How to follow the Ryder Cup on the BBC

7 months ago 113

The Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club

This is the first time the Ryder Cup has been held in Italy

Follow the Ryder Cup live across the BBC when Europe face the USA in Italy this week.

BBC Sport has live radio and text commentaries and daily TV highlights of the 44th edition of the biennial tournament.

The USA are defending champions thanks to a record 19-9 win at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2021.

When is the Ryder Cup and where is it being held?

The Ryder Cup is being hosted by Europe at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club just outside Rome from Friday until Sunday.

Seven of the past eight Ryder Cups have been won by the home side. The 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012 is the only exception, when Europe came from 10-4 down to triumph.

Europe's Ryder Cup home record 'one of most incredible in sport'

What is the Ryder Cup format and schedule?

Unlike most golf tournaments, which are strokeplay - where every shot counts and the player with the lowest score after 72 holes wins - the Ryder Cup is matchplay.

Players compete against their opponents rather than the course - either as individuals or pairs - and the player or pair with the lowest score wins the hole.

For example, if the USA complete the first hole in three shots and Europe five, USA would go one-up. If Europe make a lower score than the USA on the second hole, the match would go back to all-square.

The match is won and a point claimed when the advantage is bigger than the number of holes remaining. If the match finishes as a draw, each team is awarded half a point.

On Friday and Saturday, play will get under way at 06:35 BST with four teams of foursomes each day. There are two players in each team and team members take alternate shots.

The afternoon sessions on Friday and Saturday start at 11:25, with four fourballs in each session. Again, there are two players in each team, but each player plays their own ball and the hole is won by whoever has the lowest score.

On Sunday there are 12 singles matches and play starts at 10:35.

Both teams are aiming for 14½ points to win the Ryder Cup. A 14-14 draw would mean the USA, as holders, retain the trophy.

World number two Rory McIlroy is competing in his seventh Ryder Cup

Who is playing in the Ryder Cup?

Team Europe

Europe are captained by England's Luke Donald. He replaced Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who was sacked after he left the PGA and DP World Tours to join the LIV Golf tour.

Six players qualified automatically - Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Robert MacIntyre (the top three from the European rankings) and Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick (the top three from the world rankings).

The six wildcard picks - at Donald's discretion - were Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Nicolai Hojgaard and Ludvig Aberg. Europeans playing on the LIV Golf tour were banned.

Team USA

The USA are captained by former Masters champion Zach Johnson.

The top six players in the world rankings - Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark - qualified automatically.

Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns and Rickie Fowler were the wildcard picks. Johnson was allowed to select from LIV Golf, where Koepka plays.