What went wrong and what needs to happen next for the U.S. Ryder Cup team

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- After yet another U.S. loss to the Europeans in the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black this past week, it's time to examine what went wrong and what needs to happen next.

The Americans' spirited rally in Sunday singles covered up the warts of a 15-13 loss, their 11th defeat in the past 15 matches.

With much of the European team expected to return at the next Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027, including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and others, the Americans will undoubtedly face another uphill climb -- this time on foreign soil.

Luke Donald, who became only the second European captain to win back-to-back Ryder Cups, didn't say whether he plans to be back a third straight time.

"I think he turned this European Team into a really unstoppable force, especially the first two days, and you know, in my eyes, I think he's the best European Ryder Cup captain ever," U.S. team captain Keegan Bradley said. "I was really excited to go up against him, but I knew it was going to be tough to beat him. He put his team in the best position to win, and to do that at these two places is a remarkable feat."

Who could be the next captain?

Mark Schlabach: I don't know it's as much a question about who is going to be the next captain, as what the PGA of America and the rest of American professional golf are going to do to support him. Clearly, Bradley made mistakes as a rookie Ryder Cup captain; he admitted as much in his post-loss news conference, especially when it came to setting up Bethpage Black.

Donald had a much better organization behind him, from statistics guru and vice captain Edoardo Molinari to past captains Thomas Bjørn and Paul McGinley, who remain very much committed to making sure the Europeans continue to dominate.

Tiger Woods is the favorite to captain the U.S. team at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027, which will be the 100th anniversary of the Ryder Cup. Woods is friends with Adare Manor owner J.P. McManus. It remains to be seen whether the 15-time major champion wants the job, but if he does even the GOAT should be required to make a two-year commitment to the position.

The U.S. team doesn't need a repeat of what happened the last time, when the PGA of America waited for months for Woods to make up his mind. When Woods decided he was too busy, the Americans chose Bradley, who hadn't even been a Ryder Cup vice captain and, incredibly, wasn't aware he was under consideration until 2023 captain Zach Johnson called and offered him the position.

If Woods opts out, Brandt Snedeker (U.S. captain in the 2026 Presidents Cup), Webb Simpson and Justin Leonard might be in line next. Fred Couples, a five-time Ryder Cupper, has never been captain. He's popular among golfers like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and others and cares very much about the event.

Hopefully, the Americans have enough pride to take a long, hard look at what has gone wrong for much of the past three decades. It might be time for another Ryder Cup Task Force because the Europeans aren't only beating them on raucous weekends every two years -- they're crushing them 365 days a year.

Paolo Uggetti: There was a moment during the U.S. news conference on Sunday when Bradley was asked if there was a time during the week where he thought Donald had "out-captained" him. Bradley had just started his answer when Thomas piped in from the other side of the dais.

"We needed to make more putts. That's what Keegan needed," Thomas said sarcastically, coming to Bradley's defense. "He needed us to make more putts. That's what he needed to do."

As the team answered questions and looked outside the player interview area to the Europeans, who were celebrating, there was a clear sense that this loss stung. It's why I wonder if, with one captaincy under his belt, there is some benefit in letting Bradley try again. For as much as some of his decisions were questionable (he said the course setup strategy he opted for was wrong), I do think the players both respected and felt connected to him because they saw him as a peer. The fact that Thomas and others throughout the presser were quick to his defense gave us a glimpse into that.

"I had extreme confidence in what this team could do, and that's due to our captain," Scottie Scheffler said. "I think they did an amazing job. Keegan did an amazing job."

Even though this entire team is far from guaranteed to make the roster again (aside from stalwarts like Scheffler or Xander Schauffele), I think they would be galvanized by trying to avenge this loss with a road victory of their own, especially with Bradley back at the helm.

Practically, it may not be the best option. The sour taste of losing a home Ryder Cup may be too much for the PGA of America leadership to stomach. Bradley, currently 39 and the 14th-ranked player in the world, is far from done with his own playing career and is likely to try to qualify to play in this event at Adare Manor. Maybe this was his one shot as a captain, but if there's something this European team has highlighted is that continuity is increasingly important in this event. Perhaps the Americans could use some of that too.

What can the U.S. learn from Europe?

Uggetti: Everything and nothing. Clearly what the Europeans do to create a sense of purpose, camaraderie and unity is effective, but it is also inimitable. Put aside Donald, who is clearly one of the most effective captains they have ever had, and put aside the continuity they have right now. They also just have a way to draw inspiration from the players who came before them while also channeling a desire to win for each other in a way that this group of Americans don't or haven't quite figured out how to yet.

From a tangible sense, there's a lot to take in terms of how Donald & Co. focus on so many details that add up over time and even over the course of the week and how meticulous their overall plan is. But from an intangible sense, the Americans have to find their own source of inspiration beyond the simple desire to win.

What does Scheffler need to do to turn around his Ryder Cup play?

Uggetti: Keep playing them.

The four-time major winner said in Napa that he learned from the loss in 2023 in that he felt like he needed to prepare better this time around, which meant not allowing a long break between competitions. Yet I wonder if this loss and the way that it happened (with Scheffler going 0-4 in team matches) will spur Scheffler to prepare in a different way in the lead-up to Adare Manor.

