The Ryder Cup has been delayed one year, but it’s back in 2021 and set to be a thriller.
The Europeans will look to continue their dominance of the competition, having won seven of the last nine cups this century. Despite that, the United States is a -200 favor at DraftKings to retain the cup it last won back in 2016.
The Americans no doubt have the edge in terms of talent, but the Europeans have proven they can thrive in a team environment and under the most pressure-filled circumstances — even without a home-field advantage.
2021 Ryder Cup Schedule
The Ryder Cup begins on Friday, Sept. 24, with four foursome matches and another four of fourball, also known as best ball.
There will be two sets of four matches for each format on Friday and Saturday, in the morning and afternoon. Then on Sunday, there will be a definitive 12 singles matches.
How to Watch
| Day | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ET | Golf Channel |
| Saturday (Early) | 8:30-9 a.m. ET | Golf Channel |
| Saturday | 9 a.m.-7 p.m. ET | NBC |
| Sunday | 12-6 p.m. ET | NBC |
Friday’s Ryder Cup coverage will exclusively be on GOLF Channel, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET and going until 7 p.m.
Over the weekend, things move over to NBC. Saturday’s coverage begins on GOLF Channel from 8:30-9 a.m. ET before moving to NBC until 7 p.m. ET.
On Sunday, the 12 singles matches can be seen live on NBC from noon ET until 6 p.m.
Ryder Cup Format
The Ryder Cup is a race to 14.5 points, and Europe retains the Cup if it's tied.
There will be 28 matches played under differing formats, with the winner of each being awarded one point. If any match ends in a draw, each team will get one-half point.
Here are the match types, which won't be determined until this weekend — the captains will pick what is played when, other than singles, which is always Sunday.
- Four-ball: Two players from both the U.S. and Europe will play their own balls on each hole in groups of four. Each team counts the lowest of its two scores on each hole, and the player with the lowest score gets a point for his team. If the low scores are tied, the hole is halved.
- Alternate shot: Each two-man team plays one ball per hole with the players taking turns until each hole is complete. Tee shots are alternated, with one player leading off on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting first on even-numbered holes. The team with the low score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved.
- Singles: Classic match-play. Each match features one player from each team. The player with the lower score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved. Singles is always Sunday, with all 12 players from each team competing.
Unlike stroke play, players don't have to complete each hole in match play. If a player concedes a stroke – almost always a putt – to his opponent, the opponent picks up his ball, takes the score he would have made on the next stroke and moves on to the next hole.
Ryder Cup Rosters
By looking at the Official World Golf Rankings and results over the past year on the PGA TOUR, there's a clear favorite in this tournament in terms of talent.
Nine of the top 11 players in the world will be playing for the Americans, while just one will be in action for Europe.
Over the last five years, Americans on Stricker’s roster have combined to win 10 of golf’s 20 majors. The Europeans have claimed three in that span.
Here are the rosters, with each players world ranking in parenthesis:
| Team USA | Europe |
|---|---|
| Dustin Johnson (2) | Jon Rahm (1) |
| Collin Morikawa (3) | Viktor Hovland (13) |
| Patrick Cantlay (4) | Rory McIlroy (15) |
| Xander Schauffele (5) | Tyrrell Hatton (19) |
| Justin Thomas (6) | Paul Casey (23) |
| Bryson DeChambeau (7) | Matt Fitzpatrick (27) |
| Tony Finau (9) | Lee Westwood (34) |
| Brooks Koepka (10) | Tommy Fleetwood (36) |
| Harris English (11) | Shane Lowry (40) |
| Jordan Spieth (14) | Sergio Garcia (43) |
| Daniel Berger (16) | Ian Poulter (49) |
| Scott Scheffler (21) | Bernd Wiesberger (61) |
