The opening ceremony earlier this week – image PGA of America
Now considered not only one of the world’s great golfing events, but one of the greatest and most eagerly anticipated sporting events, the 45th Ryder Cup encounter between Europe and the USA at New York’s Bethpage Black gets underway on Friday, 26th September, when the 4 Foursome matches begin at 7.10 am, followed later that day by the afternoon Fourball match-ups.
28 points are up for grabs over the three days, 16 coming from the eight Foursome and Eight Fourball matches on Friday and Saturday, followed by Sunday’s Singles in which 12 points bring the total of points available to 28, the side first to 14.5 the winners. However, Europe needs only to record 14 points to retain the trophy, given they are the defending champions following their win in Italy in 2023.
As has regularly been the case since its inception in 1927 and even since the turnaround in fortunes since Europe included players from Continental Europe into its side for the first time in 1979, the Ryder Cup between the USA and Europe has always appeared on paper (for what that is worth) to be a one sided contest, the Americans typically outweighing the Europeans in terms of player strength.
But, the results since the new-look European side claimed its first victory in 1985 highlight that what is on paper is not always as it is on grass, and that statistics count for little when the outcome of the revitalised Ryder Cup is at stake.
Players such as Continentals, Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros, Manuel Pinero, Jose Maria Canizares, Jose Maria Olazabal and major-winning British players such as Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle played a great part in turning what was essentially a one-sided exhibition into one of the most eagerly awaited and scrutinised of all sporting battles.
This year’s contest again highlights the discrepancy in the world ranking of the two teams, with the Americans boasting seven of their team members (and arguably eight, given Bryson De Chambeau’s participation in very few world ranking events since moving to LIV) currently inside the top ten in the official world ranking.
Compare that to the European side, in which only three are currently ranked inside the top ten, although it could also be argued that Tyrrell Hatton should be considered a top ten golfer at least, given his performances in world ranking events when he gets the opportunity.
Typically, the Ryder Cup has remained a case of David versus Goliath, even allowing for the results being very much in Europe’s favour since 1985 when they won their first contest with a convincing 16.5 to 11.5 at the Belfry, and, since that momentous occasion, the Europeans have won 11 of the 18 encounters, the Americans 6 with one tied.
While the 1985 victory was historic in that it was the first occasion in which the combined European side had won the event, it was probably 1987, when they would win again, this time in Ohio, that gave the Europeans the real belief they could take on the Americans anywhere and win.
Only four of those 11 victories since and not including 1985 have been away games, however, while the Americans have won five of six encounters in front of home fans and given what the passionate, raucous and patriotic fervour that the New York crowd at Bethpage Black will bring to the encounter this week, then that aspect is perhaps the biggest factor the Europeans will have to overcome.
One aspect that might work in the Europeans’ favour is that four of the Americans are Ryder Cup rookies, namely J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Ben Griffin, and Cameron Young, while for the Europeans, only Rasmus Hojgaard will face an atmosphere, the likes of which he has ever experienced previously.
Despite the imbalance in world ranking, however, the Europeans have more than displayed a capacity to outthink and outplay the Americans, even if there was to be such a thing as neutral ground. Still, the hostile cauldron they will face in front of arguably the most patriotic sporting fans anywhere is a bridge that may prove too far.
Admittedly, the Europeans did win in New York state in 1995, but that was in Pittsford and away from the intense partisan crowd they will face so close to the thriving metropolis of New York City this week.
It’s hard to pick a winner; the patriotic crowd should, in theory, provide the edge the Americans need to regain the Cup, but hometown advantage can work in two ways. It offers unequalled vocal support, but it also creates expectation, the likes of which most of the American team, irrespective of their significant success when playing as individuals and not for their country, have seldom experienced.
I can see this encounter going down to the wire and adding further to the ever-growing intrigue and intensity of one of golf and sport’s most analysed events.
Jay Mackenzie leads WAPGA but Jeffrey Guan the feel good story
Jeffrey Guan – comfortably makes cut in 2nd event after career-threatening injury
NSW golfer Jay Mackenzie has the halfway lead at the WAPGA Championship, the 26-year-old opening up a massive six-shot lead over the field as the event enters the weekend at the Kalgoorlie Golf Course.
