On the opening day of the Ryder Cup 2025 at Bethpage Black in New York, golf superstar Scottie Scheffler ignited a dramatic firestorm by publicly blasting Team Europe following a tense morning foursomes match. Scheffler, teaming up with Sam Burns against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, labeled his opponents’ behavior as “unprofessional” and “gamesmanship gone too far” in a heated post-match interview. The comments spread like wildfire, prompting Team Europe’s captain Luke Donald to defend his squad, while Rory McIlroy—the European No. 1—fired back directly, turning the event into an off-course “cold war”!
The drama erupted after Scheffler, the 29-year-old world No. 1 in peak form, accused the Rahm-Hatton duo of deliberately slowing play and using “psychological tricks” to disrupt the rhythm. “They weren’t playing fair—that’s not the spirit we want in the Ryder Cup. Europe always loves the drama, but today they crossed the line,” Scheffler said with visible frustration in the press room. The match ended in a thrilling halve after 18 holes, but tensions escalated around hole 12 when Hatton was alleged to have smirked after a missed putt by Burns. American fans erupted in cheers, while European supporters booed in response, transforming Bethpage Black into a true theater of rivalry.
Not one to back down, Rory McIlroy—who had just secured a win alongside Tommy Fleetwood against Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau—took to X (Twitter) immediately: “Scottie, if you can’t handle the pressure, don’t play Ryder Cup. We fight with skill, not empty words. #EuropeStrong #NoDramaHere.” The post racked up millions of views in minutes, with the hashtag #SchefflerVsEurope trending worldwide. Europe’s captain Luke Donald chimed in: “This is Ryder Cup—fierce competition is normal. But baseless accusations only diminish the event’s value.”
This feud echoes Scheffler’s humiliating 9&7 defeat with Brooks Koepka against Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where Europe crushed the U.S. 16.5-11.5. Insiders suggest Scheffler is still “salty” from that loss, and today’s outburst might be his way of settling the score. The U.S. team holds a slight lead after the morning session (2-1-1), but the tension could impact the afternoon fourballs.
The global golf community is buzzing. American fans rallied behind Scheffler: “He’s right—Europe always plays dirty!” Meanwhile, European supporters countered: “Scheffler’s just making excuses for subpar play.” Experts like Phil Mickelson (now in LIV Golf) weighed in: “Ryder Cup thrives on drama, but don’t let it go overboard.”
Will this drama fuel a U.S. comeback or unite Europe even more? With two days left, anything could explode! Follow us for real-time updates from Bethpage Black. 👇👇
