2025 Ryder Cup: Dates, format, history, qualifiers for US vs. Europe golf event

USA Today

6 days ago

With Scottie Scheffler's win at the British Open, the 2025 golf season is nearly over. It's almost enough to make fans of the sport cry, but then they remember they've still got the Ryder Cup to look forward to.
The biggest question on every American's mind is who is going to make the team. While there are six automatic qualifiers based on standings, captain Keegan Bradley is not in an envious position having to pick from a myriad of talented golfers to fill out the final slots.
With stars like Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Bryson DeChambeau, and Xander Schauffele all likely to accept auto bids, the final two spots could wind up shocking the world. Could the captain pull a Nate Scarborough and put himself in? Could Collin Morikawa be passed up for someone like Maverick McNealy? After Morikawa's poor performance at the Open Championship, perhaps giving the spot to someone else is the best option.
But let's not dwell on what could or might be. With the Ryder Cup a little more than two months away, here's everything to know about this year's U.S. vs. Europe showdown:
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When is the 2025 Ryder Cup?
Day 1 of the 2025 Ryder Cup is set for Friday, Sept. 26, with the tournament scheduled to conclude on Sunday, Sept. 28.
What is the Ryder Cup's format?
The Ryder cup is a 12 vs. 12 tournament featuring the best players from Europe facing off against the best golfers America has to offer. It takes place every other year, alternating between courses in Europe and courses in the United States. This year, the United States will host the event at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
Instead of strokes, the Ryder Cup is a match play competition, meaning all that matters is beating the opposing team's golfer that you've been paired up against. For example, if you birdie the first hole while your opponent pars the hole, you've won one point. If you eagle the hole and your opponent records a quadruple bogey, it's still worth just one point. If you and your opponent get the same score on a hole, then no points are awarded. At the end of the round, whoever is leading earns their team a singular point. If the golfers are tied at the end of the round, each golfer earns their team half a point.
Over the course of the three-day tournament, there are 28 matchups. The first team to earn more than 14 points wins the tournament. Yes, ties are possible, but that has only happened once since 1979.
The first two days see golfers compete in pairs. Day 1 has them compete in foursomes, while Day 2 has them compete in a four-ball format.
Foursomes sees players on the same team share a ball, alternating shots.
In four-ball, each player plays their own ball, and whoever scores the lowest on that hole, wins the point for their team.
The final day of the tournament is simply singles play. Each golfer is paired against a golfer on the opposing team. They face off head-to-head, and whoever wins, earns the point. This means Day 3 of the Ryder Cup has 12 points up for grabs. Unsurprisingly, matches on Day 3 hold the most weight in determining the end result of the tournament.
Ryder Cup history: Europe dominant in recent years
Since 1979, Europe has a 12-9-1 record against the United States in Ryder Cup play. The U.S. has struggled even more so recently, having won only two of the last seven and three of the last 11 tournaments.
That said, when the U.S. wins, they tend to do so in more dominant fashion, as evidenced by their stunning individual match record of 501-396-143. The United States has won more points overall, but has a losing record against Europe in the tournament.
Who are the current automatic qualifiers for the American team?
Based on current standings, these six golfers would be given automatic qualifying status for the Ryder Cup:
Of these six, Spaun and Henley have never represented the United States at a Ryder Cup tournament. English was on the 2021 team that won for the U.S.