We live in a “hot take” world, where hyperbole seems to know no end. Yet, objectively speaking, the following statement is not a stretch: The 2025 Ryder Cup is the most anticipated golf event in history.
Indeed, ever since Bethpage Black was selected to host the match, originally for 2024 but delayed a year after the pandemic, the excitement level for the U.S. to face off against Europe in front of a partisan New York crowd on this public course has turned up to 11. Granted back then the hope was that Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia, all connected to Bethpage from majors past, might be involved this time around. Even so, the participants for this year’s event remain the game’s best—who wouldn’t want to see a Sunday singles match between Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy?—and the storylines remain salivating.
Can Europe, with 11 of the 12 players from its victorious 2023 team back this year, end the road hex that has seen away teams lose the last five matches? Or will the Americans defend their turf and change the narrative of the competition once again?
We’re all about to find out here in the coming days. In anticipation for the big event, here are all the answers to some frequently asked questions about the 2018 Ryder Cup.
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The Ryder Cup is a biennial competition between two 12-man teams, one made up of American players and the other made up of European players. Each team has a captain who gets six captain’s picks and creates the pairings for the competition.
Has the Ryder Cup always been between Europe and America?
The first Ryder Cup, which was played in 1927, was between the United States and Great Britain. That’s the way the matches were contested until 1973, when players from Ireland were added to the Great Britain team. In 1979, all players from continental Europe began to be included on the team. Since then, it has been America versus Europe.
Why is the Ryder Cup called the Ryder Cup?
Along with American professional star Walter Hagen, much of the credit for launching the competition in the 1920s belongs to Samuel Ryder, an English seed merchant and avid golfer who convinced the top professionals on both sides of the Atlantic to start the event. Ryder presented the PGA of America with an actual trophy (17 inches high weighing four pounds) to hand to the winning side that he had commissioned for £250.
Samuel Ryder, a seed merchant shown here with his daughter Joan, bought the trophy that was given to the winner of the first match in 1927.
J. Gaiger
What is the format of the Ryder Cup?
Over three days the teams play in a variety of different match-play formats with each match worth one point. There are 28 total points up for grabs, and the first team to reach 14½ points wins the Ryder Cup.
On the first day of the Ryder Cup, each team sends out four two-man pairings in the morning and afternoon to face off against each other. This year in the morning, the teams play foursomes, with teammates playing alternate shot until they hole out. One team member tees off on the odd-numbered holes and the other on even-numbered holes. In the afternoon, the teams will play four-ball, with each player playing his own ball and the team counting the best score on each hole. The team that wins each match receives one point. If a match is tied after 18 holes, each team receives a half point (matches do NOT go to extra holes). There are eight total points available on Friday and the format repeats Saturday.
On the third day of the competition (Sunday), all 12 players from each team play each other in singles matches. The scoring is the same: the team that wins a match gets one point if the match is tied after 18, each team gets a half point
Has this always been the Ryder Cup format?
The current three-day format has been in place since 1979, with the order of foursomes and four-ball differing from time to time. Prior to that, it had changed often over the years. From 1927 to 1959, the Ryder Cup was two days, with four 36-hole foursomes matches on Day 1 and eight 36-hole singles matches on Day 2, leaving a total of 12 points up for grabs. In 1961, there were eight foursomes matches on Day 1 and 16 singles matches on Day 2 for 24 points. From 1963 to 1975, there were 32 points contested, with foursomes and four-ball matches on Day 1 and 2, and 16 singles matches on Day 3. The competition was reduced to 20 points in 1977, with five foursomes matches on Day 1, five four-ball matches on Day 2 and 10 singles matches on Day 3.
When is the 2025 Ryder Cup and where is it being played?
The 2025 Ryder Cup will be played on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y., roughly 40 minutes outside New York City. The competition dates are Sept. 26-28.
Stephen Szurlej
Is Bethpage Black a private course?
No. It’s a municipal course, one of five that are part of Bethpage State Park in New York. It opened in 1936 and was designed by A. W. Tillinghast and Joseph H. Burbeck with the idea of it being a “public Pine Valley.: It currently ranks 38th on Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Golf Course ranking.
Has Bethpage Black hosted any big tournaments before?
Yes. In 2002, after a partnership with the USGA, Bethpage Black became the first municipal golf course to host the U.S. Open. Tiger Woods won the title that year, beating Phil Mickelson by three shots. The USGA brought the U.S. Open back to Bethpage Black in 2009, when Lucas Glover won by two shots over Ricky Barnes, David Duval and Mickelson.
