Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 Ryder Cup — Format, Teams & History
Every two years, one of golf’s most dramatic and team-oriented events unfolds: the Ryder Cup. Rather than the usual individual tournaments, the Ryder Cup pits two squads—12 elite golfers from the United States and 12 from Europe—in a match-play showdown over three days.
In 2025, the competition returns to Bethpage Black at Bethpage State Park, in Farmingdale, New York. ESPN The matches run from Friday, Sept. 26 through Sunday, Sept. 28, and will be broadcast across NBC, the Golf Channel, and USA Network (with streaming available on Peacock).
Format & Scoring: How Matches Play Out
The structure of the Ryder Cup balances pair formats and solo competition, creating layers of strategy and excitement over three days.
Days 1 & 2 (Friday & Saturday):
These first two days feature foursomes and four-balls, with morning and afternoon sessions.
- In foursomes, two teammates alternate shots on one ball—one hits the tee, the other hits the second shot, and so on. The lowest score on the hole wins. If the hole is tied, it's halved.
- In four-balls, each golfer plays their own ball. The best individual score of the two teammates constitutes the team score for that hole. Again, ties result in halved holes.
Day 3 (Sunday):
The final day is all singles: 12 head-to-head matches, pitting one U.S. player against one European. Each match is worth one point.
Across the three days, there are a total of 28 matches, so 28 points are up for grabs (halved matches split points). The first team to exceed 14 points wins the Cup. In the event of a 14–14 tie, the current holder retains the trophy—no extra holes are played.
Team Selection: Who Plays for the U.S. and Europe
The method for choosing the 12 players on each side mixes automatic qualification with captain’s picks.
For Team USA:
- The top six eligible players in the Ryder Cup standings after the BMW Championship (August 17) qualified automatically.
- The U.S. captain, Keegan Bradley, then selected six additional players to round out the team.
For Team Europe:
- The top six in European Ryder Cup points after the Betfred British Masters (August 24) earned automatic berths.
- Captain Luke Donald filled the rest with six picks of his choosing.
A Brief History of Winners & Overall Record
Over the decades, the Ryder Cup has built a storied legacy. The U.S. leads the all-time series with 27 wins, while Europe has 15, and there have been 2 draws. ESPN
Some recent results:
- 2023: Europe defeated the U.S. 16½ to 11½
- 2021: U.S. dominated 19–9
- 2018: Europe came out ahead 17½–10½
- 2016: U.S. won 17–11
- 2014: Europe edged the U.S. 16½–11½
These outcomes capture the ebb and flow of dominance over time.
