Bradley not worried about Scheffler, defends picks

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The No. 1 subordinate successful the satellite looked thing but connected Day 1 of the Ryder Cup astatine Bethpage Black.

Scottie Scheffler came into this lawsuit with the anticipation that helium would predominate arsenic he's done connected the PGA Tour and the majors each year. Instead, the three-time large victor went winless successful some sessions Friday and is present 2-4-2 each clip successful the event. He has not won a afloat constituent since 2021, erstwhile it was played astatine Whistling Straits.

"When you're the No. 1 subordinate successful the world, you person a time that possibly it wasn't his best, usually you bounce back," Bradley said. "We are not disquieted astir Scottie Scheffler."

Playing with J.J. Spaun successful the day fourball, Scheffler was not arsenic crisp arsenic helium typically is from tee to greenish and looked confused aggregate times connected the greens, missing putt aft putt.

"We gave ourselves plentifulness of opportunities," Scheffler said. "It truly conscionable came down to maine not holing capable putts."

The astir striking result, however, came successful the morning, erstwhile Scheffler and foursomes spouse Russell Henley mislaid 5&3 to Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick.

"We conscionable didn't spread capable putts early. We had immoderate chances," said Scheffler, who volition play with Henley again successful Saturday greeting foursomes. "I deliberation the putts conscionable didn't fall."

Putting was a much-discussed taxable among the American players who struggled Friday. Bryson DeChambeau, who played with Justin Thomas successful the greeting foursomes and Ben Griffin successful the afternoon, besides mislaid some of his matches.

"They made everything," DeChambeau said. "I felt similar I was clutch erstwhile I needed to be, but ... determination were truthful galore putts that conscionable didn't spell successful for america that went successful for them. Luck is connected their broadside close now."

Bradley cited the fig of putts the Europeans made respective times, arsenic well. And portion helium did insert Cameron Young into the foursomes lineup successful spot of Thomas arsenic a alteration Saturday, the remainder of those pairings that mislaid Friday morning, including Collin Morikawa and Harris English (who fell 5&4 to Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood), volition beryllium teeing it up again successful the greeting session.

"We're sticking to our plan," Bradley said. "We're not going to panic and marque those benignant of mistakes. We're going to instrumentality to what we know."

According to DataGolf, the Morikawa-English pairing is the worst imaginable tandem of immoderate of the 132 imaginable combinations for either squad based connected strokes gained.

"We came successful present this week with a plan, and the players are prepared for that plan," Bradley said. "We look astatine the data. We look astatine the strokes gained. In the greeting session, we conscionable didn't marque immoderate putts. Really, hardly immoderate astatine all. Everything other was beauteous good."

Bradley said his connection to the squad aft Friday harped connected the information that lone 28 percent of the full points person been played for and that there's inactive plentifulness of play ahead. But this is the fourth-largest shortage the U.S. squad has faced connected Day 1 of a Ryder Cup connected location soil, according to ESPN Research. Of the 3 erstwhile times, ...