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Ryder Cup 2025: How will players cope with first-tee pressure at Bethpage Black? Golf’s acid test that some seize and others let slip | Golf News

Published

10 months ago

September 24, 2025

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Sport is awash with pressure moments, each with their own unique idiosyncrasies that pave the path to greatness.

A penalty in a World Cup shootout, a field goal in the dying moments of an NFL game, a championship point at a tennis Grand Slam, the first ball of an Ashes series – to name a few.

You’d expect golf’s equivalent to be the walk down the fairway, to the 18th green, for a putt to win a major, but in reality, it’s something much more ordinary.

Golfers hit thousands – if not millions – of tee shots over their careers, yet time and again, one stands apart: the first at a Ryder Cup. This singular moment has exacted such a mental and physical toll that even the game’s most composed and accomplished players have been beset with anxiety.

Not even career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy, who goes in search of his fifth Ryder Cup victory on what will be his eighth consecutive appearance for Team Europe, was immune.

“I have never felt as nervous over a golf shot as that first tee shot in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor,” said McIlroy, reflecting on his debut in 2010.

In his four appearances as a player, Team Europe captain Luke Donald became all too familiar with the humbling effects of that first tee shot at a Ryder Cup.

“I really remember everyone talking up the first tee shot and how nerve-wracking it is, but to be honest, walking to the tee I felt pretty normal and confident,” he explains.

“As soon as they mentioned my name, my knees and my legs started to go to jelly. I was thinking, firstly, ‘let’s just try to get the ball on the tee.’

“The shot was just awful – probably 40 yards right. It wasn’t a good feeling, to be honest, but we were off and running, and the nerves kind of went away.”

Darren Clarke fared no better with his nerves on the first tee at Valderrama in 1997. “I was nervous, to say the very least: the hands, the legs, the knees were all going – all the stuff you’d expect to be still was moving pretty fast.

“I teed it up lower than usual and just tried to make contact with the thing. I hit driver – something you wouldn’t usually dream of doing off the first tee at Valderrama – and I hit it pretty well, just pulled it a little bit. It’s a very nervy occasion.”

With accounts like these, it’s hard not to think of Eminem’s 13-times platinum track Lose Yourself.

Donald’s and Clarke’s palms were sweaty, their knees weak, arms heavy. And in the case of Barry Lane, ahead of his 1993 appearance for Team Europe, there was vomit – whether it was on his sweater is irrelevant – and words refused to come out when he opened his mouth.

“I was physically ill on the walk down from the putting green to the first tee,” he recalls. “When we got there, I actually couldn’t speak.”

Lane would go on to lose all three of his matches at The Belfry, as Team USA secured what remains their last victory on European soil. Tellingly, Lane’s first Ryder Cup appearance would also be his last.

Perhaps this – what it takes to earn the right to represent Europe or the USA in the first place – is where the root cause of this crippling first-tee pressure lies.

You’d think the magnitude of the four majors would help players prepare for the rigours of Ryder Cup golf. They do, on many levels. But with huge fields and ample chances to qualify, they cannot come close to replicating the scarcity of opportunity.

Ryder Cup selection is anything but a formality. For 12 players, it is the culmination of two years on tour. It is a measure of consistency – a once-in-a-career opportunity that may never come again if a performance arc is even the slightest bit mistimed.

Tom Lehman, captain of Team USA in 2006, featured in three Ryder Cups as a player and likened not only the first tee shot but every single Ryder Cup game to playing in the final grouping in the final round of a major.

“I was way more nervous on the opening day of the Ryder Cup than the first round of any major,” said the 1996 Open winner. “Every Ryder Cup match is like being in the last group on Sunday in a major.”

A Ryder Cup is an occasion like no other – golf with the dials turned all the way up. Expectation and anticipation combine in a climax around the first tee box that produces an atmosphere golf only sees every other year.

The first-tee memories remain seared into the mind of Edoardo Molinari – one of Donald’s vice-captains in 2025 – 15 years on from helping Team Europe to victory at Celtic Manor as a player.

“We thought nobody would be on the tee. It was around an hour before the first tee time and there were 5,000 people sitting there, singing!” he said. “It is still a very vivid memory of how different the week was compared to other weeks.”

If the partisan European crowd Molinari described was something to behold, the reception awaiting Donald, his players, and his staff at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black could well surpass anything seen before.

The ability to maintain composure in a hostile, heated environment will be crucial in determining whether Europe defends or relinquishes its crown. It’s a task easier said than done, but not unattainable – especially if you tap into primal competitiveness.

