Scottie Scheffler is No. 1 in the world and one of 12 at the Ryder Cup

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has been the standard everyone is chasing for the last 856 days. That's how long he has been No. 1 in the world, the longest stretch in golf for anyone since Tiger Woods.

Now he is one of 12 at the Ryder Cup. His matches at Bethpage Black count no more than anyone else, whether it's Patrick Cantlay or Harris English or Bryson DeChambeau.

“At the end of the day, it's just all about going and winning your point,” Justin Thomas said Tuesday. "All of us are very happy that he's on our team this week so we don't have to try to figure out how to beat him in an individual tournament. It's nice that he's on our side.

“No, he's just viewed as one of the 12. And we're all one and the same, I'd say.”

It was like that for Scheffler when he was world No. 1 at Marco Simone two years ago, and he failed to win a match by going 0-2-2. That included being on the losing end with Brooks Koepka in the shortest match in Ryder Cup history. Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland won in 11 holes.

There isn't a great history for No. 1 players in the Ryder Cup, at least on the American side. Dustin Johnson was at the top of his game when he went 1-4-0 in Paris.

As for Woods, he didn't have a winning record until his fifth Ryder Cup, in 2006 at The K Club in Ireland, when he went 3-2-0 as the Americans lost by nine points.

None of this matters to Scheffler. Very little does when it comes to golf. His credo has been to show up at the first tee — Bethpage Black, Royal Portrush, Muirfield Village — knowing he has done everything possible to be ready. And then go compete.

“Should the expectations of me be different than any other player? I don't really think about that kind of stuff,” Scheffler said. “I truly don’t think about expectations or anything like that. That’s wasted space in my brain.”

But there always seemed to be a burden for Woods, a different cat. He never really was one of 12 because he was Tiger Woods. He was THE one of 12.

A European win over Woods counted as one point. Motivationally, it felt like two.

There also was the issue of finding Woods a good partner for foursomes and fourballs. He played with 10 players in his first four Ryder Cup appearances.

Scheffler has had six partners — three each for the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup — though he and Russell Henley appeared to be a good fit last year at Royal Montreal in the Presidents Cup and are likely to be together at Bethpage Black.

“I think we have 12 guys that are all equal. I don’t think one player is more important than another. I think that is something that is through our team room,” Scheffler said. "I’d like to think that I’m not difficult to pair with people. I’d like to think of myself as someone that’s a nice guy and easy to get along with.

“I’ve had different partners over the years and have had some success. I would definitely not put myself in that category.”

Scheffler's rookie year on the PGA Tour was the last time Woods competed in team matches, so it's a subject on which he has limited knowledge.

“It could just be the aura that was Tiger Woods,” he said.

Europe has had its share of No. 1 players with a different result.

Jon Rahm was 3-1-1 when he was at No. 1 for the 2021 matches at Whistling Straits. His one loss was to Scheffler, who birdied the opening four holes for a comfortable win.

Rory McIlroy went 3-2-0 at No. 1 in the world when Europe won at Medinah in 2012, and he was 2-1-2 as the top-ranked player at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2024.

Nick Faldo was 2-1-2 when he played as the world No. 1 at the Belfry in 1993. The only No. 1 player from Europe with a losing record was Ian Woosnam (1-3-0) in 1991.

“Rory has talked about this many times — he loves what the Ryder Cup represents,” European captain Luke Donald said. “You can see the emotion both ways.”

There were tears from McIlroy when Europe lost big at Whistling Straits. There was that dispute with Patrick Cantlay's caddie on the 18th green at Marco Simone two years ago, that resulted in McIlroy having to be restrained later that evening in the parking lot.

He used that as motivation for Europe on Sunday to finish the job by smoking the Americans.

“He sees himself as a leader, but also just one of the 12,” Donald said. “We try and talk about that a lot. We all have an opportunity to contribute to the team. To have someone of his caliber, though, what he’s achieved in the game is tremendous.”

Scheffler is a leader of the U.S. team by his sheer stature in the game, even if he doesn't see it that way. This is only his third Ryder Cup. Then again, Thomas is the most experienced American and this is only his fourth appearance.

It's a young U.S. team by experience — the 12 players have combined to play in 15 Ryder Cups. Scheffler is among six players on the last team in Rome.

“I don’t think it can be understated how difficult of a week Rome was for us. I think we could have done better, for sure,” he said. “That wasn’t how I expected the week to go. I think we learned from it, and we’re as prepared as ever this time.”

