The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting golf tournaments played between Team U.S. and Team Europe. The 44th edition of the Ryder Cup this year will return to Europe. It will take place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, from 29 September – 1 October 2023.
In 2021, Team Europe suffered a heavy defeat by 19-9 against Team U.S. at the Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, U.S. This year the European side will host this biennial competition. In 2018, captain Thomas Bjorn led Europe to win the Ryder Cup by 17.5-10.5 in the Le Golf National in France.
Fans are getting ready for an exciting tournament. But what is the format of the Ryder Cup 2023? This article will explain the Fourball, Foursome, and Singles scoring systems.
Ryder Cup Format
There will be 12 players in both Team U.S. and Team Europe, led by a non-playing captain and a non-playing vice-captain.
The Ryder Cup competition is played in a match-play format. There will be 28 matches in total, each has 1 point. In case of a draw in a particular match, each team will get 0.5 points.
A team needs to get 14.5 points to be the champion. If both teams get 14 points, the defending champions will retain the crown. As Team U.S. won the 2021 Ryder Cup, they needed 4 points to retain the crown this year.
Among 28 matches, there will be 8 fourball matches, 8 foursome matches, and 12 singles match.
On Friday, 4 fourball matches will be played in the morning session, followed by 4 foursome matches in the afternoon. Saturday will follow the same format. There are a total of 16 possible points in 16 matches on the first two days.
Four golfers will play the morning session as a team, another four will play in the afternoon. So, 16 individual golfers from the two teams will play in each of the first two days.
There will be 12 singles matches on the final day Sunday, with 12 possible points.
What is Fourball in the Ryder Cup?
In the Ryder Cup, a fourball match is played between two teams of 2-golfers in each, played through 18 holes.
Each individual golfer plays their own ball for a given hole, so four balls will always be in play.
Each team will count the lowest score for an individual hole, among the two players’ scores of that team. The team with the lowest score will win the match and get 1 point.
What is Foursome in the Ryder Cup?
In the Ryder Cup, a foursome match is played between two teams of 2-golfers in each, played through 18 holes.
In this type, the two teammates alternate playing the same ball on a given hole. They also alternate tee shots. The team with the lowest score wins the given hole.
What is a Singles Match in Ryder Cup?
A Singles match is played between two players, a player from each team. The match is played over the course of 18 holes.
The player with the lowest score wins a hole, and the player with the most holes wins the match. There are 12 possible points to grab in 12 singles matches in the Ryder Cup.
Read Also: How Do Players qualify for the Ryder Cup?
