Bethpage Black plays host to the Ryder Cup this week, and the course has been set up very differently from how it has been in the past for US Opens and the PGA Championship.
The Ryder Cup is one of the greatest sporting events on the planet and most golf fans would argue that it is actually the greatest.
Bethpage Black really is a fantastic venue for the game’s showpiece event, and we will see more birdies than bogeys this week.
Harris English has spoken about the golf course ahead of the action getting underway on day one.
English was a big supporter of Keegan Bradley playing at the Ryder Cup this year, but the 39-year-old obviously decided to leave himself off the team.
Now it’s up to English and his 11 US teammates to produce the goods, but is Bethpage a good set-up for the Americans?
Harris English predicts what score would win at Bethpage Black if it was a PGA Tour tournament
It has been clear to see during the practice sessions that Bethpage has been set up far easier than it has been in the past.
Three-under par won the US Open in 2022 while four-under was the winning score seven years later in 2009.
Brooks Koepka triumphed at Bethpage in the PGA Championship in 2019 with a score of eight-under par.
However, English told reporters that if there was a PGA Tour event at Bethpage Black this week, the winning score would be significantly lower than what we’ve seen in the past.
He said: “For a four-round tournament, I’d probably say 18- to 20-under. I mean, it can still bite you out there, especially that back nine. If you miss a couple drives, you’re having some mid irons into the greens and you can start missing in some pretty bad places.
“Yeah, this is not the normal Bethpage Black we’re used to. You’re going to see a lot more birdies out there than you normally would in the PGA or the U.S. Open. I think that’s great. That’s what we’re ready for.“
There you have it. We could be in for a real birdie-fest this week at Bethpage and that’s exactly what we all want at a Ryder Cup, right?
European ‘gamesmanship’ on the driving range at Bethpage Black
The mind games started early in Upstate New York this week.
On Wednesday, the European team set up right in the middle of the driving range.
This meant that when the United States players turned up to practice, they had to split up at either side of the driving range.
It didn’t seem like much at the time but it was very clear what Luke Donald and his players were doing.
Employing psychological warfare is hugely important during Ryder Cup week and the Europeans have been very good at that in the past.
Will the United States respond at Bethpage over the next few days? You can bet your last cent on it.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
