The inaugural day of the 2025 Ryder Cup was marred by widespread dissatisfaction with the television broadcast coverage, with numerous players and commentators expressing concerns regarding excessive commercial interruptions and technical issues. The situation intensified when PGA Tour professional Chris Gotterup, a former potential captain’s pick for the U.S. team, publicly voiced his frustrations.
Gotterup, who had previously received a text from Keegan Bradley regarding his form, revealed that his name was absent from Captain America’s six selections. Despite finishing tenth in the FedEx Cup standings, including a third-place result at The Open Championship and a victory at the Genesis Scottish Open, Gotterup was overlooked.
Several other players, including Byeong Hun An and Michael Kim, utilized humor to address the imbalance of commercials versus golf action. An remarked that there were more commercials than actual golf played, while Kim expressed bewilderment at the network’s ability to miss so many shots with only eight balls in play.
The issues extended beyond commercial breaks, with reports of audio and synchronization problems. Viewers described a lag between the sound of the club striking the ball and the video playback, as well as delayed crowd cheers. Furthermore, YouTube viewers experienced similar disruptions. A poll by *No Laying Up* on X indicated that 94% of over 4,500 respondents rated the coverage “Bad” within minutes of the initial commercial break.
The situation mirrored complaints raised during the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where *NBC Sports* and *Golf Channel* faced similar backlash over missed moments, including introductions and key tee shots. The 2025 edition of the competition repeated this pattern, with critics highlighting the dominance of commercial breaks and synchronization issues.
The challenges underscored a broader concern regarding the prioritization of the fan experience in golf broadcasting. The consistent complaints, particularly regarding a tournament of this caliber, have prompted questions about whether profit considerations were taking precedence over the viewing experience. Canadian viewers, in particular, were left without access for extended periods due to a carriage dispute between cable providers and the network.