From 1 to 24, ranking every player in the 2025 Ryder Cup

The wait is finally over.

The 45th Ryder Cup tees off Friday at the Black Course at Bethpage Black State Park in Farmingdale, New York.

The U.S. will again try to hold serve on its home soil; the host team has won each of the past five matches. The last time a visiting squad captured the Ryder Cup was Europe's memorable 14½-13½ victory at Medinah Country Club in Illinois in 2012.

The Europeans have won eight of the past 11 events, including a 16½-11½ win at Marco Simone Golf Club and Country Club outside Rome in 2023.

The U.S. routed the Europeans 19-9 at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin, in 2021.

It doesn't figure to get any easier for the Europeans in front of thousands of rowdy fans on Long Island this week.

The Americans are favored to win again with a roster that includes seven of the top 10 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

"History would tell you it's very difficult," Rory McIlroy said. "There's a reason that in the last decade, each Ryder Cup has [gone] to the home team. It would obviously be great to bring the Ryder Cup back to these shores, and we know how difficult it's going to be. We are under no illusion.

"I keep saying this: We have a massive opportunity to do something that not a lot of Ryder Cup teams say that they have done."

There will be four foursomes (alternate shot) matches and four four-ball (better ball) matches on Friday and Saturday, followed by 12 singles matches on Sunday.

Europe needs 14 points to retain the Ryder Cup; the U.S. needs 14½ to take it back.

Here's a look at the golfers who will compete this weekend:

1. Scottie Scheffler, USA

World ranking: 1
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 2-2-3

The world's best golfer will attempt to erase the memories of his 0-2-2 performance in Rome two years ago. Scheffler was in tears after he and Brooks Koepka were on the wrong end of a 9-and-7 loss in 11 holes in foursomes, the shortest 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history. For the Americans to have a real chance of winning this week, they need Scottie to be Scottie over three days. The good news: Scheffler is still red hot, having won for the sixth time on tour this season at the Procore Championship in Napa, California, two weeks ago.

2. Rory McIlroy, Europe

World ranking: 2
Ryder Cup appearances: 8
Career record: 16-13-4

At 36, McIlroy is the undisputed emotional leader of the Europeans. He went 4-1-0 in Rome; his four points were the most by any golfer on either side. McIlroy also was at the center of a postmatch dispute with American caddie Joe LaCava. After becoming only the sixth men's golfer to complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters, McIlroy suffered a bit of a hangover this season. He finally won again at the Irish Open on Sept. 7.

3. Tommy Fleetwood, Europe

World ranking: 7
Ryder Cup appearances: 4
Career record: 7-3-2

The English golfer put together his best season on the PGA Tour, and he was finally rewarded with his first victory on American soil at the Tour Championship. Fleetwood has become one of most popular golfers in the world, but that might not be the case at Bethpage Black. He went 3-1-0 in Rome and was 4-0-0 in foursomes in his previous three Ryder Cup appearances.

4. Jon Rahm, Europe

World ranking: 73
Ryder Cup appearances: 4
Career record: 6-3-3

Don't let the world ranking fool you. The Spaniard is still one of the best golfers on the planet, even if his world ranking has plummeted while he's playing in the LIV Golf League. He won that league's seasonlong individual points championship for the second year in a row and performed better in the majors (three top-15 finishes) this past season. The two-time major champion has been a force in the Ryder Cup, like Spanish golfers Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal before him.

5. Bryson DeChambeau, USA

World ranking: 21
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 2-3-1

Figuring out how to use DeChambeau's incredible length off the tee is going to be one of the intriguing storylines for the American team this week. The two-time U.S. Open winner was left off the Ryder Cup team in 2023. He went 0-3-0 as a rookie in Paris in 2018, then rebounded to earn 2½ points at Whistling Straits three years later. The LIV Golf League captain seems to be all-in after somehow qualifying for the team with only eight counting events. The big hitter should have the New York crowd behind him.

6. Patrick Cantlay, USA

World ranking: 22
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 5-2-1

Cantlay was at the center of the "HatGate" controversy two years ago, when he reportedly declined to wear a team hat in protest of golfers not being compensated for participating in the Ryder Cup (American golfers are getting a $200,000 stipend and $300,00 for charity this year). Cantlay denied the report, but that didn't stop European fans from waving their hats at him at Marco Simone. Cantlay silenced them, at least briefly, when he made a 43-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to give him and Wyndham Clark a 1-up victory over McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick on Saturday afternoon.

