Thousands of Ryder Cup volunteers begin arriving at Bethpage Black
More than 250,000 spectators will be descending on Long Island next week for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage State Park.
Security will be intense and road closures substantial, but the magic of the moment has already begun. On Wednesday, CBS News New York's Jennifer McLogan checked out the makeover still in progress at the famed Black Course.
Thousands of volunteers are en route
Some of the 4,300 Ryder Cup volunteers from 46 states and 28 countries started arriving for what some call the Super Bowl of professional golf.
Volunteers will be tasked with everything from giving directions to keeping Bethpage State Park shining.
"To meet different people, it's a really good opportunity," said volunteer Marc Cope of London.
"Every little piece that's out, like tripping hazards, anything that doesn't look too good, we just want to make everything look pretty," New York volunteer Robert Heuer said.
Bethpage Black golf ranger Paul Masi was decked out in his Ryder Cup garb on Wednesday.
"Players got to get the golf balls. Then the caddies pick them up, take them over to the range," Masi said.
- Read more: 3 more PGA of America majors coming to New York in the next 10 years, including 2 at Bethpage Black
Ryder Cup expected to be massive economic boon to Long Island
Inside a mammoth merchandise tent, the largest ever for a PGA event, thousands of items will be for sale, including replicas of player uniforms. Some of the proceeds will assist needy veterans in specialized PGA golf camps.
"To promote and drive funds to PGA Hope and Reach Foundation, which, of course, is a great cause," said Michael Quirk, a Legends Global PGA retail partner.
"I don't just look at it as an economic boost. I look at it as a point of pride. We know the eyes of the world will be on New York," Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
"Then you throw in the economic impact and it's just a home run. It's a game changer. We are talking hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity," added Matt Cohen, CEO of the Long Island Association.
Even local residents are cashing in, renting their homes and driveways.
What to know about Bethpage Black and how to get there
There is no public parking or drop-offs at or around Bethpage State Park. With crowds of 50,000 expected on each of the four days of the competition, organizers say the best way to get to the course is by taking the Long Island Rail Road to Farmingdale.
The LIRR will be adding extra train service throughout the tournament and offering a $175 special event ticket. There will be eight extra eastbound trains and one extra westbound train on weekdays during the tournament and nine extra eastbound trains on the weekend. For a full schedule, click here.
Those who choose to drive will have to park at Jones Beach, then take a shuttle bus to the golf course. Parking at Jones Beach is not free. Beginning Monday, shuttles from Jones Beach and the Farmingdale LIRR station will be offered free of charge.
Drivers can also park at the Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch LIRR stations for free on weekends, then take a train. Drivers can also park at the Mineola Intermodal Center for a fee.
During Ryder Cup week, those using rideshare will be directed to a rideshare lot.
Ryder Cup rosters and format
The Ryder Cup is held every two years, with each team's roster consisting of six automatic qualifiers, based on where they stood in the points standings in mid-August, and six captain's picks.
Team USA's automatic qualifiers are Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world and owner of six PGA Tour wins this season, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Captain Keegan Bradley later added captains picks Justin Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner; Collin Morikawa, a former PGA and Open Championship winner; Patrick Cantlay; Ben Griffin; Sam Burns, and Cameron Young.
Team Europe's roster is nearly identical to the 2023 squad that beat the U.S. at Marco Simone Golf and County Club in Italy. Rory McIlroy, this year's Masters champion and an eight-time Ryder Cup participant, leads automatic qualifiers Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Rasmus Höjgaard, who replaced his twin brother Nicolai, and former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose.
Captain Luke Donald later selected Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, and former U.S. Open and Masters champion Jon Rahm as his captain's picks.
The players will compete in a combination of match play formats over three days -- foursomes (alternate shot), four ball (best ball), and singles. Each match is worth 1 point and to win the Ryder Cup, one side must amass at least 14.5 points.
The U.S. has won the Ryder Cup a record 27 times, but since the event switched to a U.S. vs. Europe format in 1979, Europe leads 12-11, including the 16.5-11.5 victory two years ago.