Mackenzie’s homeward nine of 30 in his morning round of 64, moving him well clear of the field, with West Australians Curtis Luck and Brett Rumford, along with NSW’s Austin Bautista, sharing second place.
Interestingly, despite struggling throughout much of his professional career, Mackenzie is a former winner of this event over this golf course, so the Graham Marsh layout clearly suits the young man from Ballina, whose form in secondary events and proams in recent times has shown considerable improvement.
In 2022, Mackenzie won by two over one of the men currently tied in second position, Bautista.
The feel-good story of the week thus far, however, is the effort of NSW golfer, Jeffrey Guan, who lost sight in one eye following a golf course accident 18 months ago, and in just his second event back from the career-threatening injury, is tied in 11th place at 3 under after rounds of 72 and 69.
Leaderboard
Australia share second place at halfway stage of Eisenhower trophy
NSW’s Declan O’Donovan is the best of the Australians in 7th place in the indvidual standings – image IGF
The three-man Australian Eisenhower Trophy team finds itself in second place after 36 holes of the event being played at the Tanah Merah Golf Club in Singapore.
That’s the good news, the not so good is that they are now five shots behind South Africa, who produced some outstanding golf late in their rounds to move to 14 under par and into the five-shot lead over Australia, England, and France.
In a weather-disrupted day, all teams managed to complete their second rounds, Australia adding several late birdies to move close to the then leaders Mexico, after their morning round before the late charge by South Africa, who played in the afternoon field.
NSW’s golfer Declan O’Donovan is the best of the Australians in a share of 7th place at 5 under in the individual standings but seven shots behind the leading individual Christiaan Maas of South Africa, whose consecutive rounds of 66 have him four clear of the field in the race for individual honours.
US-based collegiate golfer, Harry Takis from Queensland, is in a share of 11th place at 4 under, while Queensland’s Billy Dowling is 20th at 2 under.
The New Zealand team has slipped to 20th place at even par, while their best-placed golfers are Robby Turnbull and Zackary Swanwick at even par.
Their third player, Cooper Moore, the Australian Junior Champion, is well back 9 over.
The pre-tournament favourites, the USA improved today but are struggling to recover from a horror opening day and are tied for 22nd at 1 over.
SCORING
Australia chasing 5th Eisenhower Trophy in Singapore
The Australian team of manager Dean Kinney, Billy Dowling, Harry Takis and Declan O’Donovan – image IGF
This week’s World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore will see the Australian team of Harry Takis, Billy Dowling, and Declan O’Connor chasing Australia’s 5th win in the event and New Zealand its second victory.
Australia’s last victory came in Mexico in 2016 when Curtis Luck, Cam Davis, and Harrison Endycott won by a massive 19 shots over England while New Zealand’s only victory came in Canada in 1992 when the then four-man team of Phil Tataurangi, Michael Campbell, Grant Moorehead and Stephen Scahill defeated the USA by seven shots.
New Zealand is represented this year by Cooper Moore, Zackary Swanwick, and Robby Turnbull.
Played over 72 holes, the best two of the three scores recorded by each team each day are counted towards the total.
The event, followed soon after by the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai are often the final events several of those in this week’s field will play as an amateur before tackling the demands of a professional career.
The Americans, who have won the title a massive 16 times, will start as favourites, given that two of their three-man team are inside the top three in the world amateur ranking. Even though their third, Mason Howell, is currently ranked outside the top 100, he is the current US Amateur Champion.
Harry Takis at # 117 is the best of the Australians while Zackary Swanwick at # 75 leads the New Zealanders.
Tee Times
Opportunity beckons in West Australian flagship events
The extraordinarily talented Curtis Luck returns to tournament play in his home state despite ongoing injury issues – image Australian Golf Media
This week’s West Australian PGA Championship essentially begins a nearly six-month stretch of tournaments staged by the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Admittedly, the PNG Open and the Northern Territory PGA Championship, played in August, were also part of the 2025/2026 PGA Tour of Australasia schedule, but this week’s event gets things underway in earnest.
