FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – It’s among the longest waits in golf. The lead-up to Friday of the Ryder Cup feels like running an Ironman triathlon.

We’ve already spent a year dissecting the roster possibilities and the last few weeks evaluating potential pairings and the clues that came during the teams’ tune-up tournaments. Once Ryder Cup week begins, the speculation only ramps up further. And the amount of mental energy that’s already been expended has us desperately ready for Friday morning.

So, with the Ryder Cup waiting game in its final stages, what has stood out from walking the grounds over the last three days? Here are five key observations we’ve made.

First hole will be X factor

The first hole at the Ryder Cup garners interest wherever it is played, but it will be particularly fascinating at Bethpage Black this week.

The vaunted opening hole on the Black Course, which boasts the famous warning sign about the challenge ahead, will play significantly easier this year with the tee box moved up to accommodate the massive grandstand behind it. And because of that, the dogleg right hole is now pseudo-drivable, which could create an electric atmosphere and a match-swinging shot from the start of every match.

The U.S. Team played the back nine on Tuesday, but every group made time to walk over to the first hole and pump a few drivers before leaving for the day, testing what might be possible. Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas both took dead aim at the green. Xander Schauffele was slightly more conservative, but shouted “BOOM” as he sent his ball 332 yards over the trees and into the fairway, about 30 yards left of the green.

Going for the green is likely more viable in Four-ball, allowing one player to play aggressively and another to take a conservative line, but with Foursomes slated as the opening session on Friday, will anyone attempt to set the tone early? It will make the first hole a must-watch all week.

Course setup

Bethpage Black is renowned for its difficulty, but don’t expect it to play as difficult as previous tournaments it has hosted. The rough is down considerably compared to the 2019 PGA Championship, and it’s even shorter than the course often keeps it for public play.

While it will make it easier, it should also make for a more entertaining Ryder Cup. Shorter rough promotes more aggression, both off the tee and on approach. Instead of just hacking out of knee-high rough, players will be tempted to take on bold shots, which will yield heroics and disasters. Both provide entertainment value.

Outside of that, the U.S. has not tipped its hand on how the setup could be advantageous for its roster. There are likely some advantages to gain around the margins, but both teams have similar statistical profiles.

One unknown variable: the weather. Consistent rain is expected on Thursday and could linger on Friday and Saturday. How soft will that make Bethpage Black? And how might that affect play? We won’t know until we see it.

Start of a new staple U.S. pairing?

The early part of Scottie Scheffler’s national team resume was largely played alongside his best friend: Sam Burns. Scheffler played all of his matches at the 2022 Presidents Cup with Burns and the duo paired together for one match at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

But it appears increasingly likely that Scheffler is a part of a new staple pairing with Russell Henley instead of Burns.

Scheffler and Henley played three matches together at last year’s Presidents Cup and went 2-1, and they have been frequent playing partners leading into this week. The two played together in the practice rounds and the first two competition rounds at the Procore Championship two weeks ago. They’ve again paired together for the first two Ryder Cup practice sessions.

It’s notable considering Scheffler could be asked to go all five sessions, with Henley presumably in the mix to play a bulk of them, if not all, with Scheffler. In Canada last year, they played both Foursomes sessions and one Four-ball session together.

The U.S has liked to lean on dynamic pairings in recent years, whether that be Jordan Spieth and Thomas or Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Could Scheffler and Henley follow suit? It appears they will get their chance to do so to begin this Ryder Cup. How that goes will determine whether we have a staple pairing on our hands.

Xander Schauffele progressing well

Schauffele is a bit of a wild card this week, something that’s rarely been said over the American’s impressive Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup record.

Schauffele is light on recent competitive reps and didn’t look particularly good the last time he played. The world No. 3 finished outside the top 30 of the FedExCup to miss the TOUR Championship for the first time in his career. Then, he and his wife welcomed their firstborn child at the end of August, which meant Schauffele stayed home instead of playing the Procore Championship as a tune-up.

Even he wasn’t sure what to expect. Through a few days, Schauffele is “surprisingly playing kind of nice.”

“It was funny to get some texts from captain and a lot of assistant caps like 'Hey, how you doing?'” Schauffele said. “Because I wasn't able to make Napa. But it was good to prepare at home on what was limited sleep but sort of a much clearer head than in-season.”

When playing well, Schauffele is a force multiplier for the U.S. that replicates the same superstar potential that Scheffler presents and the stamina to go all five sessions. But if he’s struggling, what does Bradley do then? His resume suggests he should play a bunch, but would Bradley stick with him?

Those are questions for later this week. For now, Schauffele is just excited about the progress.

Status quo for Europe … will that hold?

The European Team is in a quite unique position, boasting a level of continuity that they have never had in Ryder Cup history. Even Rasmus Højgaard, the only new face in the team room from two years ago, said the only change is one initial in the team room, swapping out an “N” (for his brother Nicolai, who was on the 2023 team) for an “R.”

That continuity is evident in the practice pairings, which closely resemble pairings deployed in Rome. Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm have played together each day. Familiar pairings like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood and McIlroy and Shane Lowry were used over the first practice days as well.

The question is, will that hold? Captain Luke Donald has been adamant that this Ryder Cup is different than the last and that they will need a new game plan to win on American soil. Those differences haven’t revealed themselves in the lead-up. Was it a bluff? Or could Europe surprise the Americans on Friday morning?