Thomas called the home-Ryder Cup scenario bizarre and unusual, stressing that while not an excuse for Friday–Saturday slips, the green preparation mismatch affected play.

The article suggests the PGA of America must address course-setup expectations for future U.S.-hosted Ryder Cups, balancing player needs with staff adaptability when greens vary from requests.

Controversy centered on Bethpage’s course setup, specifically reduced rough and greens allegedly running faster than what Bradley and the U.S. team had requested.

Rain-softened greens reportedly made it harder to speed them up, requiring the U.S. team to adapt rather than rely on the home setup being perfectly aligned with their requests.

The U.S. Ryder Cup team, captained by Keegan Bradley, trailed Europe for much of the event before a late surge on Sunday that fell short.

Thomas attributed part of the defeat to the greens, arguing they were not prepared as instructed by captain Keegan Bradley and were slower than expected.

The United States’ Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black ended unfavorably for the U.S., with Justin Thomas and his teammates facing a loss as Europe built an early lead.

Bradley’s decision to cut the rough drew criticism, but the piece suggests the greens’ speed and setup were more significant factors.

Thomas described the greens as faster than claimed, with inconsistencies and putts rolling too far because of disputed Stimpmeter readings.

This marked Thomas’s fourth Ryder Cup appearance, with a career record including losses in 2018 and 2023 but a win in 2021.

On the No Laying Up podcast, Thomas said greens felt faster and that there was disagreement over Stimpmeter readings, with players disputing claims of 13 on the scale.

He noted that a home-ground advantage was eroded because the team fought with the green speeds rather than benefiting from home support.