The PGA of America then stepped in and struck a deal with Bethpage to host the 2019 PGA Championship, won by Brooks Koepka in a seven-shot runaway.
1 / 10 
Dom Furore
2 / 10 
The menacing surrounds at Bethpage Black’s sixth green.
Dom Furore
3 / 10
Stephen Szurlej
4 / 10 
The view behind the sixth green from 7 tee.
Stephen Szurlej
5 / 10 
The ultra-difficult stretch of Bethpage Black’s par-4 10th (right), requiring extreme precision off the tee, with the 11th hole—a Pine Valley-like par 4 that also requires a ball stay out of the extended bunker lobes.
Stephen Szurlej
6 / 10 
The 517-yard, par-5 fourth hole is guarded by a classic cross bunker.
Stephen Szurlej
7 / 10 
Stephen Szurlej
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The par-4 12th’s widened fairway gives golfers a bailout option.
Stephen Szurlej
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Behind the 16th green.
Stephen Szurlej
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Bethpage Black’s home hole.
Photo by Stephen Szurlej
Previous Next Pause Play Save for later Public Bethpage State Park: Black Farmingdale, NY 4.6 41 Panelists
- 100 Greatest
- 100 Greatest Public
- Best In State
Sprawling Bethpage Black, designed in the mid-1930s to be “the public Pine Valley,” became the darling of the USGA in the early 2000s, when it brought the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens here. Then it became a darling of the PGA Tour as host of the 2011 and 2016 Barclays. Now, the PGA of America has embraced The Black, which hosted the 2019 PGA Championship (winner: Brooks Koepka) and the upcoming 2025 Ryder Cup. Heady stuff for a layout that was once a scruffy state-park haunt where one needed to sleep in the parking lot in order to get a tee time. Now, you need fast fingers on the state park’s website once tee times are available—as prime reservations at The Black are known for going in seconds. View Course Which team won the 2023 Ryder Cup?
The European team won the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone outside Rome, beating the U.S. 16½-11½. It marked the fifth consecutive Ryder Cup in which the home team was victorious. In all five, the winning margin has been no smaller than five points.
How are the Ryder Cup teams selected?
This year, there were six automatic qualifying spots on each team that were earned based on a player’s performance. Each team uses a different points system for these spots. For the American team, players earned points from their performances in the 2024 major championships and the Players Championship. They also earn points based on their performance in regular PGA Tour events and the majors during the 2025 PGA Tour season. This points system concludes following the BMW Championship in August.
For the European team, a points list was used with players being able to earn points for performances in DP World Tour Race to Dubai events as well as select PGA Tour events and the major championships..
Once each team filled out its six automatic qualifying spots, each side added six more players as captain’s picks, all selected at the discretion of the team’s captain.
Who are the 2025 Ryder Cup captains?
The 2025 American team captain is Keegan Bradley. At 39, he is the youngest U.S. captain since Arnold Palmer, age 34, at the 1963 Ryder Cup. Bradley also was a viable candidate to become the first playing captain since Palmer, as he ranked No. 10 in the team points standings. He ultimately decided not to pick himself and focus solely on being the captain.
The European team captain is Luke Donald. The 47 year-old Brit is back leading European side after leading it to to victory at Marco Simone in 2023.
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Voices With Europe in top form, 2025 is the year the Ryder Cup must prove that it’s still competitive Who are the players on the 2025 Ryder Cup teams?
The 2025 American team is as follows:
Automatic qualifiers, in order of qualifying: Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau
Captain’s picks: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns
The 2025 European Team is as follows:
Automatic qualifiers, in order of qualifying: Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tyrrell Hatton
Captain’s picks: Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm
The European Ryder Cup team came to Bethpage Black a week ahead of the Ryder Cup to get in some practice on the course ahead of the match.
Andrew Redington
So LIV Golf League members are eligible to compete?
Yes, and this year for both teams. However, there are some caveats, which explains why there are only three LIV golfers competing at Bethpage.
On the American side, no LIV events counted for points and since LIV members aren’t eligible to play PGA Tour events, they could only earn points at majors. DeChambeau, however, won the 2024 U.S. Open, was runner-up at the 2024 and 2025 PGA and had three other top-10 finishes at majors, allowing him to still automatically qualify.
