The 2025 Ryder Cup is just days away, so let’s keep the previews rolling.
We’ve already taken a look at each team and a few storylines to follow. But today I’m back with a deeper dive at five rookies making their Ryder Cup debut.
Watch the Ryder Cup LIVE on TSN all weekend, beginning on Day 2 of the tournament Saturday at 7am ET/4am PT.
The group of four Americans is led by Russell Henley and Cameron Young, who may be in store for a heavy workload due to their connections with the top two players on the team. Meanwhile, Ben Griffin and U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun are both priced at shorter than 5-1 to be the top rookie in the event.
The lone Euro making his Ryder Cup debut this year is Rasmus Hojgaard.
The 24-year-old made the squad as the final automatic spot earned through the team’s point system. While he is a rookie, Rasums was with the group in 2023 while his twin brother Nicolai played. This year the roles are flipped.
Let’s take a closer look at all five rookies.
Russell Henley +170
Every Batman needs his Robin. And if Scottie Scheffler is Batman, you can consider Henley to be Robin.
While this is Henley’s first Ryder Cup, it’ll be his second time suiting up for Team USA after the 2024 Presidents Cup.
Henley had three points that week, going 3-1-0 and went 1-1-0 in two foursomes sessions as Scheffler’s partner.
Twelve months later, and it appears Henley and Scheffler will run things back at Bethpage.
With that in mind, you also have to remember that Henley was sixth on the PGA Tour this year in scoring average per round, so he’ll likely also play in a four-ball session.
With Henley’s path to playing four or five times, his odds to win this market feel appropriately priced.
Cameron Young +250
The connection to Henley and Scottie is one thing.
Young’s connection to Bryson DeChambeau is a little bit more inside baseball.
Bryson is a very important player on this Team USA roster. The two-time major winner is playing on his third Ryder Cup team, but is still looking for his first point in the foursomes session after going 0-2-0 in 2018 and not playing in either session in 2021.
This Team USA group can’t afford to sit one of their best players in foursomes, so Bryson has to play, and he needs a partner.
In theory, finding a partner for Bryson should be easy. Any player on the team would benefit playing from his drives, and he hits it so long that he’d still have scoreable clubs on approach shots with a shorter hitters off the tee.
But DeChembeau doesn’t play any normal golf ball. He plays the Pro V1x Double Dot, a new prototype Titleist golf ball. Only a handful of players in men’s professional golf use them, and Young happens to be one of them.
(Teams have to use the same ball throughout a hole, but they are free to switch any time a different ball before the start of a hole.)
We’ve seen the golf ball become a large part of the Ryder Cup conversation in recent years thanks to the use of analytics. Notably, Team Europe was unable to partner Ludvig Aberg with a member of the group in 2023 due to Aberg hitting his driver 30 yards shorter with their ball.
Young made the switch to the double dot a few months ago and the results speak for themselves as he won the first PGA Tour event of his career and played his way onto this team.
Young’s game was almost designed for Bethpage Black. The 27-year-old bombs it off the tee and this season he was fifth on the PGA Tour in putting. Young also finished second at the 2023 WGC Match Play event, so he enters the week as a threat in the format.
If the double dot forces a partnership between DeChameau and Young, similar to Henley, Young will have a chance to play in four sessions and earn multiple points.
Ben Griffin +380
Despite being a rookie, Ben Griffin is perhaps one of their hottest players entering the event.
Griffin was the runner-up at the Procore Championship two weeks ago, finishing second to Scheffler, or he would’ve added his third win of the season to his resume.
He also finished his season with five-straight top 12s and was fifth in scoring and third in total bridies.
Griffin played his way onto this team and has a legitimate case to play in the opening session.
However, if Henely and Young will suit up for the opening session due to their partnerships, it’s tough to envision Keegan Bradley rolling out another in Griffin.
The 29-year-old is unlikely to get his first opportunity in the event until the second session on Friday afternoon in four-ball.
If he plays well Friday afternoon, and Team USA needs to roll the dice on a new combo for Saturday’s foursomes, he could see a bigger workload on Saturday.
J.J. Spaun +500
There’s a chance Spaun is the ultimate sleeper for this Ryder Cup. The 2025 U.S. Open champion had a career-year this season and could finish it as the secret weapon for Team USA.
When Spaun is at his best, hitting fairways and making putts has been his game. After struggling on the greens for years, Spaun made a leap in nearly every major putting stat this season and the results were winning a major and finishing second to Rory McIlroy at the Players Championship.
Spaun’s game screams alt shot, and if he finds a partner to get hot with, he might play his way into a few points this week.
Rasmus Hojgaard +850
Finally, the lone rookie on the European squad is Rasmus Hojgaard.
Rasmus was part of the group in 2023 in Italy, while his brother Nicolai played on the team. Two years ago, the brothers would’ve told you they hoped to both be back on the team at Bethpage, but it’s just Rasmus this time.
Rasmus’ play on the PGA and DP World Tour was strong enough this season to play his way onto the team, but with 11 players from 2023 returning it’s hard to see a big role for the Danish lad.
Nicolai played three sessions in Rome, going 0-2-1 as the team won by a wide margin. With this Ryder Cup on the road, and expected to be tighter I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rasmus play just twice.
