Every two years, 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head in match play competition. The European Team are the reigning champions after winning at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in 2023. Drama, tension, incredible golf, camaraderie and sportsmanship are served in equal measure, captivating an audience of millions around the world. It’s an event that transcends sport, yet remains true to the spirit of its founder, Samuel Ryder. The 2025 Ryder Cup is set to take place at Bethpage Black in New York.
How does the Ryder Cup work? From formats and pairings to points scoring and how to win,
this is the science behind golf's greatest team contest. Give it up for our contestants,
Team Europe and the USA. It's 12 golfers per side, with each player earning their spot through
qualification or a captain's pick. Shameless plug, but hit up our other videos to learn more about
that. The teams battle it out for three days every two years at alternating venues in Europe
and it's all for one reason, to lift the Ryder Cup trophy. Unlike regular stroke play golf,
where you compete as an individual and win by completing four rounds in the fewest shots,
the Ryder Cup is a match play competition, where you compete in teams to finish each hole
in the fewest shots, and whoever wins more holes wins the match. On the first two days,
we have two different formats of golf on show across the morning and afternoon sessions,
four balls and foursomes. They are both played in pairs and it is the responsibility of each
team's captain to confirm the pairings and order in which they play without knowing who they will
be facing from the opposition. Golfers may play both formats in one day if the captain decides.
In four balls, each player plays their own ball for the hole and the lowest score wins that hole.
If the teams finish the hole in the same amount of shots, it's tied. It's where you might see
because if one teammate's hole doesn't go to plan, they can rely on their partner,
hopefully. Foursomes are even more reliant on chemistry because each two-man team plays one
ball per hole, with the pair taking alternate shots until the ball is in the hole. Players
alternate hitting tee shots, with one leading on odd-numbered holes and the other hitting first
on even-numbered holes. This is where you often see players with complementary styles paired
as teamwork and ability comes to the fore. After two days of 16 matches in pairs,
it's all down to the singles, one player from each team pitted against each other for 18 holes.
The captain decides the order again and is often influenced by the first two days' results.
Do they need to chase points early with their in-form players or should they save them for
the end when the pressure could mount? Throughout the 18 holes in each match,
you might see Team Europe or the USA described as up, down, or tied. This is to reflect who's
leading the match while it's happening. For example, let's say the USA finish the first
hole in three shots, while Team Europe complete it in four. The USA would be one up because they
won that hole. On the second hole, Team Europe need just two shots while the USA take three.
The scores are now tied. Team Europe then sink the third hole in four shots and the USA match
their score. The hole is tied and the score remains tied with 15 holes remaining. If one
team leads the match by more than the number of holes remaining, the match ends. For example,
if Team Europe are three up with two holes left, they win the match and do not have to play the
remaining holes. There are 28 matches across the three days and each match is worth one point.
If a match is tied, each team gets half a point. The first team to 14.5 points wins the Ryder Cup,
but if it ends in a 14-14 draw, then the previous winner retains the trophy.
If the winners are confirmed with matches to spare, play continues until they're all complete,
giving us a scoreline that adds up to 28. Then all that's left is for the victors to lift the
Ryder Cup. And two years later, we do it all again. To watch another Ryder Cup video, click here
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