The PGA Tour of Australasia is, essentially, built around its three flagship events, namely the Australian Open, the Australian PGA and the New Zealand Open Championships.
But this week’s event over the spectacular Graham Marsh designed Kalgoorlie Golf Course in the mining town of Kalgoorlie, located nearly 600 kilometres north and east of Perth, is one of numerous $250,000 events providing continuity for the large cohort of domestic golfers who don’t have the luxury of status on other, more lucrative tours.
The pathways now created by an Order of Merit arising from these events offer opportunity for Australasian golfers to progress their careers onto other tours, more especially, the DP World Tour, and players such as David Muicheluzzi, Kazuma Kobori, and Elvis Smylie, amongst others, have benefited by leading the Order of Merit and advancing their careers at the next level.
The WAPGA Championship is a forerunner to next week’s WA Open in Perth, so a fortnight of good golf could assist a young emerging player to much greater success from his efforts in the West.
South Australian Jack Buchanan would have been the defending champion, having won in a playoff last year over local Jordan Doull, that pair finishing one ahead of the eventual Order of Merit winner, Elvis Smylie, but having played the Alfred Dunhill in Scotland last week perhaps it was too much of a rush to get back to Kalgoorlie in time for a proper defence for Buchanan and he will not take his place in the field.
New Zealand Open winner and the highest world-ranked player in the field, Ryan Peake, is entered, as are numerous other winners of titles last summer in Australasia, but there may also be a lot of interest in the performance of Perth’s Curtis Luck.
The winner of the US and Asia Pacific Amateur Championships in his last year as an amateur in 2016, Luck’s professional career has been plagued by injury issues in recent times, but he is a good enough talent to have finished runner-up at the Australian Open last December, and although playing on an enforced limited schedule, he is an outstanding talent who could do well.
Entries
Cameron Percy records third runner-up finish of season
Cameron Percy – file photo PGA of America
Victorian Cameron Percy has added yet another runner-up finish in his first full PGA Tour Champions season, this time going down by one shot to first-time winner, Tommy Gainey, at the Constellation Furyk and Friends event.
Percy began the final round of the 54-hole event in Jacksonville, Florida, three shots behind another looking for his first win at this level, Matt Gogel, and took some time to get his round moving forward.
Even par at the turn, Percy played his homeward nine in 3 under 33 for a final round of 69 but fell two short of Gainey, who birdied the final hole for a round of 66 and the two-shot victory.
Percy added another US$184,000 to his war chest for the season, taking his earnings in 2025 to almost US$1.2 million.
Percy had makeable birdie chances at the 17th and 18th but was unable to convert to pressure 5o year old Gainey, who had Monday-qualified for this event.
Percy’s two attempts on 17 and 18 were rather ordinary efforts and highlighted the struggles he had on the greens all week.
“I had six three-putts this week and I lost by two. They weren’t — one of them was long and the rest of them were 20, 30-foot past, just misjudging the grain and the speed and stuff. I’ll do some speed stuff next week. I think, next week, the greens are really fast. Six three-putts is a lot in a three-round golf tournament. I played nicely, it was tough.”
“I thought I was trying to run Matt down,” added Percy, referring to the fact that Gogel was his target starting the day.
“I was doing my best to try and do that, and he was in front for a long time. Then Tommy made a birdie and an eagle, now I’ve got to chase Tommy down. He just played too good. He hit a great drive and second shot on 15, did enough on 16 and 17, and then what a way to finish, a birdie on the last.
Canberra’s Brendan Jones, playing in his rookie season on the PGA Tour Champions, recorded his best finish and only top ten of the year when he tied for 3rd, a late bogey proving costly in his final round 69 as he was forced to share 3rd place with four other golfers.
Jones will earn close to US$100,000, however, and moves to 62nd place in the Schwab Cup standings with US$259,000.
