Ryder Cup 2018 schedule: Format and scoring system explained
When and where is the 2018 Ryder Cup being held?
This year's event takes place between Friday, September 28 and Sunday, September 30. The Ryder Cup is a biennial event, with this year's contest marking the Cup's 42nd edition.
The event will be staged in France for the first time in the event's history. Le Golf National is located 20 miles southwest of central Paris. The Albatros is the main championship course, is 7,331 yards long with a par of 72. This is only the second time the competition has been held on continental Europe- until now UK and Irish courses have dominated.
How does the Ryder Cup work?
The prestigious event pits a European team against one from the USA over a three-day match play event. Both teams are made up of 12 players selected by the team captains. Europe will be skippered by Thomas Bjorn, Jim Furyk takes charge of USA.
There are 28 matches contested over the course of the weekend, starting with the foursomes and four-balls on Friday and Saturday and concluding with a full round of singles on the Sunday.
Every match is worth one point. In the result of a drawn match, half a point is awarded to both teams. It means 14.5 points are enough for an outright win, but if you're the defending champions, a tie at 14 points will allow you to retain the Ryder Cup. America are the current holders.
Each captain will decide who will play the eight matches on the first two days where the foursomes and four-balls are contested. The order is determined by the home captain. The difference between the disciplines? Well, a foursome match sees two pairs of golfers compete over the course with team-mates alternating hits of the same ball.
A four-ball contest does exactly what it says on the tin. Each golfer plays with their own ball but it is the best score of the pair which contributes to their total.
On the final day of the event, each member of both teams feature in the 12 singles matches. Each captain will also determine as to which order their players will go out.
Who has the edge?
A total of 956 matches have been played throughout the 41 editions of the event. Team USA have won 465 matches while Europe have won 358. There have been 133 matches halved. USA, therefore, has a superior record of 531½ points to Europe's 424½.
America head into this year's tournament as slight favourites with Telegraph columnist Colin Montgomerie believing Furyk's side have the edge in putting. He writes: "In the Ryder Cup it is 75 percent about putting and they seem to be a bunch who are more aggressive and fear-free in this aspect of the game. Naturally, it will all be on the week and I do believe it will be very close."
Where will future Ryder Cups be staged?
After France, the 2020 tournament takes place at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. When it returns to European shores, the Marco Sinone Golf and Country Club in Rome will play host. In 2024 New York's Bethpage Black takes over the baton.
