Gary Player reveals why he wants to abolish the Ryder Cup: “I sat there and cringed”

For many golf fans, the Ryder Cup, a tournament like no other played once every two years, is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the golfing calendar. But if it were up to the legendary Gary Player, it would be wiped from existence.

Europe’s dominant start and late U.S. rally

Golf’s most high-profile team event has consistently delivered huge amounts of drama in recent years, including the recently completed 2025 edition at Bethpage Black in New York, which looked as if it were over almost before it had begun.

Team Europe dominated the United States in the foursomes and fourball sessions on Friday and Saturday, to such an extent that many fans, especially Americans, decided not to watch the action unfold on Sunday.

Although their attempt at a record comeback ultimately fell short, Team USA very nearly pulled off the unthinkable with a scintillating performance in the singles, giving fans the final-day suspense few thought possible.

Player blasts fan behavior

For many, however, including Player, the tournament was overshadowed by the behavior of some members of the crowd toward the European players. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who holed the putt that retained the cup, were among those who complained about the abuse they received over the three days of play.

In an interview with Golf Digest, Player said he believes the Ryder Cup has been ruined beyond repair by the kind of over-the-top partisanship on display in New York.

“I would like to see them abolish it, and I’ll tell you why,” the nine-time major champion explained. “Nobody loves golf more than me, but I love golf to such an extent that I sat there and cringed. The whole world was watching and all you heard was ‘F’ this and ‘F’ that and you see people misbehaving.”

“Look at Augusta,” Player says

Quite the contrast from some of golf’s other biggest tournaments, which Player believes the Ryder Cup should look to in order to reshape its image in the future. “Just look at Augusta. Do you ever see that at Augusta? Do you ever see that at the U.S. Open? The British Open? No.”

The Ryder Cup will go on

Player won’t get his way, of course. The next Ryder Cup will be played at Adare Manor in Ireland from Sept. 17-19, 2027. The captains for that edition have yet to be decided, although there is heavy speculation Tiger Woods could lead Team USA for the first time.

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