I think there's certainly something to be said for players like Scheffler and Woods dominating individual competition while struggling in team events. Foursomes (alternate-shot), fourballs (best ball) and match play almost require a different kind of muscle to be flexed. And while Scheffler was still one of the best players on the U.S. team when you look at his statistics, it's a reminder that this event often goes beyond the numbers and requires something more than distance control.

"I think it's hard to put into words how much it hurts to lose all four matches," Scheffler said Sunday after beating Rory McIlroy in singles to score his first point of the week. "To have the trust of my captains and teammates to go out there and play all four matches and lose all four, it's really hard to put into words how much that stings and hurts."

Scheffler called this week one of the "lowest moments" of his career. That in itself is a reminder: This is only his third Ryder Cup and he is not yet 30.

Schlabach: In the past three Ryder Cups, Scheffler's partners in foursomes and fourball matches have been Bryson DeChambeau, Sam Burns, Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley and J.J. Spaun. None of them has worked.

Scheffler is 0-4-0 in foursomes and 1-2-2 in fourball matches. Not good.

Woods (13-21-3) and Mickelson (18-22-7) weren't great in the Ryder Cup, either. But it's too early to say Scheffler won't figure it out because he's the best golfer in the world and cares too much.

It's difficult to predict who the best American golfers might be in two years, but the Americans might want to take a long look at copying the Europeans' strategy. McIlroy played with Fleetwood. Rahm partnered with Tyrrell Hatton. The Europeans sent out arguably their four best golfers together, nearly guaranteeing themselves two points in the sessions in which they did.

What can we expect from the next two Ryder Cup venues?

Uggetti: Adare Manor looks to be about as American of a setup as you can find in Ireland. This is not a links course -- it's a parkland-style resort course with water hazards and rough. The Americans won't have the advantage of getting to set up the course (an advantage they squandered at Bethpage) and all you have to do is look at how Rome went to know that the Europeans will extract every edge they can from the golf course as they try to go for a vaunted three-peat. Two years is a long time, but it's very hard to envision a scenario where the United States are favored in any way going into 2027.

Schlabach: Regardless of who captains the U.S. team in two years, I don't like the Americans' chances at Adare Manor. The Americans haven't won on European soil since a 15-13 victory at The Belfry in England in 1993, losing the past seven matches away from home.

The U.S. team probably has a much better chance to get it done at the 2029 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. That's where the Americans ended a three-match losing streak to the Europeans with a 17-11 victory in 2016.

Ironically, that win came after the PGA of America formed a Ryder Cup Task Force to examine what was going wrong in a stretch where the Europeans had won in eight of 10 matches. Woods was a member of that task force, along with Davis Love III, Raymond Floyd, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and others. Like I said earlier, I think it's time to go back to the well.

Hopefully, golf fans at Hazeltine will treat the visitors with some "Minnesota nice." What happened at Bethpage Black simply can't happen again. Turning the Ryder Cup into a drunken fraternity party was an embarrassment. I get that there's supposed to be a home-course advantage at the Ryder Cup, but that doesn't mean it has to be the WM Phoenix Open on steroids. And don't argue that the PGA of America can't control rowdy fans because Augusta National Golf Club does it every year. Try screaming obscenities at a golfer during the Masters and see what happens.

Which U.S. players cemented their spot as part of the future?

Schlabach: I don't think the U.S. needs to panic and blow up its roster, but there are only a handful of golfers who seem guaranteed to have a place on the 2027 team, as long as they're healthy and playing well.

Scheffler, Schauffele, Thomas and DeChambeau are the core of the team. If Collin Morikawa finds his form again, and Patrick Cantlay continues to play well, it would be difficult for the U.S. captain to ignore their Ryder Cup experience. Cameron Young went 3-1-0 at Bethpage Black and was arguably the team MVP, so it seems he'll be around for a while.

After that, it's going to be wide open, based on who wins the majors and signature events the next two seasons. Can Spieth become one of the world's best again after coming back from wrist surgery? Will J.J. Spaun and Ben Griffin keep winning on tour? Can young golfers like Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia, Maverick McNealy, Luke Clanton and others take the next step in their careers?

Max Homa was the best American golfer in a 16.5-11.5 loss in Italy in 2023, but he lost his swing and confidence. Former U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark also fell off. Former Open Championship winner Brian Harman is a match-play stalwart and might be a better fit for Adare Manor.

What 'young blood' could be in line for a spot in 2027?

Uggetti: I think everything is on the table as far as the roster goes. The only people I see as absolute locks to make the 2027 team are Scheffler, Schauffele, Young and DeChambeau. That leaves eight spots up for grabs which should make a handful of young up-and-coming players intriguing options.

The two names that come to mind right away are Jackson Koivun and Clanton. Koivun is the top amateur in the world and even though he has yet to turn pro, he already has his PGA Tour card locked up and has three top-10 finishes on Tour in just seven starts, with all three of them coming in his past three events. Clanton turned pro this year and has four top-10 finishes going back to last season. This year, he did not have a standout finish, but he has shown enough flashes of potential that he could also be an intriguing option.

Whether each of them makes it or not, Young's success at Bethpage this past week is a reminder that experience should not always be the lead factor in either a captain's pick or a player's role on a given team.