The United States Ryder Cup Team was at the mic on Tuesday at Bethpage Black, with Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Patrick Cantlay, JJ Spaun and Justin Thomas all sharing insight as they head into Day 2 of prep for the upcoming matches.
It was a mix of players with veteran experience, Major Championship titles and first-time vibes, answering questions on everything from their teammates to Scheffler’s aura to JJ Spaun singing “Let It Go.”
Here’s four highlights from the U.S. Ryder Cup Team’s press conference:
Scheffler, the World No. 1, Talks Expectations
Of the 24 players on both teams this week at Bethpage Black, Scottie Scheffler stands out. Not just for his incredible 2025 season so far that’s included a PGA Championship and Open Championship win, but for how he continually approaches the pressure that’s placed on him as World No. 1.
“Expectations, for me, are a wasted space in my brain,” Scheffler said. “I show up, prepare, compete and this week I’ll step up to the first tee and be ready. I’m a perfectionist at heart and I always think there’s something you can improve on, so that’s what I choose to focus on. Golf isn’t just a game for me… it’s my life’s work. If I’m thinking about anything, it’s about how I get better than I was yesterday.”
Scheffler also shared how he’s approaching a new chance to shine at the Ryder Cup, especially after a sound defeat at the hands of Ludvig Aberge and Viktor Hovland in Rome. There’s no revenge for Scheffler; instead, it’s something to learn from.
“You learn from your wins and your losses,” Scheffler noted. “Rome… that wasn’t how I expected the week to go, but it’s an addition to a large bank of knowledge I can draw from when I need to do in order to get better. Golf is like a puzzle that can never be solved but those experiences help you get closer.”
New Dad Xander Feels Ready to Roll
Of anyone on the U.S. Team who’s had the most change over the last 30 days, Schauffele is a good candidate: He welcomed son Victor with wife Maya on Aug. 29.
“And no, we didn’t name him after Viktor Hovland,” Schauffele quipped. “I was Victor before Viktor was even born.”
FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 23: Xander Schauffele of Team United States speaks to the media prior to the Ryder Cup 2025 at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 23, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)It’s been limited sleep but a much clearer head for the 2024 PGA Champion, who through a couple days of practice, is surprisingly “actually playing kind of nice.”
“I took 3 weeks off after BMW and it was nice not to think of golf and just take care of the little man,” Schauffele said. “It’s been nice having the guys to lean on, and pretty soon the music will be blaring, the crowd’s chanting your name. That experience on the first tee… I never take that for granted.”
Cantlay Embraces Ryder Cup Pressure
While the positive memories were few and far between for the United States in 2023 in Rome, Patick Cantlay’s performance was a memorable bright spot. He went toe-to-toe with the European crowd and came out the other side with some crucial points to his name to just give the U.S. a glimmer of hope.
Between that, a new hat that fits, and a course he likes in Bethpage, it seems Cantlay is ready to enter the Ryder Cup cauldron yet again.
FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 22: Patrick Cantlay of Team United States catches a ball on the practice range prior to the Ryder Cup 2025 at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 22, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)“When I play these team events, I’m representing my country and my teammates, and the best thing I can do is put points on the board. Everything else is just noise,” Cantlay said. “We’re playing for something bigger than ourselves this week.”
Cantlay, along with the other five players at the mic, also commented on the stipend they received from the PGA of America for playing in the Ryder Cup. All six shared they’d be donating to charity with Cantlay mentionin giving back to the Southern California PGA Junior Tour he grew up on.
“That’s how I got started in the game, on that junior tour,” Cantlay said. Sometimes I was lucky enough to get to skip school on Friday and play a practice round, which was always fun as a kid. I would love to give back to that tour and hopefully someone can follow their dreams in the same way.”
The Let It Go Mantra Works for Spaun
In one of the more heartwarming moments of the press conference, JJ Spaun talked about how he approaches golf and the trials and tribulations that come with playing it competitvely.
“My daughter, her favorite song is ‘Let It Go,’ and I don’t know if it’s by osmosis or just hearing the song so much, but I’ve kind of embraced that as my mantra for golf, ” said Spaun. “I have more self-belief because of it. I watched Ryder Cups growing up… did I ever think I’d be on a team? No. But you get those experiences like I had closing out the U.S. Open at Oakmont in June and you just grow from them.
“As a result, it’s been a breakthrough year for me and there’d be no better way to cap off the season than bringing the Cup home to America.”