With the 2025 Ryder Cup kicking off at Bethpage Black, Rory McIlroy and the European team are gearing up to take on Justin Thomas, Team USA, and the notoriously passionate New York crowd. It’s definitely a charged atmosphere, with players getting ready for what might be the most unfriendly crowd we’ve seen in the event’s history. McIlroy mentioned that “it’s inevitable something is going to happen in New York,” recognizing the tough mental challenge of being the main focus for the opposition.

This lively atmosphere creates a perfect backdrop for vying for fan support, where just one interaction can say a lot. With all that in mind, there’s an interesting story from the practice rounds that highlights the different ways teams are connecting with their fans, shared on the Shotgun Start podcast over on Fried Egg Golf’s YouTube channel about Justin Thomas.

While talking with Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath, PJ Clark shared a moment when Thomas was walking from the 13th green to the 14th tee. A young fan shouted, “JT, can you sign my thing?”

Thomas apparently said, “No, you know, maybe after the round, not doing it during the round.”

When the child protested, “Well, the Europeans are doing it during the round,” Thomas responded, “Oh, that’s because they’re trying to make you like them.” But then the kid’s parent chimed in with the punchline: “Well, it’s working.”

It looks like this strategy from the European squad is working pretty well. Because in that podcast, Clark also mentioned how the European players were really “cheery” and engaging with the crowds, always taking the time to sign autographs for fans, particularly the kids, as they moved between the holes. On the flip side, Andy Johnson noted that the U.S. team seemed to have a bit of a “disconnect” with the audience.

Indeed, this isn’t something new, actually. During the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, European captain Bernhard Langer encouraged his team to constantly engage with fans, while the American team was instructed to avoid signing autographs. Eventually, this policy backfired for the U.S. team, as the home crowd reacted negatively to their lack of interaction, thereby giving Europe a popularity win and also the win with the largest margin.

So, carrying on that same tactic, David Howell, a member of that 2004 European team, stated that the current team would likely follow the same blueprint of being “truly hospitable” at Bethpage. Furthermore, McIlroy recently made a big statement that really grabbed the attention of a lot of American fans in a good way.

“Everyone wanted to make it in America. It’s the land of opportunity. And I still believe it’s the best country in the world, and if you come here and work hard and dedicate yourself, you can be or do whatever you want,” the Northern Irishman shared. Statements and gestures like this really connected with the American spirit of patriotism and fair play, helping to balance out the home-crowd advantage that his rivals had. However, there’s a completely contrasting event that transpired involving Thomas, which might have been overlooked in Thomas’s recent incident.

Justin Thomas potentially winning back hearts

In the midst of the New York City crowd, Justin Thomas recently came upon a birthday poster. He quickly invited the birthday boy to join him on the hole, along with Bryson Duchamp, Cameron Young, and vice captain Brandt Snedeker. The social media post really nailed the birthday moment, and it quickly went viral, with fans cheering for the American golfer who made that special day unforgettable for someone.

Even the official Ryder Cup coverage mentioned that “one lucky birthday boy was brought onto the green” with the group of players. Thomas jumped into action as soon as he saw the sign, so in all honesty, maybe JT was just trying to pull the kid’s leg when he was asking for his autograph, and in a way, engaged with the fan in his own JT way.

Even during the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, he took some time to engage with young fans. He signed autographs for a couple of kids and made sure to hand them directly to the kids instead of their dad. Absolutely, he’s definitely “the heartbeat of our team,” just like Keegan Bradley once said.

The Ryder Cup tees off tomorrow, so maybe we’ll get to see a clearer picture of how much the two teams end up engaging with the fans in an attempt to win the crowd as well as the Cup.