“In the end, the bottom line is, it’s just us 12 against those 12 over there,” said Team USA’s 2008 winning captain Paul Azinger. “And you should look at the guy you’re playing and say to yourself on that first tee, ‘I just don’t want him to celebrate at my expense.'”

The stage is set. Bethpage Black awaits. Who will triumph, and at whose cost – the hosts or the holders?

When is the Ryder Cup live on Sky Sports?

There will be extended live coverage from every day of Ryder Cup week, where Team Europe look to regain the trophy with a historic away win in the United States.

Round-the-clock coverage of the opening day’s play will begin with live build-up from 9am on Friday September 26, ahead of full coverage from midday and the opening tee shot at 12.10pm. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.

Sports

Supercomputer Ranks 24 Favourites to Win Euro 2028

Published

16 minutes ago

July 21, 2026

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With the 2026 World Cup in the history books, international football is already looking forward to the European Championships in two years’ time.

The tournament will be hosted in the UK and Ireland, with England expected to be among the favourites on home soil. It’s also a great opportunity for the likes of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to give a good account of themselves.

There will be fierce competition to claim the prestigious international trophy, with world champions Spain looking to retain their European crown. France and Norway put in brilliant performances at the World Cup, while Germany and Italy could be rejuvenated with new managers.

But who is the most likely to come out on top when all is said and done? Well, Casinolyze have predicted exactly that using a supercomputer that simulated the competition 30,000 times to come up with the most probable outcome.

England Not Expected to Win Euro 2028

England's Harry Kane during an interview after a 2026 World Cup match

Scotland, Wales and both Ireland sides are among the least likely of the 24 teams included in this simulation to claim the trophy. Given their history in major competitions, it’s not a huge surprise. However, the home nations are all given less than a 20% chance of even reaching the Round of 16.

Nations like Hungary, Serbia, Poland and Ukraine are among several countries that have less than a 1% chance of lifting the trophy after failing to even qualify for the World Cup this summer.

Surprisingly, 12 teams are rated as having a better chance than Norway. That’s despite Erling Haaland and co advancing further than the majority of European nations at the World Cup.

The 2020 winners, Italy, have only been given a marginally better chance than Belgium, Croatia and Switzerland. It’s quite the fall from grace considering none of those countries have ever won the title, but are almost as likely as a major nation like Italy.

At the top end, France are the marginal favourites with a 14.5% chance of winning. Spain (14%) and England (13%) are the next most likely nations. Jurgen Klopp’s Germany, a potentially Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal and the Netherlands make up the chasing pack.

Supercomputer Predicts Euro 2028 Winners
Country	Chance of Reaching R016 (%)	Chance of Reaching QF (%)	Chance of Reaching SF (%)	Chance of Reaching Final (%)	Chance of Winning (%)
France	97	75	47	26	14.5
Spain	96	74	46	25	14
England	95	72	44	23	13
Germany	94	70	41	21	11.5
Portugal	93	68	40	20	11
Netherlands	89	58	33	16	8
Italy	84	50	27	13	6
Belgium	82	47	25	12	5.5
Croatia	77	40	19	9	4
Switzerland	74	37	17	8	3.5
Denmark	70	32	14	6	2.5
Austria	64	27	11.5	4.5	2
Norway	60	24	9.5	3.5	1.5
Turkey	54	19	7	2.5	1
Czech Republic	47	14	5	1.5	0.5
Serbia	46	13	4.5	1.2	0.5
Sweden	38	10	3.5	0.9	0.4
Ukraine	35	9	3	0.7	0.3
Poland	27	5.5	1.5	0.4	0.1
Hungary	26	5	1.2	0.3	0.1
Scotland	16	2.5	0.6	0.2	0.1
Wales	14	2	0.4	0.1	0
Republic of Ireland	12	1.5	0.3	0.1	0
Northern Ireland	9	1	0.1	0	0

Sports

Man Utd Eyeing ‘Special’ Kees Smit Transfer for Midfield Rebuild

Published

39 minutes ago

July 21, 2026

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Manchester United have not yet completed their midfield rebuild, and a new name has now emerged as a potential target.

The Reds have completed four deals so far this summer, with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans joining for a combined £85m in midfield, while youngster Tynan Thompson has arrived from Tottenham in a £4m deal, and goalkeeper Karl Darlow has arrived on a free transfer.