7. Russell Henley, USA

World ranking: 3
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie

Henley might be a 36-year-old Ryder Cup rookie, but he has been one of the best golfers in the world the past couple of seasons. He collected his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 9. He also finished in the top 10 in four of the past eight majors. Henley went 3-1-0 in his first Presidents Cup appearance in 2024, teaming up with Scheffler to win two matches. Henley hits fairways and greens and keeps it simple.

8. Ludvig Åberg, Europe

World ranking: 16
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Career record: 2-2-0

It was a so-so season for the 25-year-old from Sweden, who picked up his second PGA Tour victory at the Genesis Invitational in February. He didn't finish better than solo seventh at the Masters the rest of the way, but he did play well in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He ranked 91st in strokes gained: approach (-.038) and 86th in putting (-.051) on tour. Åberg went 2-2-0 as a Ryder Cup rookie in Rome.

9. Justin Thomas, USA

World ranking: 5
Ryder Cup appearances: 4
Career record: 7-4-2

Few American golfers care as much about the Ryder Cup as Thomas, who is back on the team after playing much better golf the past two seasons. JT has been one of the best match-play performers for the U.S., as evidenced by his 3-0-0 record in singles in his previous three Ryder Cups. He has already called this week's matches the "biggest golf event ever."

10. Tyrrell Hatton, Europe

World ranking: 25
Ryder Cup appearances: 4
Career record: 5-4-2

Hatton was one of the stars for the Europeans in Rome, earning 3½ points with a 3-0-1 record. The English golfer paired with Rahm to earn the first point in foursomes matches over Scheffler and Sam Burns, and then the duo beat Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in foursomes on Saturday. Hatton also defeated Brian Harman in Sunday singles. Hatton tied for fourth at the U.S. Open and for fifth at the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour, a sign his form is in good shape.

11. Cameron Young, USA

World ranking: 20
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie

After seven runner-up finishes on tour, Young finally picked up his first victory at the Wyndham Championship on Aug. 3. That breakthrough seemed to kick open the door for Young, who hasn't finished outside the top 11 in his past five starts, including a tie for fourth in the Tour Championship. His length off the tee (313.2 yards) should be a weapon at Bethpage Black. He became one of the best putters on tour this year as well; he was fifth in strokes gained: putting (.642). Young is the son of a PGA club professional in Scarborough, New York, and he won the New York Open at Bethpage Black in 2017.

12. Xander Schauffele, USA

World ranking: 4
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 4-4-0

A painful rib injury derailed Schauffele's 2025 season after he captured the first two major championships of his career the year before. Whether Schauffele can regain his form at Bethpage Black is one of the biggest questions surrounding Team USA. Schauffele went 3-1-0 as a rookie at Whistling Straits in 2018, then 1-3-0 in Rome. He didn't compete in the Procore Championship, where 10 of the 12 U.S. Ryder Cup players were in action; he stayed at home with his wife, Maya, and newborn son, Victor.

13. Viktor Hovland, Europe

World ranking: 12
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 3-4-3

Hovland's first two Ryder Cup experiences couldn't have been more different. The Norwegian golfer appeared in each of the five sessions as a rookie and failed to win a match, going 0-3-2. In Rome two years later, however, Hovland earned 3½ points and went 3-1-1. He's seemingly never happy with his swing, but his results have been good lately, finishing 12th at the Tour Championship and tying for fifth at the BMW PGA Championship.

14. Robert MacIntyre, Europe

World ranking: 9
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Career record: 2-0-1

The 29-year-old from Scotland was considered a question mark for the Europeans in Rome, but he more than answered the bell by earning 2½ points. MacIntyre has become one of the best golfers in the world in the two seasons since then. He won twice on the PGA Tour in 2024 and finished in the top 10 in three of the past seven majors, including a solo second at the U.S. Open. MacIntyre and Justin Rose were solid four-ball partners at Marco Simone.

