With the Ryder Cup returning to US soil this weekend, the bare minimum for the host team is to win the Cup back at Bethpage Black. But beyond the bare minimum, the personal incentives for each of the team members can either contribute to the success, or prove pivotal in a home loss.

Take the American captain, Keegan Bradley. He was close to being a captain’s pick two years ago, and as captain for 2025, had the option of naming himself as a playing captain. His season record would’ve justified the pick, and although he ultimately decided to focus on his role as captain, will he look back at this weekend and think what could’ve been?

Then you have the players who will tee it up at Bethpage Black. Since COVID, the 12-man American roster has been an even split: six golfers who qualify on points, and six selected as captain’s picks. Of those who were added to the team earlier this month, four of them do bring experience from past Ryder Cups, which will come in handy. And it also helps that 11 of the golfers are quite familiar with each other, having competed together on the PGA Tour.

But what about the chances of team infighting? Bryson DeChambeau, for instance, has often been seen as a polarizing personality, even before joining LIV Golf. As the only player from the Saudi-backed tour on the US team, how will he mesh this weekend with the 11 others? If the Americans struggle or ultimately lose, will Bryson be dubbed the key culprit for the lack of success?

On the other hand, how does the European team face the situation of being underdogs? Luke Donald had little, if anything, to lose in 2023, after moving in late as captain in place of Henrik Stenson. This time around, with a proper amount of time to prepare and the experience of having done it before, he will have expectations to deliver a European win, just like he contributed in 2004 & 2012.

The last two Cups held in the US ended in resounding wins for the hosts; the 19-9 result in 2021 is the most lopsided score since the competition became USA vs. Europe. In both of those last two American wins, they were buoyed by strong starts in the Friday morning session. Bradley will need to get his pairings right for the foursomes matches. If he does, it would put the team on track toward regaining the Cup, and a path for Bradley to have major Ryder Cup redemption.