But the club are still pushing to make more additions to their squad, especially in midfield, and with a number of targets being linked, it has emerged that there is a deal to be done for one of the players reportedly on their list.

Man Utd Eyeing Kees Smit Deal

According to a report by freelance journalist Shaun Connolly, Man Utd are keen on a deal to sign AZ Alkmaar central midfielder Kees Smit this summer.

Smit, who has been described as ‘special’, has emerged as one of the most impressive midfield prospects in Europe over the last 12 months, and is expected to leave the Eredivisie side as a result of the interest in his services.

United are keen to bring in midfield reinforcements, and according to Connolly, the Reds ‘greatly admire’ the young Netherlands star. It’s also reported that there is a belief that ‘a deal is there to be done this summer’, although it is unclear if Man Utd will actively push to bring him to Old Trafford.

Smit has been heavily linked with the likes of Newcastle, Liverpool, and Real Madrid in recent times, while United legend Rio Ferdinand described him as someone that the club cannot allow to join a rival because of his potential.

The youngster would be a welcome addition at Old Trafford as they look to put more control into their side, but at just 20-years-old it means he may struggle for regular game time behind Tielemans, Santos, and Kobbie Mainoo ahead of him.

Fees correct prior to summer 2026

All 10 found — excellent!

Smit Is a Future Superstar

Man Utd have a clear idea of what they want in midfield, and in reality, it’s fair to say that Smit probably doesn’t fit that mould right now.

Smit is someone who is at his best with the ball at his feet and controlling a game, while United are pushing to find someone more defensive-minded who can win the ball back and give it to the likes of Mainoo and Tielemans to control the game.

But Smit is a player who is so good, and has such a high ceiling, that not signing him now could mean you miss out in the future too. It’s not often that players like him are available, and this is a moment where United must consider getting a deal done in advance to set themselves up for the future.

Sports

Aston Villa Handed Huge Boost in Pursuit of ‘World-Class’ Midfielder After Twist

Published

1 hour ago

July 21, 2026

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Aston Villa have been one of the busiest clubs in this summer’s transfer window and their business isn’t stopping anytime soon.

Johan Manzambi arrived as Morgan Rogers’ replacement amid the England attacker’s British transfer record £117 million switch to Stamford Bridge. The Villans beat Newcastle United to the Swiss midfielder after paying a club record £59.5 million, including add-ons.

The West Midlands outfit then swooped for Joao Gomes, forking out £38m to sign the Brazilian from Wolverhampton Wanderers. That came after Youri Tielemans made a surprise move to Manchester United after a £35m release clause was triggered.

Aston Villa Remain Keen on Palhinha

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Joao Palhinha celebrates Premier League win over Aston Villa

Villa had been planning to reinforce in midfield due to Amadou Onana’s injury. The Belgian will miss next season after rupturing his ACL while on international duty at the World Cup.

A potential option to help address Onana’s absence is Joao Palhinha, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites opted not to sign the Portuguese midfielder permanently, and he’s headed back to Bayern Munich.

Palhinha is deemed surplus to requirements at Bayern, and he missed out on a move to Spurs due to the Bundesliga giants insisting on a €30m option to buy. They have had trouble offloading the player at that price, and German outlet BILD (via iMiaSanMia) reports that it could mean they reconsider their valuation.

The report states that the Bavarians could ‘significantly lower their asking price’ or ‘end up agreeing to a loan.’ Villa’s interest is mentioned, and it’s claimed that the Germans’ hopes hinge on them making a move for the 31-year-old.

Palhinha, branded “unbelievable”, impressed at Spurs despite their battle against relegation, and he scored the winner in a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day of the season. He is now waiting for a resolution as he doesn’t feature in Vincent Kompany’s plans.

Fees correct prior to summer 2026

All 10 found — excellent!

Palhinha is a Perfect Short-Term Fix

Joao Palhinha in action for Tottenham Hotspur

A move to Portugal is off the cards because of the asking price, although a loan deal is desired. Benfica and Sporting CP are the two clubs looking to take Palhinha back to his homeland.

Palhinha has proven Premier League experience and, given his age, will probably be willing to be a player who Unai Emery rotates. That helps the manager deal with Onana’s injury in the short term but also adds a quality holding midfielder to his squad.

Bayern’s asking price is the main issue, but if this is lowered, Villa should swoop for the Portuguese star. He earned a move to the Allianz Arena after a superb spell at Fulham but couldn’t replicate his performances in the Bundesliga.