The 2025 Ryder Cup is fast approaching, with Team Europe set to face Team USA at Bethpage Black, and both Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler have sent telling messages ahead of the tournament
Jon Rahm has some doubts about Team Europe’s preparations ahead of the Ryder Cup(Image: Getty)
Team Europe and Team USA will soon battle it out at the 2025 Ryder Cup as golf’s biggest stars arrive at Bethpage Black. Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler have delivered messages before the tournament, with one being more upbeat than the other.
Rahm and Team Europe will certainly encounter a deafening wall of noise when they travel across the pond, as American supporters attempt to give Team USA the advantage. Rory McIlroy disclosed that the team has been utilising virtual reality to aid their preparations, but Rahm remains sceptical.
World No. 1 Scheffler also claimed victory at the Procore Championship on Sunday and issued a stern warning to his European opponents in the process. Mirror Sport delivers all the latest updates from the golfing world, including a drought coming to an end on the LPGA Tour and a legendary player’s record-breaking blunder.
Jon Rahm’s VR doubt
As the Europeans attempt to stage a Medinah-style assault on the Ryder Cup, Masters winner McIlroy revealed last week that VR headsets are being employed to help replicate the hostile welcome they’re virtually guaranteed to face.
Nevertheless, Rahm, who contributed to Team Europe’s triumph two years ago at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, remains unconvinced and believes this approach falls short of the genuine experience.
“VR is never anywhere close to real life,” he told Sky Sports Golf. “[But] the main thing I’ve taken from it is that you can only do the first tee, but you get an idea of what it’s going to look like ahead of time.
“I think it was funny because you can actually hit the tee shot, which is just weird because you have that little controller and swing. They have somebody talking on the headset. I think they found somebody from the Northeast, but it’s not even close. It’s not the same stakes.”
Rahm isn’t so convinced about the VR headsets(Image: Getty)
Scottie Scheffler sends Team Europe a message
Despite enduring a torrid time in Italy two years back, world No. 1 Scheffler remains in scintillating form and claimed his sixth PGA Tour triumph of 2025 on Sunday, reports the Express.
Scheffler carded a closing 67 to edge out Ryder Cup colleague Ben Griffin at the Procore Championship by just one shot. Griffin could have taken the contest to extra holes, but fluffed a six-foot birdie attempt on the final green.
Following his triumph, Scheffler was confident about his condition ahead of the Ryder Cup, declaring: “I think we’re all excited for the Ryder Cup to get here. The thing I always focus on most going into tournaments is my preparation.
Scheffler won his sixth PGA Tour competition of the year on Sunday(Image: Getty)
“When I step up on the first tee, I can tell myself I did everything I could to play well. I definitely feel that way going into the Ryder Cup, and I’m excited to get it started.”
Charley Hull finally claims victory
Meanwhile, Charley Hull at last ended her three-year LPGA Tour drought by triumphing at the Kroger Queen City Championship. The US Women’s Open and Chevron Championship runner-up had secured T2 finishes in her previous two outings and appeared set for another bridesmaid role.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul was in a commanding position on 18 and was looking to become the first multiple winner on the Tour this year, but experienced a dramatic collapse and four-putted.
Hull snapped a nearly three-year losing streak(Image: Getty)
After birdying the 18th to secure her first win since October 2022, Hull said: “I just thought I had to make the eagle to be fair. And I wasn’t really watching her putt for birdie, because I thought she was going to hole it.
“Then yeah, I guess it’s not over until the fat lady sings. I was shaking over that last putt because I just didn’t expect it. But yeah, it feels pretty good.”
John Daly breaks unwanted record
Major champion John Daly was renowned for his record-breaking drives during his heyday, but the golf legend carved out an unwelcome piece of history at the Sanford International last Friday.
The 59-year-old got off to a nightmare start, finishing the opening nine holes with four bogeys. Yet things would deteriorate spectacularly on the par-5 12th hole, where he required an eye-watering 19 shots before eventually finishing with an 88.
Daly had a disaster on hole 12(Image: Getty)
The exact breakdown of Daly’s calamitous hole remains unclear as the PGA Tour Champions lacks laser tracking technology. However, shot-by-shot records reveal his opening drive found trouble in the rough, before he proceeded to fire seven consecutive attempts into water.
Once he’d finally navigated the hazard, his 17th effort landed close to the green, allowing him to complete the hole in two more strokes for his historic 19.
The nightmare surpassed Daly’s previous worst showing – an 18 at the 1998 Bay Hill Invitational where he repeatedly launched 3-wood into water on six successive attempts.
