Team USA looks to avenge a loss to Europe in the last Ryder Cup tournament. Here's what the Americans need to do to win.
The biennial Ryder Cup tournament is a golf fan's dream.
It is one of the few opportunities to not only cheer for your favorite players but root them on as they represent your country. The three-day tournament has everything a spectator could ask for: singles play, foursomes, four-ball. And it starts on Friday, meaning you don't have to hide your monitor from your boss in the office as you try to sneak Round 1 coverage of an average tournament into your routine.
The United States has struggled at this tournament recently, having lost five of the last seven tournaments. But with stars like Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau, the U.S. might have its best chance in a decade to emerge victorious.
The Americans have some of the best golfers in the world and are playing at home, with Bethpage Black Course in New York the venue this year.
How does the tournament work? Unlike traditional tournaments, the Ryder Cup isn't determined by strokes. It's determined by points. Points are earned in different ways every day. It's very confusing, but luckily USA TODAY is here to explain it.
How does the Ryder Cup work?
The Ryder Cup is scored via match play. Essentially, it doesn't matter how many strokes you take on an individual hole. All that matters is that you take fewer strokes than your opponent.
When each round is done, whichever player won more holes, wins a point for their team. If both competitors are tied, each earns half a point for their team.
In total, there are 28 points up for grabs, meaning the first team to 14.5 points wins the tournament. Theoretically, the tournament could end in a 14-14 tie, but that has happened only twice in history (1969, 1989). If it happens this year, the previous winner will retain the trophy, which would be Europe in this instance.
What events happen each day?
The tournament begins on Friday at 7:10 a.m. ET with foursome play. In the afternoon, some four-ball matches will be played as well, starting at 12:25 p.m. ET.
Saturday will have the same structure of events as Friday, with foursomes starting at 7:10 a.m. and four-ball beginning at 12:25 p.m.
Sunday, the final day of the tournament, will see singles play beginning at 12:02 p.m. The trophy presentation will start soon after all play has concluded.
What is foursomes and four-ball?
While Sunday's singles play is pretty straightforward — golfer v. golfer mano y mano — foursomes and four-ball is a little less traditional.
Foursomes, also known as "alternate shot," sees a pair of golfers alternate shots hitting the same ball. It requires both golfers to play to their partners' strengths and around their weaknesses without solely relying on the skill of any singular golfer.
Four-ball, meanwhile, is similar, in that it pits two teams of two against each other. But in four-ball, each golfer takes their own shot, with four shots being taken in total, hence the name "four-ball." Each golfer will play their ball throughout the entirety of the hole, but only the lowest score on each team will be recorded.
Four-ball offers much more leeway than other forms of golf and de-emphasizes bogeys. In traditional golf, an inopportune bogey could wreck your entire round, but in four-ball, you have a partner to pick you up, giving each golfer a little more leash to work with. In that same sense, birdies become that much more important because a singular birdie will beat out two pars from your opponents.
How to watch 2025 Ryder Cup
- Date: Sept. 26-28
- TV: NBC, Golf Channel and USA Network
- Stream:Peacock and Fubo
- Location: Bethpage State Park Black course (Farmingdale, New York)
Stream the 2025 Ryder Cup tournament with Fubo
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ryder Cup format: How many points does Team USA need to win?
Category: General Sports
