World No 1 Scottie Scheffler believes President Donald Trump’s expected appearance at the Ryder Cup later this week will provide a timely lift for the United States team as they prepare to face Europe at Bethpage Black.
The Americans, eager to reclaim the trophy on home soil, will walk onto the first tee in New York with the backing of a partisan crowd and, according to Scheffler, the presence of the US President will only heighten the sense of occasion.
“It has been a tough few weeks for our country with some of the stuff that has been going on, and to have our president here and for us to represent the United States of America, albeit being in a golf tournament, is extremely important for us,” Scheffler said on Tuesday.
“We’re excited to be on home soil with the home crowd and we’re ready to get this tournament started.”
The Ryder Cup arrives in the shadow of national mourning after the fatal shooting of young Republican leader Charlie Kirk earlier this month. A memorial service was held only days before the 44th edition of golf’s most passionate contest, adding an additional layer of poignancy to an event already steeped in sporting pride.
Trump, an avid golfer and long-time supporter of the biennial competition, is scheduled to attend Friday’s opening matches, though his exact arrival time remains unclear. The US commander-in-chief delivered an extraordinary attack on the UN and its members during his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday.
US captain Keegan Bradley was careful not to confirm whether Trump would address the players directly.
“I think President Trump is a pretty busy guy. I’m just thrilled he’s going to be here,” Bradley said. “This first tee at Bethpage is going to be a sporting event to remember across any sport, and then you add on the President of the United States standing there, I really think it’s going to be something that everyone will remember forever.”
Scheffler, who revealed Trump has personally called to congratulate him after past victories, praised the president’s ability to instill belief in those around him.
“He’s one of those guys when you’re around him, he does such a good job of feeding confidence into everybody,” Scheffler said. “He treats everybody the same and treats people with the utmost respect – whether that’s a caddie, a club president, or even the person serving lunch.”
Patrick Cantlay welcomed the prospect of Trump energising the galleries. “His impact on the atmosphere should be great,” Cantlay said. Xander Schauffele, a two-time major winner, added that the raucous crowds are central to the Ryder Cup’s unique identity. “The fans are what make this event special,” he said. “Whether it’s everyone singing their songs in Europe or the heavy ‘U-S-A’ chants here, I love all of it.”
Team Europe captain Luke Donald struck a diplomatic tone, saying the presence of any sitting president underscores the Ryder Cup’s significance. “You see it as a mark of respect that a sitting president wants to support an event when he has a very busy schedule. To find time for that shows something,” Donald said.
Organisers moved Wednesday’s opening ceremony forward by a day due to forecasts of severe weather on Thursday. Pairings for the opening foursomes session will still be revealed Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau found himself in the spotlight after reigniting his simmering rivalry with Rory McIlroy. The 32-year-old LIV Golf star, whose press conference was pushed back to Thursday, has already been described by Bradley as a crucial “X-factor” in the US line-up.
“We have a lot of calm, mellow guys so we need the energy from Bryson and he brings that every day,” Bradley said. “Just his golfing ability alone is an X-factor, but also he’s a really fiery player. We need that in the team room and on the course.”
At the Masters, where McIlroy won his first green jacket to complete a career Grand Slam, DeChambeau promised to "chirp" in McIlroy's ear at the Ryder Cup. The five-time major winner from Northern Ireland responded to The Guardian last month, saying of DeChambeau: "The only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people."
DeChambeau played down fresh comments from McIlroy dismissing his attempts to attract attention.
“All I’m trying to do is inspire kids on YouTube,” DeChambeau told Golf Channel. “Whatever Rory says is great. I hope we can have some good banter back and forth, and if not, no problem. The crowd’s going to be on our side.”
