Ryder Cup beginner's guide: Format, scoring and qualifying explained
Last Updated: 29/09/16 2:56pm
What is the Ryder Cup? How does the scoring system work? Here's all you need to know about golf's biennial contest.
The tournament
The Ryder Cup is a biennial competition played over three days between teams of 12 players from the USA and Europe. Created by Samuel Ryder, the tournament was first held in 1927 and this week's event is the 41st edition of the contest.
Originally between the US and a team from Great Britain and Ireland, the tournament expanded in 1979 to allow players from continental Europe to take part.
The teams
Each team has a non-playing captain, which this year is Darren Clarke for Europe and Davis Love III for the USA. They both have a number of vice-captains to assist them with their team.
Europe has nine players who came through a year-long qualification process, with the team completed by three captain's selections.
The home side have a longer qualification campaign to select the first eight players, with Love naming three picks immediately after that concluded. The final player, Ryan Moore, was announced after the end of the PGA Tour season on Sunday.
The format
There are 28 matches played over the three days, under three different types of Match Play - foursomes, fourballs and singles.
Foursomes sees two golfers from Europe compete against a pair from the USA, with team members alternating between shots and each team using one ball. Four matches are played on Friday morning and four on Saturday morning.
Fourballs also sees two golfers from each team compete, but each player uses his own ball. The lowest score from each pair will count for the score for their side. There are four fourball matches each afternoon for the first two days.
The final day sees all 24 players compete in singles matches, where every member from the USA team plays against a European opponent.
Match scoring
The match play format is a hole-by-hole scoring system, where a player or team can earn a point if they post a lower score than their opponent.
If the scores are level on a hole, then the overall score for that match stays the same. If a player or team leads the match by more than one, then the score is 2up or whatever the margin is.
A match can be completed before 18 holes are completed, if a player or team has built an unassailable lead. When that happens, the score is made up.
The points
Each match is worth one point, with the point halved when a match ends all square after 18 holes.
Play starts later on Sunday, as the singles tee off in 11-minute intervals from 5.04pm UK time. The final putt should be holed around 11pm, ahead of the trophy presentation at 11.15pm.
The timings
Morning matches will begin at 1.35pm UK time for the first two days, with each foursome teeing off in 15-minute intervals.
The afternoon session is scheduled to start at 6.30pm on Friday and Saturday, with the fourballs expected to be wrapped up by 12.30am.
The results
The team who gets to 14.5 points first will win the Ryder Cup. If the tournament ends in a 14-14 draw, which last happened in 1989, then Europe as defending champions will retain the trophy.
Team Europe heads to Hazeltine chasing a fourth consecutive victory and their seventh success in eight tournaments. Their only defeat this century came in 2008, when the USA prevailed 16.5-11.5 at Valhalla.
How to watch
Live action begins on Sky Sports Ryder Cup (Sky channel 404) at 6pm UK time on Thursday with the Captains Match and Opening Ceremony, ahead of a bumper three days of live action from Hazeltine.
Coverage will start an hour before the opening tee shot on each of the tournament days and run through until long after play concludes, with extended highlights on the Ryder Cup breakfast show the following morning.
