Ryder Cup 2021: How does the tournament work?

Like many major tournaments around the globe, the Ryder Cup was postponed by 12 months due to the global coronavirus pandemic. However, with the competition just weeks away from teeing off at the iconic Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, USA, golf fans around the world are beginning to get excited about the latest renewal of the Ryder Cup — which Team USA are the heavy odds-on favourites to win in the online betting.

The tournament gains a massive global audience, but for those unfamiliar with the Ryder Cup, or watching the competition for the first time, it can be rather tough to get your head around the formatting and rules. Luckily, if you fall into that category, we have put together this guide on how the Ryder Cup works. Read on to find out more!

Teams

You’d think that both Team USA and Team Europe follow the same rules when picking their teams. However, this isn’t actually the case. Team USA is formed using the top six players from the rankings, whilst the captains, who will be fronted by Steve Stricker this year, make six selections. Team Europe, on the other hand, is made up of the four top-ranked players in the European points list, five golfers from the world points list and three wildcard selections from the captains, who will be led by Irishman Padraig Harrington.

Format

The Ryder Cup’s unique format is one of the things that makes the tournament so exciting. Held over the course of three days, the first two days consist of four fourballs in the morning sessions and four foursomes in the afternoon sessions, whilst the final day is made up of 12 singles matches — this is where the Ryder Cup can be won and lost, and it’s almost impossible to call the winners in the online betting tips!

Fourballs

Fourballs are made up of two players from each team. All four golfers play their own ball, with only the lowest score on each hole counting. The team with the lowest score wins the hole, whilst if it’s a tie, the hole is halved.

Foursomes

Again, foursomes consist of two players from each nation. However, this time, the teams play just one ball each per hole, with the two players taking it in turns to play shots. The team with the lowest score wins the hole, with a half-point each if the hole is tied.

Singles

In singles, one member from each nation goes head-to-head. The player with lowest score wins the hole, with the point halved in the case of a tie.

Scoring

Whilst the players battle it out for the most points in the fourballs, foursomes and singles, each match is actually only worth one point, whilst both teams are rewarded with half-a-point if the match ends a draw. The Ryder Cup is won once one of the teams reaches 14 and a half points, with the defending champions retaining the title if the scores are level at 14-14 come the end of play.

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Now you know how the Ryder Cup works, sit back, relax and enjoy the golf!