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The Ryder Cup is one of the only golf tournaments in existence where competitors have to deal with the impact of hostile crowds, but it sounds like organizers are going out of their way to make sure things don’t get too out of hand when it’s held at Bethpage Black in 2025.
Golf has a reputation as a gentleman’s game where etiquette and politeness reign supreme, but that basically goes out the window whenever the Ryder Cup rolls around.
The Waste Management Open in Phoenix is really the only event on the PGA Tour calendar where fans are given the green light to be as loud and rowdy as they please, and both of those terms tend to apply to the galleries when teams representing the United States and Europe face off in the biannual event that’s closing in on its 100th anniversary.
The Ryder Cup has evolved a bit since it was first held in 1927, and while I can’t say I’m intimately familiar with what the atmosphere at Worcester Country Club was like that year, I’m going to guess it was a bit more subdued than the environment we’re typically treated to when the two squads go head-to-head.
Prior to the most recent Ryder Cup in Italty, former European captain Padraig Harrington called attention to the inappropriate harassment and verbal abuse players on both teams have been subjected to over the years courtesy of unruly spectators he says have even targeted their wives and other family members, and it would appear the powers that be are making an effort to address those concerns.
On Tuesday, Team USA captain Keegan Bradley held a joint press conference alongside Team Europe skipper Luke Donald to discuss the 45th iteration of the Ryder Cup, which will officially kick off at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York on September 26th, 2025.
According to the BBC, Bradley sent a warning to American fans who will be hoping to make life as difficult as possible for the visiting team when the tournament gets underway by calling attention to the officials who will be monitoring the gallery for people who cross the line, saying:
“The PGA of America has things in place for each group to monitor the situation and if you act inappropriately you’re going to be asked to leave the tournament.
I hope and expect the fans will respect what the guys are doing but also at the same time be lively and supporting our team.”
The team with home-course advantage has won the past five iterations of the Ryder Cup, and the Americans are hoping to extend that streak to six and bounce back from their loss at Marco Simone next year.