A Different Setup at Bethpage Black
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) – The talk about Bethpage Black being a beast might not be entirely accurate this week. The setup for this year’s Ryder Cup looks more like a regular tour event than a major, with the rough cut down to a manageable 2 inches, some of the tee boxes moved up, and rain softening the course.
Harris English, a U.S. golfer, guessed that Bethpage might surrender a score of 18- to 20-under par in a regular, four-round, stroke-play tournament. He noted that while the course can still be challenging, especially on the back nine, it’s more forgiving than previous majors.
Winning scores from previous majors at Bethpage have ranged from Brooks Koepka’s 8-under par in 2019 to Tiger Woods’ 3 under in 2002. These scores are considered normal under more taxing conditions. The greens, too, are smaller and less undulating compared to other major venues.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, who used to sneak onto the course when he played college golf, disagreed with the idea that fans want to see the best players suffer as they do. “The locals want to see us win,” he said. “They’re passionate about their course, but they want to see us win.”
Betting Odds and Matchups
The U.S. is a slight betting favorite, listed by BetMGM Sportsbook at minus-145 (bet $145 to win $100), with Europe at plus-160 (bet $100 to win $160). A tie would result in a $1200 payout on a $100 wager, with Europe retaining the cup as the defending champion.
Odds for the first set of matches were released, with the match between Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton against Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas listed as a toss-up. The U.S. is favored in two matches, while Europe is favored in the other.
Fitzpatrick Parents Take a Break
Matt Fitzpatrick of England has already played in three Ryder Cup matches, enough for his parents to sit this one out. The loud and obnoxious crowd at Whistling Straits made it an unpleasant experience. Additionally, his parents will be competing in the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland next week. They didn’t want to miss that special opportunity with his brother, Alex Fitzpatrick.
“They also didn’t really want to ruin that experience,” Matt said. “It’s a combination of travel, a busy week, and they want to have a nice week next week with me and my brother.”
Captains Clarify Remarks
On the eve of the Ryder Cup, both captains clarified comments made during Wednesday’s opening ceremony. Keegan Bradley admitted he made an “honest mistake” by mentioning Justin Rose instead of Justin Leonard. Luke Donald, the European captain, clarified that his remarks about pride weren’t directed at the U.S. squad.
Junior Ryder Cup Results
The Americans won back one cup this week in New York. Asterisk Talley and Anna Fang each went unbeaten, leading the U.S. to a 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 victory over Europe. The Junior Ryder Cup features foursomes, mixed foursomes, mixed fourballs, and singles. It was carried over three days due to rain.
Ticket Prices Soar
Ryder Cup tickets were the most expensive ever, priced at $750 a day for competition rounds. According to TickPick, the average purchase price for Bethpage Black is $1,374, significantly higher than the $508 for the last Ryder Cup in 2021. The cheapest ticket sold for Friday’s opening session was $888, more than 300% higher than the $220 for the least expensive ticket at Whistling Straits.
Notable Facts
Jon Rahm has been handed the lead-off role all four times he’s played the Ryder Cup. The most common score in Ryder Cups since 1979 is 14 1/2-13 1/2, which has happened seven times. Europe won four of those. Last year, Europe went 7-1 in foursomes matches, including a clean sweep on the first day. Two of the teams that went 2-0, Rahm-Hatton and McIlroy-Fleetwood, are in the lineup for Friday.
Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak contributed to this report.
