Bethpage Black, home of the 2025 Ryder Cup, has been dubbed a hard-hitter’s paradise.
The likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy are set to be major players at the Ryder Cup with their ability to carry fairway bunkers, take the Tiger line on certain holes, and even drive the green on occasion.
Playing in a team format will allow McIlroy and DeChambeau to get the headcovers off and loosen up with their drivers, reaching areas of the fairway that are unavailable to the majority of the field.
But there is a hole at Bethpage Black where both superstars could be on the back foot.
Paul McGinley says Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau could face pressure on the 13th hole
The 13th hole at Bethpage Black is a monster 608-yard par 5. The tree-lined hole features bunkers lining the left side of the narrow fairway, and the green is protected by bunkers on the front and the right side.
For long drivers like DeChambeau and McIlroy, reaching the green in two is a realistic yet challenging prospect. For others, it’s a layup. But Paul McGinley said that could be a disadvantage for those attempting to set up eagle opportunities.
Speaking on the Golf Channel, he explained, “Sometimes shorter hitters off the tee are particularly good at match play, because you’re hitting first into greens.”
He then turned his attention to the 13th hole as an example. McGinley continued, “Guys that can’t hit the green in two will have to lay it short of this cross bunker. Sometimes that can be an advantage.
“You’re going in with a wedge from nearly 90 yards, you put it there to four or five feet. Maybe your opponent, the big hitter, has missed it into the heavy rough around the green. Now the pressure’s on him to get it up and down.”
The 13th hole presents an eagle opportunity only for the longer players. But going for glory can easily leave you on the back foot against the more accurate players at the Ryder Cup.
It will be interesting to see how players approach this hole when the pressure is on come Sunday.
Rory McIlroy’s scrambling ability could save him on the 13th hole
McIlroy produced some magic moments in Rome, but his most memorable may be his physics-defining chip on the 17th par 3. Facing an elevated green and a short-sided pin, McIlroy zipped up a chip which bounced four times, before skidding to a halt next to the pin.
His short game has been key to McIlroy’s 2025 resurgence, which saw him win the Masters to complete the career grand slam.
On the 2025 PGA Tour scrambling leaderboard, McIlroy ranked 14th. That’s an improvement to his 17th-place ranking in 2024. It’s always been a strength of his.
If the North Irishman can recapture his form around the greens from Rome, he could neutralise any psychological advantage gained by the shorter hitters on the American team.
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