Leaderboard
Wade Ormsby turns season around in Jakarta
Ormsby with Asian Tour win # 5 – image Asian Tour
45-year-old South Australian Wade Ormsby has won his 5th Asian Tour title, and his second International Series event with a playoff victory over Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent at the Jakarta International Championship at the Damai Indah Golf Club near Jakarta.
Ormsby was in or near the lead throughout the week after an opening round of 64 but was forced to dig deep on day four, holing a ten foot downhill left to righter at the 72nd hole to not only force the playoff but avoid a six way share of second place, therefore adding perhaps as much as US$240,000 to his cheque which amounted to US$360,000.
Even if he had lost the playoff, that crucial putt was worth at least US$130,000 more than he would have received had he missed.
The US$360,000 cheque equaled the biggest previous cheque Ormsby had won, which came when successful in the International Series event in Thailand in March 2023.
“It was a bit of a grind,” said Ormsby, who hung in there by making nine straight pars on the back nine. “Probably didn’t have my best stuff out there today, but I was just hanging in there. Feel bad for Scotty, you know, he kind of let a couple slip at the end there. But I hit a couple of great shots in that play-off hole, so that makes me feel better about the whole thing.”
“It’s a special one for me this one. Haven’t been playing my best golf, had a few months off and worked hard the last week. I flew up and saw my coach, Grant Field, so a massive thank you to him. Flew up there, did the hard yards, and we had a day of grinding to try and get me back on track. And even though I didn’t play my best golf this week, I putted great early on in the tournament. And yeah, thanks to all my family obviously, lost my dad two years ago, so this one is for him.”
Ormsby has struggled for much of the year on the Asian Tour with just one top 20 in the six events he had played to date, but this win will move him to 5th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and assure him of two full years on the Asian Tour.
All this came after Ormsby was penalised one shot for a situation on Saturday when he was deemed to have inadvertently caused his ball to move on the 4th fairway.
On yesterday’s penalty shot, he said: “It was disappointing, you know, it is what it is. Decided to take a shot and, yeah. Anyway, I did reset last night, and I felt fine about it. I was happy to be in the last group, so that didn’t change. So no, I just had to go out there and put it to the back of my head and use it as a bit of a drive to get the job done today.”
The former University of Houston golfer has a strong pedigree in the game, his father, Peter, a highly regarded and notable figure in South Australian golf before his death two years ago.
Queenslanders, Aaron Wilkin and Maverick Antcliff, and NSW’s Travis Smyth were the next best of the Australians in a share of 11th place.
Results
Australasians struggling at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Matt Jones – file photo currently equal best of the large Australasian contingent
The large Australasian contingent in this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in Scotland has a lot of work ahead of them if any are to make it through to the final round of the event on Sunday.
Played over three courses, St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, a cut is not made in the event until all three courses have been played by all and so one more round still awaits for the 15 Australasians in the field.
Wet and windy weather eventually caused play to be suspended at 4.15pm on Friday and so with nearly 50 of the field still to complete as many as 4 holes, things could get better for some, but with Matt Jones and Harrison Crowe in 58th place as the leading Australasians, then very few appear likely to make it to the final round.
The event is led by England’s Richard Sterne and Scotland’s Robert McIntrye, McIntyre following up his great week in New York last week with a brilliant second round of 66 in atrocious weather at Kingsbarns today.
McIntyre and Stern are at 12 under and one ahead of South African Louis Oosthuisen, who won the Open Championship over the Old Course 15 years ago.
Leaderboard
Alfred Dunhill Links offers unique opportunity for many
Cam Smith back to the scene of his greatest triumph – image Open Championship
This week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship at St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns in the Fife area of Scotland, brings together an eclectic mix of golfers from several tours, providing many with a unique opportunity to play for the US$5 million prize fund and be exposed to not only a European Tour event but the stunning golf courses of this region.
Interestingly, the event has shown little increase in prize money over its 25-year history, but the opportunity to play such a popular event on such great and iconic golf courses, where many can play alongside family and friends in a pro-am format event, proves a great attraction for some of the game’s best, and 2025 is no exception.
