Ryder Cup format and points-scoring system explained

The captains are in place and the teams have been named… it’s finally time for the Ryder Cup!

Can Luke Donald’s Europe regain the trophy they lost at Whistling Straits two years ago or will Zach Johnson’s US team pull off their first victory on away soil since 1993?

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It looks set to be another red-hot edition of the Ryder Cup, but if you’re new to golf then you might have a few questions about the competition. What is the format? How is the winning team decided?

You’ll find all you need to know about the Ryder Cup format below, otherwise the latest Ryder Cup odds are on the Paddy Power and Paddy Power app.

Ryder Cup format

Let’s not beat about the bush here, the Ryder Cup has a pretty straightforward format to understand.

A total of 28 matches are set to take place over the three days at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy from Friday September 29 and Sunday October 1.

There are four foursome and four fourball matches on Friday and Saturday before 12 singles matches to round things off on Sunday.

Friday (Day 1): Four foursome matches & four fourball matches
Saturday (Day 2): Four foursome matches & four fourball matches
Sunday (Day 3): 12 singles matches

Every match is worth a point to the winners or half a point if it’s a tie after 18 holes. The team that reaches 14½ points claims the trophy. If the scores are level at 14-14 by the end of play then the previous winners, which in 2023 is the USA, retain the cup.

What is a foursome match? A pair of golfers on the same team take alternate shots until the hole is completed and it’s played under the match play system. That means the team with the best score on each hole wins the hole.

And what is a fourball? It’s a two-man team, once again, but they both play their own ball. The lowest score on each team is counted and the team with the lower score wins the hole. It’s also scored using the match play system – just like the singles on Sunday.