Home SPORTS Ryder Cup: Keegan Bradley Defends Raucous Ryder Cup Fans

Ryder Cup: Keegan Bradley Defends Raucous Ryder Cup Fans

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Keegan Bradley
Keegan Bradley


US Captain Keegan Bradley defends New York crowds' behavior at the Ryder Cup, citing passion and frustration with Team USA's performance.


The fans of New York, from what I have seen, have been pretty good. You're always going to have a few people who cross the line, and that's unfortunate...


USA captain Keegan Bradley defended the raucous New York crowds at the Ryder Cup, describing them as “passionate” despite some fans crossing the line with personal insults and profane remarks directed at European golfers, particularly Rory McIlroy.


Bradley acknowledged that the team's poor performance might have contributed to the fans' frustration, but he emphasized that the majority of the crowd support was positive. He also compared the current atmosphere to the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, suggesting that the spectators there had been “pretty violent.”


European captain Luke Donald had a different perspective, stating that some fans' behavior was unacceptable, including personal insults and making sounds to disrupt golfers' putts. He praised his team's ability to deal with the challenging atmosphere.


The tense atmosphere at Bethpage Black led to increased security measures, including state troopers walking with McIlroy and Shane Lowry during their four-ball victory. Despite the hostility, Bradley emphasized his team's ability to respond to difficult situations and praised their resilience.


Europe seized a commanding 11.5-4.5 lead heading into Sunday's singles matches, putting them on the brink of a historic win. The Americans face a daunting task, needing 10 points to reclaim the trophy, but their struggles continued with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler making history for the wrong reasons. Scheffler became the first American in Ryder Cup history to start 0-4, a stark contrast to his impressive year with six wins, including two majors.




The European team's dominance was evident, with players like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood delivering standout performances. McIlroy went 2-0 on Saturday, winning alongside Shane Lowry in the afternoon fourballs and with Tommy Fleetwood in the morning foursomes. Fleetwood also notched up two points, helping Europe take a significant lead.


“I thought the fans were passionate,” Bradley said. “Their home team is getting beat bad. They are passionate fans. I wasn't at Rome, but I heard a lot of stories that Rome was pretty violent as well.”




“The fans of New York, from what I have seen, have been pretty good. You're always going to have a few people who cross the line, and that's unfortunate. I was happy to see our players trying to quiet down some people who were like that.”


US captain Keegan Bradley attributed the hostile crowd behavior partly to the team's poor performance, suggesting that the fans' frustration stemmed from the Americans' struggles on the course.


“Part of it is our fault,” he said. “We're not playing up to the standards they want to see, and they are angry, and they should be.”


He said that amid Scheffler's struggles, the world number one “has been the best teammate in our team room this week, without question.”


“This is tough. This is what happens in sports all the time,” Bradley said. “We've had some wacky stuff go on.”





US Captain Keegan Bradley praised his players for maintaining their composure despite the growing deficit, saying, “I'm proud of our players for not moping as the score got more lopsided, and Scottie Scheffler is at the top of that list.” Meanwhile, Europe Captain Luke Donald acknowledged that Scheffler hasn't had his best week, but still holds immense respect for the world No. 1, calling him a champion and potentially one of the greatest players ever.


Bradley commended Scheffler's professionalism, highlighting his positive attitude despite struggling on the course. Scheffler went winless in both sessions on Friday, losing 5-3 to Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick in the morning foursomes. Donald attributed Scheffler's struggles to the challenges of match play, where teamwork and strategy play a significant role.


“I've the utmost respect for Scottie Scheffler,” Donald said. “He's going to be one of the greatest players ever to play this game.”


“But yeah, it hasn't been his time. Obviously, match play, playing with a partner, it's different. There are different scenarios. You have to rely a little bit on your partners, as well. It's hard to do it all by yourself, but Scottie Scheffler is a champion.”


The Americans are facing a daunting task after Europe's dominant performance, leaving them 11.5-4.5 behind heading into Sunday's singles matches. In 2021, the US secured a record 19-9 victory over Europe at Whistling Straits, but now they're on the verge of suffering a similar lopsided loss unless they can orchestrate a historic comeback. To avoid defeat, the US team needs to win 10 points on the final day, a feat no team has achieved after trailing by more than four points. Europe's strong lineup, featuring players like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Tommy Fleetwood, who are a combined 8-0-1, makes the task even more challenging for the Americans.




Sam Burns believes a comeback is possible, saying, “It's doable. Every guy has to go out and basically win a point. That's our mission.” US captain Keegan Bradley is rallying his team with inspirational stories, including Tom Brady's epic comeback in the 2017 Super Bowl, where the Patriots overcame a 28-3 deficit to win. Bradley is appealing to his players' dreams, urging them to seize the moment and make history.


“My message was, if you were a 16-year-old kid and you were going to get to go play for your country in singles in New York at Bethpage Black, you would be so excited,” Bradley said.


“Of course I want to go out there and make history tomorrow. They all do. But I think you've got to relish in the opportunity to get out on the course and play for your country.”




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