The Ryder Cup is back! This competition that always causes the world of golf to anticipate is happening from September 26 to 28. 2025. This time it will take place in the fierce Bathepage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale New York. In this blog, we will discuss the important formats, teams, and schedules to ensure that we are well prepared for the events to come.
What is the Ryder Cup?
The Ryder Cup is a challenge where the most skilled golfers from Europe compete with the most skilled golfers from the United States. They compete in a team-based competition and play against one another to win. Rather than aiming to complete a course in the least amount of strokes, the members of this challenge aim to win the most matches.
The competition began in 1927 for the United States and Great Britain, but in 1979 it was made more extensive to include all of Europe. This added a greater competition because the European team has won 12 of the 22 matches and keeps growing. The competition takes place on alternate continents, with the most recent one, in 2023, being held in Rome. This year, we look forward to seeing Team USA being led by Keegan Bradley serve as the cup’s home team.
The 2025 Ryder Cup Format: A Detailed Analysis
At the Ryder Cup, each team is matched in 28 unique games over the span of three days. The first team to reach at least 14.5 points wins the Cup, and if both teams end the games with 14 points, the current champion (Europe) keeps the trophy. A structured description of the remaining points is provided below. Each match is worth one point.
Foursomes (Alternate Shot)
The Friday and Saturday morning sessions are dedicated to the ‘foursomes’ format, otherwise referred to as the ‘alternate shot’ game. Under the 2025 Ryder Cup Rules:
Each two-man team strikes one ball.
Once a team determines who hits the first shot, they must complete the hole in their assigned turns. Alternating who hits the tee shots (who drives the ball) happens on odd holes and even holes, and players within a team must agree on which shots their partners can and cannot take.
Teams are awarded one point for each hole they complete within a predetermined set of strokes, and each team possesses the pair of holes required to win the match.
You are one of the few players in the world who has the ability to perform under the immense pressure to succeed for the team as Captain Keegan Bradley has strategically decided to use this format first for the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Four-Ball (Better Ball)
Starting on Friday through Saturday afternoons, we switch to the four-ball format for the matches, which generally results in more aggressive play, and more birdies being scored. Here is how it works.
In each match, all four players play each hole with their own ball.
One of the two teammates’ scores is compared to the lowest of the opposing team. Only one of the two scores gets counted.
With four separate balls in play, it becomes easier to score lower and the chances of each player making birdies significantly increases.
Singles Matches
On Sunday each team has 12 players and each team has 12 individual matches. Sunday is solely for these singles matches. In the history of the event, this could be the session with the most drama. Remember the 2012 “Miracle at Medinah”? Every match becomes a total war with no restrictions and the atmosphere is electric, with every player on edge. You can feel the tension. The entire Ryder Cup could be decided from one of these matches.
The Teams: Line Ups and Key Pairings
Deciding which players to have in the team is one of the most important elements of strategy for the Ryder Cup. Each team has 12 players. 6 of them can qualify through ranking points. The other half are “captain’s picks”.The captain of Team USA is Keegan Bradley. The rest of the team is made of automatic qualifiers which includes world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau. Bradley’s captain’s selections include seasoned players such as Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa.
Team Europe once again is under the command of captain Luke Donald, who in 2023 led the team to triumph. His team includes veterans such as Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and Viktor Hovland, while also featuring emphasis on rookie star Ludvig Åberg.
The first foursome matches of the 2025 Ryder Cup are bound to be spectacular.
- Match 1: Bryson DeChambeau & Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Jon Rahm & Tyrell Hatton (EUR)
- Match 2: Scottie Scheffler & Russell Henley (USA) vs. Ludvig Åberg & Matt Fitzpatrick (EUR)
- Match 3: Collin Morikawa & Harris English (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood (EUR)
- Match 4: Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Robert MacIntyre & Viktor Hovland (EUR)
The Venue: Bethpage Black
The Ryder Cup will be played on one of America’s most formidable public courses. Designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1936, Bethpage Black is well known for its long track, towering bunkers, and thick rough. A famous sign on the first tee warns golfers, “The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers.” The uniterrupted, and celebratory attitude is likely to foster the American audience, thus, giving the American team a great advantage.
How to Follow the 2025 Ryder Cup
For those tuning in from home, below is the broadcast time (Eastern Time) for the event:
Friday, September 26: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM on USA Network.
Saturday, September 27: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM on NBC.
Sunday, September 28: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM on NBC.
Throughout the event, live streaming is available on the NBC Sports App and on Peacock.
Historical Context and What’s at Stake
The Ryder Cup is more than just a sporting event. It is a dramatic battle for pride and prestige. Team Europe is the defending champion after winning 16.5-11.5 in Rome in 2023. But, they have a problem: There has not been a European team to win in the United States since 2012 at Medinah. Team USA, who is still hurting from the loss in Italy, are determined to win back the cup by using the supportive fans at Bethpage Black to their advantage.
The biggest question is whether or not the mix of American rookies and veterans can sustain the pressure, or if the more seasoned European team is able to control the audience. Winning this Ryder Cup would add another chapter to this great rivalry.
The 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is going to be another event filled with excitement, skill, and unforgettable memories. No matter if you are hardly a fan of golf or you have been one for ages, one thing is for certain, knowing the structure of the event will ease your experience. This will also give you an understanding of the strategies, mental strains, an pressure the players have to go through. This Ryder Cup is not an ordinary one, it is a battle between the best of the best.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/26/sport/ryder-cup-2025-format-explained
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