2025 Ryder Cup: Everything You Need to Know

Will we see a close finish at the 2025 Ryder Cup?

Europe has won eight out of the last 11 Ryder Cups — dominating the recent history of the prestigious event. Team USA, however, has won the previous two Ryder Cups played on American soil.

Commanding victories in 2016 at the Hazeltine National Golf Club (winning 17-11) and in 2021 at Whistling Straits (19-9) give Americans hope for this year’s competition. Home course advantage is valuable in the Ryder Cup, as the USA is the betting favorite to win at -150 odds, while Team Europe’s odds are +170  (DraftKings Sports Book Odds).

All these historical recounts, odds and stats may be confusing to even the casual golf fan. Since the Ryder Cup plays in a much more unconventional format than what we see on tour, it can be hard to wrap your head around exactly what’s happening. Sometimes teammates share a ball. Sometimes they’re using the best of their two scores. At the end, 12 simultaneous one-on-one matchups will occur, which can lead to utter chaos.

So, here’s everything you need to know to in preparation for this weekend’s Ryder Cup.

What is the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup is a three-day golf match that occurs every two years between the 12 best American golfers and the 12 best European golfers. The location of the match alternates each time, giving one team the advantage of home course every other Ryder Cup.

Where?

This year, the Ryder Cup is being held at the Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale, NY, on Long Island. It is the first time the event has been held in the New York metro area in 90 years.

What is the Format of the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup breaks down into three formats: Foursomes, Four-ball, and Singles.

Foursomes and Four-Ball matches will happen on Friday and Saturday, while Singles matches will take place on Sunday. Foursomes are equivalent to “alternate shot,” where two teammates will alternate shots, playing a singular ball, throughout the round.

Comparatively, Four-Ball is when both players play their own ball through the hole and take the best score out of the two.

Singles matches are straight-up match play between two golfers. In match play, a point is given to the team or golfer that wins the hole. Whoever wins more holes by the end of the match will earn a point for their team. If a tie occurs, both teams will get a half point for their team.

Each win in each format will count for a point. There are 28 points total up for grabs, so the first team to 14.5 points will win the Ryder Cup.

Who is Playing?

Team USA: (Captain Keegan Bradley) Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Colin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns

Team Europe: (Captain Luke Donald) Rory Mcllroy, Robert Macintyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Højgaard, Tyrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, John Rahm, Sepp Straka, Ludvig Åberg

How Are Teams Determined?