With just days to go before the Ryder Cup tees off, anticipation has been building for fans on both sides of the pond. It’s the most electrifying team event in golf, and as always, the big question looms — Who might win and who’s got the edge over the other? While anything can happen in match play, one PGA Tour veteran thinks Team USA might be holding some serious advantage on Bethpage Black.

On a recent episode of The Ole Gabbox podcast, former World No.1 amateur and golf analyst Steve Scott didn’t hold back when he was asked about the enormity of the Ryder Cup and who might have a better chance at winning. “Yeah, I’m going to steal a phrase I heard from our good pal Gary Williams,” Scott said on the podcast. “He said it’s going to be like a powder keg of plutonium at Bethpage. It’s not even next level — it’s eons next level,” he added. But beyond the fireworks and the intensity of the crowd, Scott zoned in on something far more crucial — stats. And in his eyes, it’s Team USA who walks into Bethpage with the sharper sword.

“I think, just looking at their skills, you know, just looking at a couple of basic skills in match play, we all know great putters win in match play, and for the US team, they have five players that are in the top 20 in the strokes gained putting,” Scott explained. And Europe? They’ve got just two. “So, you know, I think you give the edge on the putting certainly to the Americans,” Scott continued. His breakdown was simple, but the implications were massive.

In a format like the Ryder Cup, where every hole is its own battle, putting becomes the ultimate equalizer, and maybe, the ultimate decider. And that’s exactly why Bethpage Black adds another intriguing twist. While critics have often dismissed its greens as too flat or simplistic, Bethpage’s putting surfaces follow the natural flow of the land — sloping subtly but steadily, like a tilted plain. That means putts might not break like a rollercoaster, but they demand precision, especially under pressure.

Steve Scott then points to names like Sam Burns, who’s ranked first in strokes gained in putting on the PGA Tour this season, as a weapon Team Europe should be worried about. Burns has a sizzling putting average of 1.70 and a jaw-dropping 90.85% success rate inside 10 feet. But Burns isn’t the only American with a hot putter. There’s Cameron Young, who is known mostly for his massive drives averaging 315 yards off the tee. Young also ranks fifth in SG putting. But on the European side? It’s just Rory McIlroy within the top 10, being the best on his team.

“So you’ve got uh you definitely have the edge on that to the Americans,” Scott quipped, laying out the stark difference. But not just in putting, even in the overall strokes gained, Americans seem to have the edge again. “And then Strokes Gained tee-to-green, you have the edge to the Americans as well. They’ve got six of the top 20 versus five of the top 20 for strokes gained tee-to-green, including the great Scottie Scheffler, who never seems to miss a shot out of the center of the face,” Scott points out.

In just the top 5 of the strokes gained total, there are 3 Americans – Scottie Scheffler (No.1), Ben Griffin, and Russell Henley. Meanwhile, on the European side, there are just two — McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. And beyond them? Americans like JJ Spaun, Patrick Cantlay, and Justin Thomas round out the top 10. Only one other European, Sepp Straka, makes that list. So what does this all mean? While anything can happen in the game of golf, the American team has the edge based on the stats he pointed out.

Why Team USA’s Ryder Cup Roster is a worry for McIlroy

Team USA’s blend of young firepower and depth across the roster gives them a structural advantage — especially on a physically demanding course like Bethpage Black. Take Scottie Scheffler, for example. At just 29, the world number one enters Bethpage Black at his peak with four majors, including two this season, and six PGA Tour wins under his belt in 2025 alone. At the Procore Championship, Scheffler even narrowly missed out on a record of scoring in the 60s for 21 consecutive weeks. He’s riding a wave of consistency with 15 straight top-10 finishes, and his tee-to-green stats remain untouchable.

And then there’s the hungry, fearless rookies with something to prove. Keegan Bradley decided to pick four rookies for his team, and while it may have raised eyebrows, it just might be playing to Team USA’s advantage. There’s J.J. Spaun, who became an overnight sensation since his 2025 U.S. Open win. He ranks 7th in the overall strokes gained statistics on the PGA tour, joining five other Americans within the top-10. Then there’s Ben Griffin, who has had an incredible year with two wins and 11 top-10 finishes.

The other rookies, like Cameron Young and Sam Burns, bring not only youth but power, form, and momentum. This new wave of Americans isn’t just talented; they’re physically suited for the relentless grind of Bethpage, a course known for its length, elevation changes, and the brute-force test of stamina. In other words, Bradley’s squad isn’t just built to compete with their impressive statistics but rather built to outlast the Europeans.