The Ryder Cup has officially begun, and the Team USA vs. Europe showdown has the world split, but everyone was able to find common ground immediately after play began.
Not long after Jon Rahm opened the festivities by hitting his tee shot on the first hole at Bethpage Black, golf fans tuned into the USA Network were hit with a deluge of commercials. Foursomes were on tap for the first session of Day 1, meaning there were only eight golf balls on the course at the peak of play.
Despite that, the USA Network telecast missed shots early and (in the minds of many) often, leading to a groundswell of gripes from fans — and players — around the world.
Pro Golfers Rip USA Network for Ryder Cup Coverage
Graeme McDowell, a Ryder Cup veteran himself, was apoplectic at how few shots were being shown as USA knocked viewers over the head with a heavy commercial load.
“This (USA Network) coverage driving me insane already,” McDowell posted to X. “Think we are on the fifth commercial break. May have to flip on the (Sky Sports) version. Any better?”
McDowell was far from alone. He wasn’t even the only pro golfer complaining. Byeong Hun An weighed in, too.
“We could be seeing more commercials than golf today,” he tweeted.
Upstart PGA Tour star and social media darling Michael Kim echoed the sentiments.
Kim tweeted: “How do they miss this many golf shots with 8 golf balls in play 😂”
They certainly weren’t alone, either. Plenty of golf fans — the ones who have come to expect this sort of coverage, especially from the NBC/Universal telecasts — couldn’t help but bemoan the coverage (or lack thereof).
The American TV coverage is unlikely to see much improvement as the weekend goes on. Friday foursomes and four-ball coverage is on NBC, with the weekend rounds — team play on Saturday and singles on Sunday — is set for NBC.
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