The 2021 Ryder Cup begins this week at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wis. It’s the first time the storied course has hosted the biennial event, and American fans are hungry for their team to reclaim the Cup. The last Ryder Cup held in the United States was in 2016, and it was also the last time the U.S. won the event. In 2018, Europe came out on top 17.5-10.5.
The Ryder Cup is far from your typical PGA Tour stroke-play event. So we’ve compiled some of the basic information about how it works, when it’s happening and who is playing to help you enjoy the event. Here’s what you need to know.
Ryder Cup basics
What: 2021 Ryder Cup
Where: Whistling Straits, Sheboygan, Wisc.
When: Friday-Sunday, September 24-26
Reigning champion: Team Europe (2018)
Ryder Cup format
The matches are contested over a three-day period from Friday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 26, with the Opening Ceremony preceding the golf on Thursday night.
The action on Friday and Saturday consists of two four-match sessions per day.
What’s the difference between foursomes and four-ball?
The morning session on Friday and Saturday will be foursomes (also known as alternate shot). Players on each two-man team play one ball and alternate hitting shots. The team with the lower score wins the hole. If both teams make the same score, the hole is halved. The winning pair earns one point for their team. A halved match means a half point for each team.
The afternoon session for Friday and Saturday will be fourball. In the fourball format, each member of a two-man team plays his own ball. Each team counts the lowest of its two scores on each hole, and the team whose player has the lowest score wins the hole. If both teams have the same low score, the hole is halved. The winning pair earns one point for their team. A halved match means a half point for each team.
On Sunday, the third and final day of competition, all 24 players on each team will face off in 12 singles matches, all worth one team point.
The first team to 14.5 points wins the Ryder Cup.
2021 U.S. Ryder Cup roster
- Collin Morikawa
- Dustin Johnson
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Brooks Koepka
- Justin Thomas
- Patrick Cantlay
- Tony Finau
- Xander Schauffele
- Jordan Spieth
- Harris English
- Daniel Berger
- Scottie Scheffler
- Steve Stricker (captain)
- Phil Mickelson (assistant captain)
- Fred Couples (assistant captain)
- Jim Furyk (assistant captain)
- Zach Johnson (assistant captain)
- Davis Love III (assistant captain)
2021 European Ryder Cup Roster
- Jon Rahm
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Bernd Wiesberger
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Rory McIlroy
- Matthew Fitzpatrick
- Paul Casey
- Viktor Hovland
- Lee Westwood
- Sergio Garcia
- Shane Lowry
- Ian Poulter
- Padraig Harrington (captain)
- Henrik Stenson (assistant captain)
- Robert Karlsson (assistant captain)
- Luke Donald (assistant captain)
- Martin Kaymer (assistant captain)
- Graeme McDowell (assistant captain)
2021 Ryder Cup TV schedule
Thursday, September 23: 5-8 p.m. ET (Opening Ceremony on Golf Channel)
Friday, September 24: 8 a.m-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, September 25: 8-9 a.m. ET (Golf Channel); 9 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (NBC)
Sunday, September 26: 12-6 p.m. ET (NBC)
2021 Ryder Cup streaming schedule
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
Golf Channel Opening Ceremony Coverage: 5-8 p.m. ET (Golfchannel.com)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
Golf Channel Day 1 Coverage: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (Golfchannel.com, Peacock Premium)
Featured Match Coverage: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (Peacock, RyderCup.com)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Golf Channel Day 2 Coverage: 8-9 a.m. ET (Golfchannel.com, Peacock Premium)
NBC Day 2 Coverage: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (NBC.com, Peacock Premium)
Featured Match Coverage: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (Peacock, RyderCup.com)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
NBC Day 3 Coverage: 12-6 p.m. ET (NBC.com, Peacock Premium)
Featured Match Coverage: 12-6 p.m. (Peacock, RyderCup.com)
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2021 Ryder Cup Day 1 matches (ET)
MORNING FOURSOMES
Match 1 (8:05 a.m.) — Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Jon Rahm/Sergio Garcia (EUR)
Match 2 (8:21 a.m.) — Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Paul Casey/Viktor Hovland (EUR)
Match 3 (8:37 a.m.) — Brooks Koepka/Daniel Berger (USA) vs. Matthew Fitzpatrick/Lee Westwood (EUR)
Match 4 (8:53 a.m.) — Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy/Ian Poulter (EUR)
U.S. sitting: Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Harris English, Scottie Scheffler
Europe sitting: Bernd Wiesberger, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood
AFTERNOON FOURBALL
Match 1 (1:10 p.m.) — Dustin Johnson/Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Paul Casey/Bernd Wiesberger (EUR)
Match 2 (1:26 p.m.) — Bryson DeChambeau/Scottie Scheffler (USA) vs. Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
Match 3 (1:42 p.m.) — Tony Finau/Harris English (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry (EUR)
Match 4 (1:58 p.m.) — Justin Thomas/Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood/Viktor Hovland (EUR)
U.S. sitting: Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger
Europe sitting: Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood
2021 Ryder Cup Day 2 matches (ET)
MORNING FOURSOMES
Match 1 (8:05 a.m.) — Brooks Koepka/Daniel Berger (USA) vs. Sergio Garcia/Jon Rahm (EUR)
Match 2 (8:21 a.m.) — Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Paul Casey/Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
Match 3 (8:37 a.m.) — Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Viktor Hovland/Bernd Wiesberger (EUR)
Match 4 (8:53 a.m.) — Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Lee Westwood/Matthew Fitzpatrick(EUR)
U.S. sitting: Harris English, Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler
Europe sitting: Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood
AFTERNOON FOURBALL
Match 1 (1:26 p.m.) — Brooks Koepka/Jordan Spieth (USA) vs. Jon Rahm/Sergio Garcia (EUR)
Match 2 (1:42 p.m.) — Tony Finau/Harris English (USA) vs. Shane Lowry/Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
Match 3 (1:58 p.m.) — Scottie Scheffler/Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood/Viktor Hovland (EUR)
Match 4 (2:14 p.m.) — Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Ian Poulter/Rory McIlroy(EUR)
U.S. sitting: Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Daniel Berger, Xander Schauffele
Europe sitting: Bernd Wiesberger, Paul Casey, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood
2021 Ryder Cup Day 3 matches (ET)
Match 1 (12:04 p.m.) – Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy (EUR)
Match 2 (12:15 p.m.) – Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Shane Lowry (EUR)
Match 3 (12:26 p.m.) – Scottie Scheffler (USA) vs. Jon Rahm (EUR)
Match 4 (12:37 p.m.) – Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Sergio Garcia (EUR)
Match 5 (12:48 p.m.) – Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Viktor Hovland (EUR)
Match 6 (12:59 p.m.) – Dustin Johnson (USA) vs. Paul Casey (EUR)
Match 7 (1:10 p.m.) – Brooks Koepka (USA) vs. Bernd Wiesberger (EUR)
Match 8 (1:21 p.m.) – Tony Finau (USA) vs. Ian Poulter (EUR)
Match 9 (1:32 p.m.) – Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
Match 10 (1:43 p.m.) – Harris English (USA) vs. Lee Westwood (EUR)
Match 11 (1:54 p.m.) – Jordan Spieth (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood (EUR)
Match 12 (2:05 p.m.) – Daniel Berger (USA) vs. Matthew Fitzpatrick (EUR)