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Scottie Scheffler hits from the sixth tee during the first round of the Procore Championship golf event, Thursday, Sept 11, 2025 in Napa, Calf. (AP Photo/Doug Ferguson)

Europe's Jon Rahm walks on the 16th hole during a practice round for the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Farmingdale, N.Y., at Bethpage State Park's Black Course. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Europe's Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, tosses balls in the air during a practice round for the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Farmingdale, N.Y., at Bethpage State Park's Black Course. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Europe's Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the second hole during a practice round for the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Farmingdale, N.Y., at Bethpage State Park's Black Course. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' Scottie Scheffler speaks during a news conference before a practice round at the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Farmingdale, N.Y., at Bethpage State Park's Black Course between the United States and Europe. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

United States' Scottie Scheffler hits from the bunker on the 11th hole during a practice round for the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Farmingdale, N.Y., at Bethpage State Park's Black Course. (AP Photo/Robert Bukaty)

BANGKOK (AP) — Cambodia reported that Thailand hit a site in the country's northwest with an airstrike on Saturday, even as the two countries held talks to try to put an end to renewed combat that erupted in early December just months after a ceasefire ended a previous round of border fighting.

Cambodia’s Defense Ministry said that Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop four bombs on Saturday morning on a target in Serei Saophoan in the northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey.

On Friday, Cambodia said that a similar airstrike dropped 40 bombs on a target in Chok Chey village in the same province. There were no reports of casualties from that raid, but the ministry said that houses and infrastructure in the Chok Chey target area were destroyed.

Thailand’s military confirmed the Friday attack, saying that a joint army-air force operation was conducted to protect Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, which borders Banteay Meanchey and where the two nations have overlapping territorial claims.

Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai, a spokesperson for Thailand’s air force, said at a press briefing on Friday that the operation took place after days of monitoring by the Thai military determined that civilians had been evacuated from the target area.

Long-standing competing claims of territory along the border are the root of tensions that broke into open combat in late July. Mediation by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, backed up by pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, led the two sides to agree to a shaky ceasefire after five days of fighting.

Each side describes its current military actions as being taken in self-defense, and blames the other for breaching the ceasefire.

“If Cambodia is not sincere about a ceasefire, peace will not be possible, and Thailand will have no choice but to proceed with full-scale military operations to defend its sovereignty,” said the air force's Jackkrit.

Meanwhile on Friday, military officials from both nations held a third day of working-level talks of their already established General Border Committee at a checkpoint between Cambodia’s Pailin province and Thailand’s Chanthaburi province.

The committee meeting is expected to conclude later Saturday, when Thai and Cambodian defense ministers are anticipated to join and formalize an agreement.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday that Thailand expected Cambodia to agree to a 72-hour ceasefire, and if it was successfully implemented, Thailand would consider repatriating Cambodian prisoners of war, a major demand.

Thailand has lost 26 soldiers and one civilian as a direct result of the combat since Dec. 7, according to officials. Thailand has also reported 44 civilian deaths from collateral effects of the situation. Cambodia hasn't issued an official figure on military casualties, but says that 30 civilians have been killed and 90 injured.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from affected areas on both sides of the border.

Trump spoke by phone with the Thai and Cambodian prime ministers on Dec. 12 and claimed on social media that they had agreed to revive their ceasefire. Anutin denied such an agreement and fighting continued.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed in a call this week to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet that Washington is prepared “to facilitate discussions to ensure peace and stability” between Cambodia and Thailand, the U.S. State Department said.

Amid the fighting, Thai media this week have highlighted the rescue of five malnourished wild animals — a male lion, a lioness, a sun bear and two Asiatic black bears — from a casino allegedly serving as a Cambodian military stronghold that was captured on Sunday by Thai marines.

The animals were sedated and transported to wildlife breeding centers in Thailand, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation told The Associated Press on Friday. Arriving at their new homes by Christmas, the lioness was named “Merry” and the lion “Christmas” to celebrate their rescue.

AP writer Sopheng Cheang contributed to this report from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a lioness found in Trat Province in eastern Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a rescued lion in a wildlife breeding center in Ratchaburi, Thailand, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a sedated bear found in Trat Province in eastern Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2025.(Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

This handout photo provided by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand shows a rescued lioness in a wildlife breeding center in Ratchaburi, Thailand, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand via AP)

ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting convenes Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to resume ceasefire talks after deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. (Thai MFA via AP)