Ryder Cup Breakdown: Everything You Need to Know

Competing in the Ryder Cup provides a sense of pride, giving players the opportunity to represent their country. Whether it’s Team USA or Team Europe, that pride translates into pressure-packed play on the course.

Every two years, the Ryder Cup gives players and fans alike the chance to root for their country while watching the game’s best compete in a match play setting. It also allows the best players on the planet to compete alongside one another, something that doesn’t happen in stroke play events.

Over the years, that has included Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, and today’s stars like Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.

Tournament Format

From 1927 to 1971, the U.S. only faced golfers from Great Britain. From 1973-1977, Ireland and Great Britain teamed up to face the Americans before continental Europeans were allowed to compete beginning in 1979.

Since 1979, the current match play format has been used. As a result, players focus on winning holes rather than achieving the lowest score as they would in stroke-play tournaments. On the first hole, if one side records a birdie and the other pars, the team that birdied is winning the match 1 up.

Not all matches go 18 holes.

When a team wins a match, they receive one point. If teams tie on the 18th hole, both earn 0.5 points. The team that reaches 14.5 points wins the Ryder Cup.

There will be a morning session and an afternoon session, consisting of foursomes and four-ball. The captains for each team will pick two players to face off against two players from the opposing team.

In foursomes, the two players alternate shots and switch tee shots on every hole.

In four-ball, both players hit their own ball, and the best score is recorded for the hole.

On Sunday, all 24 players go head-to-head in 12 singles matches to determine the Ryder Cup winner.

Who Won Most Ryder Cups?

Although the European team has evolved over the years, the Americans have proven to be the more successful side. The U.S. has won 27 Ryder Cups while Europe has claimed 15.

Since 1979, Sergio Garcia has claimed the most points at 28.5 while posting a 25-13-7 record in 45 matches. Other Europeans, such as Bernhard Langer, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Ballesteros and Faldo have all garnered at least 22 points during their time on Team Europe.

For the U.S., Mickelson leads the way with 21.5 points in 47 career matches since 1979.

Also read: Team Europe Ryder Cup Preview: Six Qualifiers Locked In, Captain’s Picks Also Look Firm

Who Won Ryder Cup in 2023?

Team Europe defeated Team USA in Rome, 16.5-11.5. The Europeans took a commanding 6.5-1.5 lead into Saturday’s matches and never looked back. Europe was fueled by Viktor Hovland and then-Ryder Cup rookie Ludvig Aberg, who defeated Scheffler and Brooks Koepka 9 and 7 in a historic foursomes match.

The victory continues Europe’s streak of winning at home in the 21st century.

When Did Team USA Last Win Ryder Cup?

In 2021, Team USA dominated on home soil, defeating Team Europe 19-9, matching the largest margin of victory since 1975. Dustin Johnson went 5-0-0, becoming the first American to win all five matches since Larry Nelson in 1979. Team USA featured six rookies, all of whom recorded at least one point, including Collin Morikawa, who went 3-0-1 and secured the winning point.

Future Ryder Cup Sites

Every two years, the Ryder Cup alternates between Europe and the United States, which also determines home and away teams.

Here are the future sites:

• 2027: The Golf Course at Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland)
• 2029: Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota)
• 2031: Camiral (Barcelona, Spain)
• 2033: The Olympic Club (San Francisco, California)
• 2035: TBA
• 2037: Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland)

List of Ryder Cup Champions

Here is a list of all the Ryder Cup champions dating back to 1927:

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