellar season, winning the Flogas Irish Boy's Amateur Open Championship and the Munster Stroke Play Amateur Open Championship before making his DP World Tour debut at the Irish Open.
The 18-year-old was one of captain Stephen Gallacher’s picks and will look to make a quick impact across morning foursomes then mixed foursomes on Tuesday before mixed fourballs on Wednesday.
Then comes the really fun part: Doyle and his teammates will be on site at Bethpage Black to play the decisive singles on Thursday morning.
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With Monday being the only day of tournament week closed to the public, things were understandably a bit lower key. Perhaps a little too relaxed, however.
After making the 20-minute wander through Farmingdale’s leafy suburbia to the course, the Irish Examiner breezed through the front gates, unintentionally bypassing security checks.
When we finally found a New York State trooper to ask for directions to the Media Centre he requested we step off to the left while he consulted a colleague. It was then we realised we were standing inside a coveted parking spot: KEEGAN BRADLEY read the sign, with a courtesy BMW pulled in front.
Expect security checks and crowd control to be significantly tighter the closer we get to Friday’s opening day with its Trumpian twist.
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