Ryder Cup forced to call off opening ceremony and move to another date at last minute

RYDER CUP chiefs have been forced into a major schedule change – by bringing the opening ceremony forward by 24 hours.

The curtain-raiser ahead of the 45th edition of the event was due to take place at 4pm.

GettyThe opening ceremony for the Ryder Cup has been changed[/caption]

However, the weather forecast makes for grim reading with thunderstorms and heavy rain expected.

And so tournament organisers made the early decision on Tuesday afternoon – more than 48 hours before the original start time – to reschedule the opening ceremony for Wednesday instead.

A Ryder Cup statement said: “Due to the forecast of inclement weather on Thursday, September 25, the 2025 Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony has been moved to Wednesday, September 24.

“The Opening Ceremony pre-show will begin at 3pm, with the Opening Ceremony set for 4pm.

“Ryder Cup+ ticket holders for Thursday will now be admitted both Wednesday and Thursday.”

Part of the opening ceremony tradition sees the two captains announce their pairings for the Friday morning session.

But Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald will not do that this time around.

Instead, they will still confirm their eight players for the first foursomes at 4pm on Thursday.

Donald is hoping for another perfect start on Friday morning after winning that session 4-0 in Rome two years ago to set Europe on their way to a commanding 16 1/2 – 11 1/2 victory. 

But Bradley knows the US have enjoyed plenty of success themselves in Friday morning foursomes – taking those sessions 3-1 at Whistling Straits in 2021 and 4-0 at Hazeltine in 2016. 

The late schedule change adds to an already-stacked bumper plan on Wednesday at Bethpage. 

Eight European stars and the remaining six Americans will face the media – including box-office duo Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. 

Team USA have their official photos and both teams are due to play nine practice holes. 

On top of that, it is the Ryder Cup Celebrity All-Star match in the morning. 

Brooklyn Beckham is Europe’s star attraction with Catherine Zeta-Jones plus Harry Potter actors Tom Felton and Oliver Phelps. 

Eli Manning, John McEnroe and Noah Kahan are among the high-profile names teeing it up for the home side. 

Meanwhile, a supercomputer has predicted who will win the Ryder Cup.

Team USA are looking to win back the trophy following Team Europe’s victory in 2023.

It has been predicted that they will have success as with a 57.1 per cent chance of winning.

Team Europe is given a 35.3 per cent chance to retain the Ryder Cup.

While a draw is unlikely at just 7.6 per cent.

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