15. Collin Morikawa, USA

World ranking: 8
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 4-3-1

Another mystery for the Americans, Morikawa is a two-time major championship winner, but his form has been off for a while now. After squandering a late lead and losing to Henley in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and then tying for 10th at the Players Championship the next week, Morikawa had just one more top-10 the rest of the season -- a tie for eighth in the Rocket Classic. He's still one of the best ball strikers in the world, and pairing him with a good putter might help him turn things around.

16. Harris English, USA

World ranking: 10
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Career record: 1-2-0

English earned a point as a Ryder Cup rookie at Whistling Straits, then underwent surgery in February 2022 to repair a torn labrum in his right hip, which sidelined him for nearly five months. He's coming off one of his best seasons on tour -- he won the Farmers Insurance Open in January and performed well in the majors. English tied for 12th in the Masters and was runner-up in both the PGA Championship and The Open. If his putter is hot this week, English could be a surprise for the Americans.

17. J.J. Spaun, USA

World ranking: 6
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie

The 35-year-old rookie won his first major in the U.S. Open in spectacular fashion, sinking a walk-off 64-foot putt on the 72nd hole at Oakmont Country Club in June. He also fell in a three-hole playoff to McIlroy in the Players Championship. Spaun is one of the better iron players on tour, and he's good enough off the tee to do some damage in his first Ryder Cup.

18. Matt Fitzpatrick, Europe

World ranking: 29
Ryder Cup appearances: 4
Career record: 1-7-0

The 2022 U.S. Open champion managed to grab only a single point in his previous three Ryder Cup appearances. Fitzpatrick's form has been better since he hired swing coach Mark Blackburn -- he tied for fourth at The Open and had a good run on the DP World Tour with a tie for sixth at the British Masters, solo fifth at the European Masters and a tie for fifth at the BMW PGA Championship.

19. Ben Griffin, USA

World ranking: 11
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie

The biggest surprise on the U.S. team, Griffin stepped away from golf for most of 2021 and worked as a mortgage loan officer. He returned to the course and eventually earned his PGA Tour card. He picked up two wins this past season, pairing with Andrew Novak to capture the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event and then winning the Charles Schwab Challenge the next month. He tied for eighth in the PGA Championship and 10th in the U.S. Open.

20. Sam Burns, USA

World ranking: 23
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Career record: 1-2-0

Burns' late charge in the FedEx Cup playoffs secured his spot on the U.S. team. He tied for fourth in the BMW Championship and for seventh in the Tour Championship. Burns led the PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting (.983), so he could be valuable if he's paired with a strong iron player. He earned one point as a rookie in Rome.

21. Shane Lowry, Europe

World ranking: 24
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Career record: 2-3-1

Lowry is one of the emotional leaders on the European team, and he was in a heated confrontation with LaCava on the 18th green on Saturday in Rome. He also pulled McIlroy away when the spat continued in the parking lot. This is Lowry's third consecutive appearance on a captain's pick; only Jesper Parnevik also had that many.

22. Sepp Straka, Europe

World ranking: 15
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Career record: 1-2-0

The 32-year-old was born in Austria and raised in Valdosta, Georgia. He won twice on tour this season at the American Express and Truist Championship. He missed the cut in three of the four majors, and his game wasn't sharp during the FedEx Cup playoffs. Straka doesn't hit it far off the tee, but he rarely misses fairways and greens.

23. Justin Rose, Europe

World ranking: 14
Ryder Cup appearances: 7
Career record: 14-9-3

Rose, 45, admits he's in the later stages of his career, and yet he's still playing spectacular golf. He won the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs with a playoff victory against Spaun in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, his 12th PGA Tour victory. Rose also lost in a playoff to McIlroy at the Masters. The English golfer was part of four winning Ryder Cup teams, including the Miracle at Medinah squad of 2012, which won eight and tied one singles match on Sunday to come back from a four-point deficit to secure a one-point win.

24. Rasmus Højgaard, Europe

World ranking: 58
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie

The 24-year-old from Denmark is the only new golfer on the European team; his twin brother, Nicolai, was a competitor in Rome two years ago. Team Europe captain Luke Donald invited Rasmus to Marco Simone to watch his brother play and be around the team, so there will be some familiarity. He's a five-time winner on the DP World Tour.