The 44th edition of the Ryder Cup has arrived, and it has brought with it all the anticipation a 19-9 blowout engenders. That was the margin by which the European side lost at Whistling Straits in 2021. It’s a defeat many of the European players surely have at the top of their minds as play moves to Marco Simone Golf and Country Club just northeast of Rome.
The United States brings its own set of intrigue to the international event. Justin Thomas was a controversial (at least to some) captain’s pick, but he’ll serve as a spiritual and emotional leader for the red, white and blue. Oh, and there’s that whole thing about how the U.S. has not won a Ryder Cup in Europe in 30 years.
Rome is new. Not as a city, obviously, but as a destination for this team event, which has gone to historic and beautiful locales such as France, Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Spain and Kentucky. Just never Italy before this week. And while the actual golf course probably leaves a bit to be desired, Rome as a Ryder Cup destination is as compelling as it gets.
What will happen when the matches actually start? Nobody truly knows quite yet. There are eight total rookies (four on each side), and the general thought is that this is about as evenly matched as these teams have been entering a Ryder Cup, both from a talent standpoint but also when it comes to their respective skill sets. So, while it is true that the U.S. has not won in Europe since J.T. turned 1, it’s also true that the past advantages Europe has possessed may not be quite as distinct as before.
What we do know? The golf will rock. It always does. Because of the setup — 16 matches decided over the first two days and 12 (nearly half) decided over the final hour or two — the Ryder Cup usually feels extraordinarily close until the end.
That’s part of the thrill of it, of course, and that feeling will almost certainly permeate again this year in Rome as Europe attempts to exact revenge on America for what happened two years ago at Whistling Straits.
2023 Ryder Cup format, rules
The first two days of Ryder Cup action (Friday, Saturday) will each include two sessions with differet types of golf being played. Golfers from the United States and Europe will compete in foursomes (alternate shot) early in the day and four-ball (best ball) later in the day. On Sunday, the golfers will complete in one-on-one singles matches.
Below we break down each type of match you will see this week.
Four-ball: Two-man teams representing each country square off against one another. Each of the four golfers plays their own ball, and the lowest score between the two players for each team counts for the hole. The two scores not chosen get thrown out.
Foursomes: Two-man teams representing each country square off against one another. However, the golfers must alternate hitting the same ball until it is holed. For example: If Player A hits the tee shot on No. 1, that means he will hit all the tee shots on odd-numbered holes and approach shots on even-numbered holes. Player B will tee off on all the even-numbered holes and hit approach shots on odd-numbered holes. There is more strategy involved here, and the U.S. has struggled in this format over recent years.
Singles: Only played in Sunday’s final round. Singles consist of 12 one-on-one matches played over the course of the day.
2023 Ryder Cup scoring
Event: Each match is worth 1 point. Matches ending in a tie result in each side receiving 0.5 points. The first team to reach 14.5 points over the three days of play wins the Ryder Cup. If the 28 matches end in a 14-14 tie, the team holding the Ryder Cup (in this case, the United States) will retain the trophy.
Matches: Each hole is scored independently with the lowest score winning. If both teams or players have the same score on a hole, the hole is considered halved with no advantage awarded.
As the teams or players advance through the round, points can be accrued or subtracted from the match total. For example: If Team/Player A wins the first two holes, they would hold a 2 UP lead. If Team/Player B then wins the third hole, Team/Player A’s lead reduces to 1 UP.
Matches can end early if the winning team or player has a larger lead than there are holes left to play. For example: If Team A is 4 UP with three holes remaining, it wins the match 4&3.
Concessions: Unlike stroke-play golf, teams or players do not need to complete each hole. Strokes (usually putts) may be conceded through sportsmanship if they are deemed highly makable or if attempting the stroke will not result in winning or halving the hole.
2023 Ryder Cup teams
Automatic qualifiers
|
Scottie Scheffler (1) |
Rory McIlroy (2) |
|
Patrick Cantlay (5) |
Jon Rahm (3) |
|
Xander Schauffele (6) |
Viktor Hovland (4) |
|
Max Homa (7) |
Matt Fitzpatrick (8) |
|
Brian Harman (9) |
Tyrell Hatton (11) |
|
Windham Clark (10) |
Robert MacIntyre (55) |
Captain’s picks
|
Jordan Spieth (12) |
Tommy Fleetwood (13) |
|
Brooks Koepka (17) |
Sepp Straka (22) |
|
Collin Morikawa (19) |
Shane Lowry (34) |
|
Sam Burns (20) |
Justin Rose (37) |
|
Justin Thomas (24) |
Ludvig Aberg (80) |
|
Rickie Fowler (25) |
Nicolai Hojgaard (82) |
2023 Ryder Cup schedule
All times Eastern
Day 1 — Friday, Sept. 29
Session 1 (foursomes): 1:35 a.m.
Session 2 (four-ball): 6:25 a.m.
Live TV coverage: 1:30 a.m. to noon on USA Network
Live stream online: 1:30 a.m. to noon on fubo (Try for free) and RyderCup.com
Day 2 — Saturday, Sept. 30
Session 1 (foursomes): 1:35 a.m.
Session 2 (four-ball): 6:25 a.m.
Live TV coverage: 1:30-3 a.m. on USA Network | 3 a.m. to noon on NBC
Live stream online: 1:30 a.m. to noon on fubo (Try for free) and RyderCup.com
Day 3 — Sunday, Oct. 1
Singles: 5:35 a.m.
Live TV coverage: 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on NBC
Live stream online: 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on fubo (Try for free) and RyderCup.com