Similar events on the PGA Tour, such as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am and the New Zealand Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia, have highlighted the popularity of such a format, and the longevity of such tournaments has provided a great indication of the importance of a departure from the norm on occasions.
No doubt adding to the celebratory vibe in St Andrews this week will be the presence of four of the successful European Ryder Cup side, namely Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert McIntyre, and Tyrrell Hatton, but the inclusion of additional Liv Golfers, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Cam Smith, and Matt Jones is sure to provide plenty of interest.
Hatton is chasing a record 4th victory in the event, having won in 2016, 207 and 2024.
Cam Smith returns to the scene of his brilliant Open Championship win in 2022.
Players who competed well on the PGA Tour of Australasia in the past twelve months also get their chance, many of those without status on the DP World Tour, but getting an opportunity to test their game over great golf courses and against fields considerably more demanding than they have faced at home.
Those players include Anthony Quayle, Harrison Crowe, Corey Lamb, Jordan Doull, Phoenix Campbell, Jasper Stubbs, James Conran, Kerry Mountcastle and Tyler Hodge, who will be pinching themselves as they stand on the first tee of one of golf’s greatest arenas, the Old Course at St Andrews.
Now regular DP World Tour players such as Elvis Smylie, Kazuma Kobori, and Daniel Hillier will be keen to add to their recent success, all three now far enough inside the required Road to Dubai ranking to all but ensure they will be in Dubai in November for the lucrative season-ending Tour Championship and the lead in events.
Leaderboard
Semmingly impossible almost possible at Bethpage Black
The European team after a gripping final day – image PGA of America
Down 11.5 to 4.5 heading into Sunday’s singles matches at Bethpage Black on Long Island, the USA team would so nearly defy history and logic with a comeback for the ages to ensure the outcome of the 45th Ryder Cup would remain in doubt until the second-to-last match of the day between Tyrrell Hatton and Collin Morikawa reached the 18th green.
It was there that Hatton secured the half point needed to secure the victory for the Europeans, who would eventually win 15 to 13. Even though the retention of the Cup they had won two years ago in Europe had been settled 20 minutes earlier when Shane Lowry holed an 8-foot birdie putt at the last to square his match against Russell Henley to take the Europeans to 14 points, there remained interest in just whether the Americans could complete the remarkable comeback with a tied encounter or even victory.
Henley will rue leaving two very makeable putts from ten feet or so at the final two holes on line but short, either of which might just have made the difference. But, it wasn’t to be, and despite winning the Sunday Singles by 8.5 to 3.5 the Americans could not overcome the domination of the Europeans in the Foursomes and Fourball match-ups over the opening two days.
There are just so many stories to take from the week and more especially the final day but suffice to say that the Europeans, beautifully captained and managed by Luke Donald, had set the bar over the opening two days, and, in the end, the margin was a bridge too far for the Americans to overcome.
Somehow, however, the Americans managed to turn what was potentially an exhibition match and walk in the park on Sunday into one of the most gripping final days in the history of the event and there have been plenty.
Chasing just 2.5 points from the 12 head-to-head single match-ups, Europe probably gained a further advantage when Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw from his encounter with Harris English, meaning an automatic half point to either side. Europe would then need only 2 points to retain the trophy and 3 to win outright.
Europe made a fast start, leading early in all of their first five matches, and a whitewash appeared on the cards, but slowly the momentum began swinging back to the Americans, and as the afternoon wore on, there was an increasing realisation that maybe, just maybe, the seemingly impossible was possible.
Nine of the twelve matches were concluded in either a tie or a 1-up result, ensuring everyone at Bethpage Black, and perhaps the game’s biggest ever viewing audience internationally, were kept on the edge of their seats until Lowry secured the half point needed to retain the Cup followed soon after when Hatton fought out a memorable clash with Morikawa to move the Europeans ahead.
The final day drama turned an, at times, ugly encounter into one in which both sides could be considered winners.
Sure, the Europeans were brilliant in establishing what turned out to be an unassailable lead, but the manner in which the Americans fought so hard on Sunday to keep the outcome in doubt for so long, ensured the 45th Ryder Cup will now be remembered more for the intense and hard-fought battle to the finish than for some of the ugly crowd behaviour so prevalent on the opening two days.
