The 45th Ryder Cup, one of the most anticipated events in the world of golf, is set to tee off at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26 to 28, 2025. But just days before the first drive, the tournament’s fate hung in the balance—not because of a weather forecast or a sudden player injury, but due to a looming railroad strike that threatened to bring the prestigious event to a screeching halt.
The crisis began brewing when unions representing workers on the Long Island Rail Road announced plans to strike, a move that would have paralyzed one of the only viable transportation options for the expected 18,000 fans. With no parking available at Bethpage State Park, the rail line is the lifeblood for spectators traveling from across New York and beyond. The potential disruption sent shockwaves through the golf community and left organizers scrambling for solutions.
Enter President Donald Trump, a well-known golf aficionado and owner of several world-class golf venues. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Trump took decisive action. In an executive order signed just last week, the president established a Presidential Emergency Board tasked with investigating the dispute and mediating between the unions and the Long Island Rail Road. The move, made at the request of the five unions representing the rail workers, effectively halted the strike before it could begin.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored the importance of the intervention during a September 22 briefing. “This event is one of the greatest sporting events in the world and it would not be taking place this year without President Trump’s help,” Leavitt stated. She went on to explain, “President Trump signed an executive order last week preventing a strike that would have crippled the New York City area ahead of the tournament and at the request of the five unions who all represent workers on the Long Island railroad.”
The significance of the president’s action cannot be overstated. The Ryder Cup isn’t just another golf tournament—it’s a tradition nearly a century old, pitting Team USA against Team Europe in a spirited battle for international bragging rights. The event is planned years in advance, with every detail meticulously orchestrated to deliver an unforgettable experience for players, fans, and broadcasters alike. A transportation crisis at this late stage would have been nothing short of disastrous, not only for the tournament’s financial stability but also for its reputation as a world-class sporting spectacle.
Team USA star Bryson DeChambeau didn’t mince words when asked about the situation. “The Ryder Cup is a true, almost century-old tradition in the world of golf and sports, and it’s an incredible honour for Long Island to host the 2025 Ryder Cup,” DeChambeau told the Daily Caller. “When the possibility of a strike threatened to disrupt transportation and attendance, President Trump stepped in and took the action needed to protect this world-class competition. Thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership, the Ryder Cup experience will be everything fans and the golf community deserve.”
Fellow American golfer Scottie Scheffler echoed the sentiment, highlighting Trump’s longstanding passion for the game and his personal support for players. “The president is kind of funny. He loves the game of golf, he loves supporting golfers, and I get a call or a text from him sometimes after wins,” Scheffler shared this week. “He just loves the game of golf, and he’s one of those guys when you’re around him, he does such a good job of, like, feeding confidence into everybody around him. That was one of the things I noticed a lot with the little bit of time I spent with him, is he treats everybody the same and treats people with the utmost respect. Whether you’re the person serving us lunch or the caddie on the golf course or the guy who’s the president of the club that we’re at, he treats everybody like they’re the greatest person in the world. I don’t think he has any plans to address us as a team, but I’m sure if things go well, we’ll hear from him this week.”
Bethpage State Park is no stranger to big moments in golf. The Black Course, a notoriously challenging layout, has hosted a slew of major tournaments, including the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open, as well as the 2019 US PGA Championship. Looking ahead, it’s already been tapped to host the US PGA Championship again in 2033. The course’s reputation for drama and difficulty makes it a fitting stage for the Ryder Cup, where every shot and every decision can swing the momentum between two continents.
With the transportation crisis averted, excitement is building among fans, players, and organizers alike. The unique pressure and pageantry of the Ryder Cup have always set it apart from other golf events. There’s the palpable tension of national pride, the raucous energy of the crowds, and the strategic chess match between captains. For Long Island, hosting the Cup is both a point of pride and a massive logistical undertaking—one that now appears safe, thanks to a timely intervention at the highest level.
But what if the strike had gone ahead? Organizers shudder at the thought. With no parking at the venue and the nearest alternative transportation options miles away, attendance would have plummeted, and the event’s atmosphere would have suffered. Local businesses counting on the influx of visitors would have felt the sting, and the television spectacle—so crucial for the Ryder Cup’s global reach—would have been diminished. It’s a scenario no one wanted to see, and one that, for now, has been firmly relegated to the realm of what-ifs.
As the opening day draws near, all eyes will be on Bethpage—not just to see which team hoists the trophy, but to witness a Ryder Cup that very nearly didn’t happen. President Trump’s intervention has been met with widespread approval from both sides of the Atlantic, with many in the golf world breathing a collective sigh of relief. The fans will get their show, the players their stage, and Long Island its moment in the sporting spotlight.
President Trump himself is set to attend the first day of the Cup, adding yet another layer of excitement to an already electric event. Whether he’ll address the teams or simply soak in the action from the gallery remains to be seen, but his presence is sure to be noted by players and fans alike.
With the transportation threat now in the rearview mirror, the 45th Ryder Cup is poised to deliver all the drama, passion, and unforgettable moments that have defined this storied competition for nearly a hundred years. The stage is set, the fans are on their way, and for a brief moment, the world of golf—and perhaps even the city that never sleeps—can breathe a little easier.
