Just 24 hours before the Ryder Cup’s first round, Bethpage was flooded with heavy rain and thunderstorms. The harsh conditions brought the Opening Ceremony forward a day to Wednesday. The bigger concern is looming weather threats as Friday’s session begins, bringing back memories of Captain Keegan Bradley’s costly 2010 mistake.

As shared by Dylan Dethier, writer for Golf Magazine, the Ryder Cup faced a similar situation back in 2010 at Celtic Manor. However, Team USA suffered the most damage during this stormy jumpscare. As the weather worsened, the US Team’s custom-designed rain jackets failed to deliver the promised result. The rain jackets were more fashion than function, as the golfers got soaked in the rain despite wearing them.

“They were described as retaining water instead of repelling water, and it was so bad that US officials went to buy replacements during a lengthy rain delay. Each suit was like 350 bucks, so this was a costly but mostly embarrassing mistake,” Dethier explained.

Not only were the jackets expensive, but they were useless, too. In fact, the last-minute replacements added to the skyrocketing expenses. But more than anything, it was a serious blow to Team USA’s reputation. In contrast, the European team seemed to have suffered no problems or serious damage in the rain. Adding to the disaster, the European squad, including Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy, went out of their way to appreciate how well their jackets had performed. Having faced some embarrassments earlier that week, it only made matters worse.

“The US side had already suffered some embarrassments that week, like forgetting to introduce Stewart Cink during the opening ceremonies, so this was a tough addition. Even worse, the suits they bought were made by ProQuip, which was already outfitting the Europeans,” Dethier explained.

How did the matches turn out? Well, the new gear turned the European lead of 3-1, by winning the remaining matches 2.5-1.5. However, eventually, the US Team returned home with heartbreak and a close call at 14.5–13.5. If the team had managed just one more point, the Celtic Manor tragedy could have turned into the US’s only away win in over 30 years. But as it turns out, the gears had a different plan.

However, the important thing is whether Team America has taken a lesson from the incident or not. Acting as a reminder of how poor planning can turn sure victories into embarrassing losses, this is more of a warning for Keegan Bradley. With expectations pouring in from the fans, Dethier added as a subtle reminder, “So here’s hoping that this year’s Ryder Cup captains did some testing, because I bet the lines at Bethpage’s merch center are going to be long.”

But how is the weather looking ahead? Let’s take a look at the weather conditions at Bethpage.

Is the Ryder Cup threatened by looming thunderstorms?

Severe rain and hail at Bethpage left the course soaked, with waterlogged bunkers and standing water on the 18th hole, threatening to derail play. Damp conditions will slow drives, soften greens, and make footing tricky, adding an extra layer of difficulty for the players.

While earlier forecasts predicted more downpours, recent data offers hope. According to AccuWeather, Friday will reach a high of 82 degrees with sun and clouds, Saturday will cool to 79 degrees with mostly cloudy skies, and Sunday brings a 60% chance of light morning showers.

Though conditions are improving, the early damage means weather will remain a key factor throughout the Ryder Cup.