What is the format for the 2025 Ryder Cup? What are fourballs and foursomes?
Todd KellyWho's ready for some match play? Better yet, who's ready for some Ryder Cup?
The biennial event pitting a team of 12 Americans against a squad of 12 Europeans will be staged for a 45th time this week. The unique event is held only every two years and uses three well-known match-play formats.
What formats are used in the Ryder Cup?
The competition uses three different formats:
- Foursomes, which is also known as alternate shot
- Fourballs, also known as better ball
- Singles
The schedule of Friday and Saturday foursomes and fourballs and Sunday singles has been in effect since 1979. As host, the U.S. has selected foursomes in the morning and fourballs in the afternoon for each of the first two days.
Who plays in each of the formats?
In foursomes and fourballs, each captain will send out four pairings for each session. The captains will therefore also have to decide which four golfers will sit out each of the sessions. In singles, each match is a head-to-head featuring one American vs. one European. All 12 members of each side will compete in Sunday singles.
How are Ryder Cup matches scored?
If a team or a single wins more holes than their opponent, that team or single has earned one point. If a match ends up tied after 18 holes, then each side earns a half point.
In foursomes, the two players on each team take turns alternating shots. The lowest score on each hole withs that hole; if the scores are the same on a given hole, then that hole is tied.
In fourballs, all four players in each match plays his own ball and whoever scores the lowest individual score wins the hole for his team. If the two lowest scores are the same, then the hole is tied.
How does a team win the Ryder Cup?
There are 28 points up for grabs and the first team to 14 ½ points wins the Cup outright. If the scoreboard reflects a 14-14 tie at the end of Sunday singles, then whoever won the Cup last time retains. That has only happened twice: in 1969, when the U.S. retained, and in 1989, when Europe retained.
Who won the Ryder Cup in 2023?
Team Europe rode the momentum of a Friday morning foursomes sweep at the first Ryder Cup in Rome all the way to Sunday, extending a decades-long tradition of winning on home soil.