Adare Manor in Ireland, in two years time, can hardly come soon enough.
SCORING
The Ryder Cup – one of sport’s greatest contests
The opening ceremony earlier this week – image PGA of America
Now considered not only one of the world’s great golfing events, but one of the greatest and most eagerly anticipated sporting events, the 45th Ryder Cup encounter between Europe and the USA at New York’s Bethpage Black gets underway on Friday, 26th September, when the 4 Foursome matches begin at 7.10 am, followed later that day by the afternoon Fourball match-ups.
28 points are up for grabs over the three days, 16 coming from the eight Foursome and Eight Fourball matches on Friday and Saturday, followed by Sunday’s Singles in which 12 points bring the total of points available to 28, the side first to 14.5 the winners. However, Europe needs only to record 14 points to retain the trophy, given they are the defending champions following their win in Italy in 2023.
As has regularly been the case since its inception in 1927 and even since the turnaround in fortunes since Europe included players from Continental Europe into its side for the first time in 1979, the Ryder Cup between the USA and Europe has always appeared on paper (for what that is worth) to be a one sided contest, the Americans typically outweighing the Europeans in terms of player strength.
But, the results since the new-look European side claimed its first victory in 1985 highlight that what is on paper is not always as it is on grass, and that statistics count for little when the outcome of the revitalised Ryder Cup is at stake.
Players such as Continentals, Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros, Manuel Pinero, Jose Maria Canizares, Jose Maria Olazabal and major-winning British players such as Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle played a great part in turning what was essentially a one-sided exhibition into one of the most eagerly awaited and scrutinised of all sporting battles.
This year’s contest again highlights the discrepancy in the world ranking of the two teams, with the Americans boasting seven of their team members (and arguably eight, given Bryson De Chambeau’s participation in very few world ranking events since moving to LIV) currently inside the top ten in the official world ranking.
Compare that to the European side, in which only three are currently ranked inside the top ten, although it could also be argued that Tyrrell Hatton should be considered a top ten golfer at least, given his performances in world ranking events when he gets the opportunity.
Typically, the Ryder Cup has remained a case of David versus Goliath, even allowing for the results being very much in Europe’s favour since 1985 when they won their first contest with a convincing 16.5 to 11.5 at the Belfry, and, since that momentous occasion, the Europeans have won 11 of the 18 encounters, the Americans 6 with one tied.
While the 1985 victory was historic in that it was the first occasion in which the combined European side had won the event, it was probably 1987, when they would win again, this time in Ohio, that gave the Europeans the real belief they could take on the Americans anywhere and win.
Only four of those 11 victories since and not including 1985 have been away games, however, while the Americans have won five of six encounters in front of home fans and given what the passionate, raucous and patriotic fervour that the New York crowd at Bethpage Black will bring to the encounter this week, then that aspect is perhaps the biggest factor the Europeans will have to overcome.
One aspect that might work in the Europeans’ favour is that four of the Americans are Ryder Cup rookies, namely J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Ben Griffin, and Cameron Young, while for the Europeans, only Rasmus Hojgaard will face an atmosphere, the likes of which he has ever experienced previously.
Despite the imbalance in world ranking, however, the Europeans have more than displayed a capacity to outthink and outplay the Americans, even if there was to be such a thing as neutral ground. Still, the hostile cauldron they will face in front of arguably the most patriotic sporting fans anywhere is a bridge that may prove too far.
Admittedly, the Europeans did win in New York state in 1995, but that was in Pittsford and away from the intense partisan crowd they will face so close to the thriving metropolis of New York City this week.
It’s hard to pick a winner; the patriotic crowd should, in theory, provide the edge the Americans need to regain the Cup, but hometown advantage can work in two ways. It offers unequalled vocal support, but it also creates expectation, the likes of which most of the American team, irrespective of their significant success when playing as individuals and not for their country, have seldom experienced.
I can see this encounter going down to the wire and adding further to the ever-growing intrigue and intensity of one of golf and sport’s most analysed events.