The 2025 Ryder Cup in New York fittingly kicked off with an unmatched experience. U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, Keegan Bradley, orchestrated the perfect mix of hype and emotion in a first tee activation unlike any other. Kicking off with a hearty welcome from the men behind the “People’s Country Club”- The Nassau Players Club before weaving in the National Anthem and a moving speech from FDNY Lieutenant, Chris Mascali.
The 2025 Ryder Cup is the 45th edition and runs between September 25 – September 28. Luke Donald is the European Team Captain and Keegan Bradley is the U.S. Team Captain. The European Team are the reigning champion after winning 16 ½ - 11 ½ at Marco Simone in 2023. Every two years, 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head in match play competition. Drama, tension, incredible golf, camaraderie and sportsmanship are served in equal measure, captivating an audience of millions around the world. It’s an event that transcends sport, yet remains true to the spirit of its founder, Samuel Ryder.
I don't care if it's raining, if it's cold, if it's hot, we are going to be relentless
competitors on this golf course. Out there, that is our arena. This is our time. This is our time.
This week, this is our home course. This week, this is the course we grew up on. This week,
we are the Nassau Players Club. On behalf of the club, I'd like to welcome you to the People's
Country Club and our home course. So come on in and get the Ryder Cup trophy. But let's remember,
give them nothing and take everything from them. Good luck, guys. We're proud of you. Thank you.
The first time I ever played here, I was 12 years old. My father and I slept in our car overnight
to be the first off the next day, which we made happen. It's pretty special. I'll never forget it.
It's a pretty common story here, as you guys know. This place is pretty special.
A lot of people do that. You guys are going to make a lot of people proud when you win this thing.
Come on up, fellas.
My name is Chris Muscali, and this is my son, Joey. I'm a proud New York City fireman.
At the request of your captain, I'm here today to tell my story and hopefully offer some words
of inspiration to you guys. My dad, firefighter Joe Muscali, was a 14-year veteran of the FDNY.
He and his brothers raced towards the World Trade Center, into the unknown, because that's what the
job demands. Courage, sacrifice, selflessness, and love of country. I remember our times on the
course vividly. I'd hit it and chase it for hours and come home exhausted. It was about the lessons
that went far beyond the game, about battling back and being resilient. I can still hear his
today. I'm here for you. You got this. Sorry. A morning that feels a lot like that September
morning 24 years ago. Clear skies, crisp September air. A day like any other, but a day that changed
the world, changed this country, and changed my family's life forever. My dad, along with 342 of
his fellow firefighters, made the ultimate sacrifice that day. The day he didn't come home,
the day that left a hole in my family's heart forever, but the day that forged me into who I am
today. To join the FDNY and follow his footsteps and carry his name forward. You know, being a
fireman is a lot more than just a job. It's a calling. It's a calling to put others first,
to uphold the standards set by generations before us, and to fight for each other no matter what.
In a lot of ways, that's what the Ryder Cup is about. You 12 represent more than just yourselves.
You represent a nation. You wear the stars and stripes on your chest, but more importantly in
your hearts. This is more than just golf. This is for our country. This is for every American that
embodies what it means to be American. For the soldiers overseas, for the cop on the beat in the
Bronx, for the firemen rushing into a burning building in Flatbush, for kids like Joey who dream
of being in your shoes one day. One of the toughest courses in the world, as relentless as the fans
that will pack it. It's gonna be loud, it's gonna be raw, but that's New York. New Yorkers expect
nothing but the best. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere, and that couldn't be more
true than here at the Ryder Cup. Play with grit, play with fire, play with arrogance and swagger.
Go out there and play like you have the country on your back because you do, and I promise you
these fans will lift you up. Because New Yorkers respect that grit, they respect that fire,
most of all they respect fight. As a lieutenant in the FDNY, my job is to prepare my men,
set them up for success, and get them home safe. That's a victory for us. As your captain,
he's done the same. He's put the pieces in place, he believes in every single one of you,
and he set this team up to win. Now it's on you. Go out there and play with that honor and respect
and pride. Play for each other, play as a unit. Now go out there and bring that cup home to where
it belongs. Bring it back to New York and restore the sense of pride and patriotism this country
needs now more than ever. And as we say in the FDNY, go get them brothers. This is your moment.
I wish you all the best of luck. God bless America. Let's go get a W for them.
Okay, everybody here, everybody in here. USA on three. I love everybody. One, two, three. USA!
