The 2025 Ryder Cup is rapidly approaching, with Sepp Straka eager to be among the Europeans taking on Bethpage Black.
Straka helped Luke Donald and Team Europe win the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where the hosts beat the USA 16½-11½.
Rory McIlroy wants an away Ryder Cup win before calling time on his career, having just won in America on the PGA Tour.
He emerged victorious at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California, while Straka recently won on the PGA Tour at The American Express.
McIlroy is expecting a strong US Ryder Cup team, with the hosts looking to get back to winning ways on home soil.
Sepp Straka predicts ‘crazy environment’ at Bethpage Black for 2025 Ryder Cup
Keegan Bradley will lead the USA Ryder Cup team in New York, with Luke Donald once again captaining Europe.
And Straka has now issued his verdict on the test that awaits the visitors, having said of Bethpage Black on the Sky Sports Golf podcast: “I think it’s going to be a very crazy environment.
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“I think a big thing is… handling pressure is going to be huge, because I think we’ll be feeling a lot of pressure from a lot of different sides and a lot of different angles.
“I think being mentally strong will be huge for the 12 that go and I think that’s something you can kind of start preparing for.
“You’ll never have that environment, but you can definitely start preparing for that early in the year and throughout the year, leading up to it.”
And sharing his thoughts on Donald and his vice captain Edoardo Molinari, Straka said: “Their preparation started I think the day after Rome.
“They were already getting ready for the next one, even though we didn’t know for sure that Luke was going to be the captain. But it’s great what they’re doing.
“I think no stone will be left unturned with those guys preparing us for that tournament, and I think whoever the 12 are will be as ready as possible for that environment.”
Sepp Straka hungry for Bethpage Black Ryder Cup spot after 2023 success in Rome
McIlroy has shot to the top of the European Ryder Cup qualification standings after his AT&T Pebble Beach success, taking over Tyrrell Hatton.
Hatton also has a win to his name in 2025, triumphing at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour last month.
The Englishman sits second in the list, with Straka having recently climbed a huge 24 places to 44th in the standings.
Asked if his number one goal for 2025 is to be at Bethpage Black in September, he said: “For sure, yeah, that would be the number one thing I’d like to do this year.
“You think that playing in Rome would be kind of a bucket list item, check it off, but it just kind of makes you want to do it even more the next time around. That’s the number one goal.
“Got a lot of things I’ve got to check off before that’s a reality, but yeah, just try to keep improving my game and keep putting myself in good positions, and hopefully that can work out.”
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