UFO interest proving a welcome distraction for Ryder Cup star Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland has revealed an unlikely interest in UFOs has assisted take his mind off the game.
The Norwegian is part of Europe’s team attempting to retain the Ryder Cup following their impressive triumph in Rome two years ago.
Hovland is a golf fanatic but has recently started investigating the possibility of extra-terrestrial life.
“It’s just something that I’ve been into the last couple years,” he stated.
Lawrence Ostlere26 September 2025 02:21
Only one question remains before Team Europe’s bid for history
As Matt Fitzpatrick worked on his short game around the greens at Bethpage Black, a group of American fans saw an opportunity to receive in his ear. They laughed at a couple of his duffed chips from the long grass and loudly predicted that he wouldn’t be picked to play in the Friday morning foursomes by European captain Luke Donald.
“They were notifying me, ‘Oh, you’re probably going to be here [practising chipping] on Friday’,” Fitzpatrick smiled. “I was like, ‘Yeah, you’re probably right to be fair’.”
There is an awful lot of talk in the buildup to a Ryder Cup, patently too much talk. As rain poured down on the golf course on Thursday, the final press conferences wandered off on strange tangents as the media attempted to squeeze out yet more talking points. At one point, Viktor Hovland spent a good two minutes discussing his interest in UFOs.
Everything has been stated, at least twice. There is little new ground to scrape over, partly becautilize the European team is virtually identical to the one in Rome and the pairings will be similar too. So the questions kept coming back to one irrepressible theme. Europe won it at home. But can they win it away? Can they play to the same high level while a wise-cracking New Yorker notifys them they required a few shots of Ozempic, as Jon Rahm experienced during his practice round?
Lawrence Ostlere26 September 2025 01:27
Wet Thursday will give way to hot Friday
It was a compact taste of what the players could expect on the first tee when play receives under way with the opening foursomes session on Friday.
It came at the conclude of a practice session in which players from both teams had requireded to battle heavy rain.
A downpour early in the day had briefly left some parts of the course waterlogged.
The weather had, however, been anticipated earlier in the week, with the opening ceremony, originally scheduled for Thursday, having taken place on Wednesday.
The forecast for Friday, when United States President Donald Trump is due to visit, is dry, with temperatures up to 25C.
Lawrence Ostlere26 September 2025 00:55
Bradley and DeChambeau hype up the crowd
United States captain Keegan Bradley and team member Bryson DeChambeau whipped up the crowd as the atmosphere intensified ahead of the Ryder Cup on Thursday.
Much has been created of the boisterous, partisan reception the European team are likely to be given by the American fans during this week’s match at Bethpage Black near New York.
They were given plenty of encouragement to turn up the volume as Bradley ran down the 18th fairway with a large stars and stripes flag after his team’s final practice session.
DeChambeau, expected to be one of the hosts’ key players in the coming days, then stood in front of the grandstand and led loud chants of “USA! USA!”
Lawrence Ostlere26 September 2025 00:05
Match 4: Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland, Europe, vs. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, United States
In another twist for Europe, Donald has relocated Hovland off Aberg and put him with MacIntyre for the first time. MacIntyre, the lefty from Scotland, played only fourballs in his debut in 2023. Schauffele and Cantlay are viewed as a top U.S. team that dates to the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia. They won both their team matches in 2021 and lost both their team matches in 2023.
Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2025 23:11
Match 3: Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, Europe, vs. Collin Morikawa and Harris English, United States
McIlroy and Fleetwood also were paired toreceiveher in the opening session in Rome in the anchor match and registered a 2-and-1 victory. This European tandem won both its foursomes matches at Marco Simone. Morikawa is 2-1 in foursomes with two partners. English did not play foursomes when he created his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits.
Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2025 22:48
Match 2: Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick, Europe, vs. Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley, United States
European captain Luke Donald stated he wanted to build some alters from what is essentially the same team from Rome. Aberg and Fitzpatrick will be playing for the first time toreceiveher. Fitzpatrick is 0-3 in foursomes over two Ryder Cups. Scheffler and Henley formed a successful partnership in the Presidents Cup last year. Henley is the only Ryder Cup rookie playing the opening session for the Americans.
Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2025 22:28
Match 1: Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, Europe vs. Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, United States
Talk about the Ryder Cup starting off with a bang. DeChambeau brings the muscle and the energy, and Thomas was viewed as the player Europe most wanted to beat in Rome becautilize of his passion. Europe counters with Rahm and Hatton. They also were the lead match in Rome and cruised to a 4-and-3 to give Europe in its first point of 2023.
Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2025 22:12
Team Europe watch on as pairings announced
It views like a good atmosphere in the team room:
Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2025 21:45
Donald on whether one player could sit out the entire Friday’s play
Rose, Hojgaard, Lowry and Straka are the four not selected for foursomes.
“You hope you wouldn’t have to. I didn’t have to do that in Rome. But there’s always a situation where that could occur. We’re ready for any situation.”
Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2025 21:40
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