The 2025 US Ryder Cup team is once again filled with world-class talent, and Captain Keegan Bradley has a real headache trying to pick six wildcards to add to his six automatic qualifiers.
With their home court advantage in New York Bethpage Black, they are a favorite to win trophys.
But how does Bradley’s 12 stacks compete with the past American teams, measured by world rankings?
Here we list the most powerful American teams ever made in this century.
2021 – Whistle Strait
- Average world ranking in the United States: 8.92
- Results: The United States won 19-9
In terms of world rankings, this is the strongest team in American history. It is also the youngest person in its history, and the fusion of youth and talent has given Steve Stricker’s team a 19-9 victory, the biggest win in the Ryder Cup since 1967.
Eight of the 12 players in Wisconsin’s Whistle Channel ranked the highest in the world’s top ten, with the lowest ranking member of the team being No. 26 Scottie Scheffler.
2018 – LE Golf National
- Average world ranking in the United States: 11.16
- Result: The United States lost 17.5-10.5
Jim Furyk’s strong team includes three of the world’s top four (Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka third and Justin Thomas fourth), while Tiger Woods (No. 13) will win the 2019 Masters six months later, who won the Broncos draft pick six months later.
But despite the intimidating roster, despite the 3-1 victory for Thomas Bjorn, they were beaten 17.5-10.5 by Thomas Bjorn’s Europeans.
2012 – Medina
- Average world ranking in the United States: 12.17
- Result: The United States lost 14.5-13.5
Davis Love’s 12-man lineup includes 11 of the world’s top 17, including Tiger Woods (second in the time). They dominated most of the first two days in Illinois, leading 10-4 at some point.
But, in what is known as the “Medina Miracle”, the Europeans of Jose Maria Olazabal made a stunning comeback after winning Sunday’s single 8.5-3.5 to secure the victory.
2014 – Gleneagles
- Average world ranking in the United States: 16.25
- Result: The United States lost 16.5-11.5
Although Tiger Woods was excluded due to injury, Team USA is a better team on paper (Europe averages ranked less than 20).
But Tom Watson is against Captain Paul McGinley, and the Scottish crowd revels in the home victory, Tom Watson is completely beyond the mind. Europe led the game 5-3 again, winning five wins.
2016 – Hazel
- Average world ranking in the United States: 17.08
- Results: We won 17-11
After taking a huge lead in Medinah four years ago, Davis Love’s second defeat as captain in 2016 and digitized it.
Among the top 25 in the world, they have 10 teams who look much better than European teams on paper, and after sweeping the morning fours 4-0, the Americans advanced to a 17-11 victory, ending a three-game winning streak in Europe.
How do the 2025 US Ryder Cup teams stack?
Keegan Bradley’s team averaged 11.33 this time around the world, so it’s very favorable compared to past U.S. rosters.
Only 2018 and 2021 teams have better collective rankings, although it is worth noting that over the past few years, the world rankings have been biased, and LIV players have not earned points from events on the tour.
Even so, this is obviously an elite American team. But a warning to Bradley: The strongest American Ryder Cup team of the century has managed to win two victories.
They were in the 2016 and 2021 Ryder Cups – both playing locally. In fact, the world rankings seem to have little impact on the results of the trophy.
This century, there have been 11 Ryder Cups in total, and the Americans have ranked better on average in 9 of them. But in these 11 games, the better team on paper won only three times!
A better predictor is family strengths. Of the 11 Ryder Cups that have participated in this century, nine have been won by the host, including five of the last six.
In fact, if Europe did not achieve the “Medina Miracle” in 2012, the home team would win every one of the last nine games.
This shows that Luke Donald’s team has performed a tough task in New York next month.
Read the next article: Which 127 PGA Tour duo is the worst Ryder Cup pairing in the United States?
