At the 2025 Ryder Cup, preparation will be key. Much has been made of the pressure cooker environment waiting for the players in New York, and the better-prepared team will have a significant edge when dealing with the atmosphere.
Luke Donald’s Team Europe is using virtual reality to help them prepare for the heckling expected on the first tee box at Bethpage. He selected an experienced Ryder Cup team who are used to the environment, and Donald took Europe on a practice round in America for the first time in their history with the atmosphere in mind.
Meanwhile, Team USA is having conversations about the New York crowd, attempting to find an edge in their preparation for the highly anticipated event. Xander Schauffele, who qualified automatically for Keegan Bradley’s side, admitted he doesn’t know how to prepare for the crowd.
Xander Schauffele admits he doesn’t know how to prepare for the Ryder Cup
After winning two majors in 2024, Schauffele was one of the best players in the world. However, an injury-riddled start to 2025 marked the beginning of a disappointing season for the American, who appears to have lost all confidence in his game.
He only had three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, and Schauffele lost his streak at the Tour Championship, failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup finale for the first time since 2017.
Bethpage Black is not an environment for a player attempting to find their game. The crowd is set to be unlike anything we have seen in the sport in recent memory. And as teams and players attempt to find ways to prepare for the atmosphere, Schauffele admitted he does not know how to get himself ready for it.
He said on the Fore Play Podcast, “There’s definitely been conversations. I read that the Europeans are using VR headsets… That’s interesting.
“But other than stressing how crazy it’s going to be, I don’t know how I’m going to prepare myself… How do you properly prepare for that? Keegan’s definitely been addressing it.”
Schauffele could be a worry for Bradley. His 2025 form was uninspiring, and he was the only American player not present for the Procore Championship, as he welcomed the birth of his first child. He hasn’t put consistently good golf on tape in 2025, but Team USA need him at his best in New York.
Xander Schauffele compares Team Europe to Team USA
Being the home team, the Americans have the luxury of deciding how to set up Bethpage Black in their favour. But Schauffele noted that there wasn’t much of an advantage to be found because of how close the teams are in their attributes and ability level.
He continued, “I feel like these teams are pretty close. I don’t sit here and think this team is way better than that team. I feel like they are pretty close. And I feel pretty evenly matched.
“I think whoever is coached the best, whoever gets acclimated the fastest. Coached as in who gets the pairings and the mojo right, will come out on top of this Ryder Cup.”
In that sense, Europe must have the early edge. Donald is a returning captain after Europe’s triumph in Rome two years ago, while Bradley is a first-time captain with the pressure heaped on his shoulders. Bradley could be an exceptional captain for America, but we simply do not know.
Justin Rose discussed how close a team Europe is. 11 of their 12 players teed off in Rome, and they are well regarded as a tightly knit group with a clear focus. Their best player, Rory McIlroy, has laser focus on the Ryder Cup like the rest of the team.
Where Team USA has the edge is the immeasurable factor: the crowd. How much the New Yorkers can throw off the experienced professionals of Europe is the big unknown of this competition.
Schauffele’s admission about his inability to prepare the environment is truly shared among all 24 players. No matter how much work and preparation the teams put in, there is no way of simulating the nerves of the first tee box at Bethpage. That’s what makes this event so incredibly special.