The Ryder Cup countdown had barely dipped into single digits when Lanny Wadkins, the 1977 PGA champion and former U.S. captain, lit the first real fuse of the week. Appearing on Golf Channel , he delivered a comment that echoed across both locker rooms: “Sometimes I think the Europeans are just a bunch of wusses and can’t handle the heat.” Wadkins’ comment came just hours after several European players, including Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose , spoke about the raucous atmosphere expected at Bethpage Black, where the 2025 Ryder Cup is set to tee off on September 26. Their concern wasn’t theoretical. Bethpage’s New York galleries are famous for rowdy support and, at times, biting heckles.

For Wadkins, the fuss struck a nerve. He recalled his own away experiences as proof that ho

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