On the European side, LIV golfers had to also be members of the DP World Tour in order to be eligible to make the team. That’s the case for Rahm and Hatton, who have both appealed fines they’ve earned from the DP World Tour for playing in LIV events and thus are technically still DP World Tour members. They both have played in DP World Tour events, Hatton performing well enough to earn an automatic spot on the European team. Rahm, meanwhile, was a captain’s pick for Donald.
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Memory Lane The most controversial concessions (and non-concessions) in Ryder Cup history Who are the vice captains for each team in the 2025 Ryder Cup?
The American vice captains are Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner, Jim Furyk and Gary Woodland. The European vice captains are Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari, Thomas Bjorn, Jose Maria Olazabal and Alex Noren.
Which team has won the most Ryder Cups?
Of the 44 total matches in Ryder Cup history, the United States holds a 27-15-2 advantage. But since 1979, when players from continental Europe were included, Europe has had the edge, winning 12 out of 22 years, and eight of the last 11.
What is the largest margin of victory in Ryder Cup history?
The largest margin of victory came in 1967, when the U.S. defeated Great Britain by 15 points (23½-8½), but that was before all of Europe was included and it was still a 32-point competition. Since 1979, both teams can boast a share of the biggest margin victory of nine points, but Europe has done it twice and they did it in back-to-back events in 2004 and 2006.
What if the Ryder Cup ends in a 14-14 tie?
In the event of a tie, there is no playoff format at the Ryder Cup. The team that won the previous Ryder Cup “retains” the cup. In this case, it would be Europe.
How many times have the teams tied in Ryder Cup history?
There have been just two ties in Ryder Cup history, one in 1969 when the U.S. and Great Britain tied 16-16 at Royal Birkdale, and the other in 1989 when the U.S. and Europe tied 14-14 at the Belfry.
What is the biggest comeback in Ryder Cup history?
Both the American team and the European team has put together a remarkable comeback on the final day when trailing 10-6. America’s came in 1999 at Brookline, when they won 8.5 points in the 12 singles matches to claim a 14½-13½ victory. Europe produced a similar comeback in 2012 at Medinah, but they had trailed 10-4 the prior day and won the final two matches on the course on Saturday to gain momentum heading into Sunday. Both comebacks included memorable snapshots from a key player on each team. In 1999, it was Justin Leonard who holed a 45-foot putt that would eventually win the Americans the cup, and it led to a controversial celebration on the 17th green that’s still talked about to this day. In 2012, England’s Ian Poulter kickstarted Europe’s comeback on Saturday, when he birdied the final five holes when partnering with Rory McIlroy in a match against Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson to earn a point that made the Sunday comeback possible.
Andy Lyons
Who has appeared in the most Ryder Cups?
From 1995 to 2018, Phil Mickelson played for the American team in 12 Ryder Cups, the most of any player in the event’s history. England’s Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood have the second-most appearances with 11.
Who has won the most points in the Ryder Cup? Who has won the most points in singles matches?
Sergio Garcia has won the most points in Ryder Cup history with 28½. In singles matches, five players are tied for the most points with seven. They are: Colin Montgomerie, Billy Casper, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Neil Coles.
What pairing has won the most points in the Ryder Cup?
The Spanish duo of Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal have won the most points as a pairing with 12.
PA Images
Are there other events in golf similar to the Ryder Cup?
There are many other golf events similar to the Ryder Cup, most notably the Presidents Cup, which occurs every other year during non-Ryder Cup years and is between the United States and a team made up of players from the rest of the world outside of Europe. There’s also the Solheim Cup, which is the women’s professional equivalent of the Ryder Cup; the Walker Cup, which is between men’s amateurs from the U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland; and the Curtis Cup, which is the women’s equivalent to the Walker Cup. There are also junior versions of both the Ryder, Presidents and Solheim Cups.
What are the future host sites of the Ryder Cup?
The future host sites of the Ryder Cup in both the United States and Europe have been announced through 2033. In addition, the 2037 U.S. host sites have also been announced. They are as follows:
2027: Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland)
2029: Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minn.)
2031: Camiral Resort (Costa Brava, Barcelona, Spain)
2033: The Olympic Club, Lake Course (San Francisco)
2037: Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Md.)
Who broadcasts the Ryder Cup?
NBC broadcasts the Ryder Cup on Saturday and Sunday, while Friday coverage will be on the USA Network.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
