The rider cup format and scoring system explained
USA Today Sports ‘Chris Bumbaca explains how the Ryder Cup scores work for the Bethpage Golf Colse.
- Europe holds an 11.5-4.5 lead in command of the American team heading for the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup.
- The European team is the first visitors in the history of the Ryder Cup to win the first three sessions on foreign soils.
- Europe will need to win only three of Sunday’s 12 singles matches to hold the Ryder Cup.
Farmingdale, NY – Those NFL Sunday plans. There’s nothing to see here at the 2025 Ryder Cup, the final day of the tournament’s 12 singles matches.
Unless you are from Europe. Or European cheering. After that, we will undoubtedly be bathed in the glory of disconnection that would officially be embarrassed by the time the sun sets on Beth Page Black.
Europe will enter the final day leading 11.5-4.5 after another dominant performance in both Saturday sessions.
The Americans lost both the Foursome and Fourball sets 3-1. Their best player, Scotty Scheffler, is 0-4 to 2 days. The world’s top-ranked golfers own the distinction of being the first American player to lose a match in each of the first four sessions of the Ryder Cup.
Europe is the first Ryder Cup visitors to win the first three sessions in foreign soils. Their lead, which gained an 11-5 advantage for the Americans two days after four years in the Whisling Strait, is the largest in the history of the modern Ryder Cup style (since 1979).
If not a late stage hero by JJ Spaun, the deficit would be much worse with the US Open Champion, who birded the last two holes that gave him and Xander Schauffele an American victory in the late slate. In fact, it’s far more embarrassing. It’s a real word that describes the first two days of playing on Long Island.
“I know it’s pretty biased,” said Bryson Deccanbeau, who won four in the morning alongside Cameron Young, the only American victory in the session. “But it makes a great comeback story.”
Like the person a child finds in the fiction section of a library.
All Europe has to do to be a pop champagne is that it will be three matches (technically twice, winning the other half in half, remaining the Ryder Cup champion, and will be the first team to win on the other side of the Atlantic since 2012. Sunday’s biggest comeback in history, featuring a 12-1 match, comes from a team chasing 10-6. This happened twice. The US did that in 1999, and Europe achieved the feat in 2012.
All birdies from the US on Saturday received European answers. At least that certainly felt that way. Until Spaun-Schauffele’s victory, the US had not led in afternoon matches for more than 3.5 hours. The Europeans in the crowd chanted, asking where the red on the board was. Rory McIlroy pointed to various scoreboards across the track as a sign that he was fully aware of the team’s advantage.
John Rahm tipped a birdie with a bunker on the par 3 8th. Robert McInteel and Victor Hoffland matched Schaeffler and Russell Henry with clutch shots after the clutch shot in the morning session.
The Rahm is a machine of all forms, and Tommy Fleetwood was exhibited 4-0 in his first two days as one of Europe’s greatest Ryder Cup players. He’s pretty much outperformed the entire US team himself. Justin Rose, 45, is performing at the 45th Ryder Cup. He birded three of the first eight holes to help defeat Deccan Beau Schaeffler’s pairing in the afternoon. And he spices his rivals by rebuking Dedanbeau’s caddy, leading to spats between the parties.
US Captain Keegan Bradley may have combined the two superstars to guarantee points from the match. That’s why.
“Well, I’m looking at what looks like a historic putt,” Bradley said after the play was over. “They’re making it all.”
According to Datagolf, Europe defeated the US in 20 shots on the green. After all, leaving a rough length on Bethpage Black would not have been a problem.
Bradley also praised the spiritual strength of the Europeans.
“They came to hostile circumstances and played great golf,” he said. “As a competitor, as an athlete, you need to take a step back and tilt your cap to something like that again.”
Bradley fired for throwing back Morikawa and Harris’ English in opposition to the dynamic duo of Fleetwood and McIlroy. The lamb to the wolf would have been more merciful.
On multiple media appearances on Saturday evening, Bradley looked at the Seattle Seahawks after the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory with the Atlanta Falcons and 28-3. Maybe he’ll have time to check the end of the game with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. It should not have progressed much by the late afternoon.
“Of course I want to go out there and make history tomorrow. (Players) do that,” Bradley said. “But I think you’ll have to go out on the course tomorrow and enjoy the opportunity to play in venues like this for your country in a course like this. I think that’s something you’re looking forward to.”
Not everything is completely moving forward for Europeans. Tyrrell Hatton had to dive into Hovland in the final match the day after the latter suffered a neck injury. Hatton’s playing partner Matthew Fitzpatrick pushed the drive up to the bunker on No. 18. From 110 yards away, he thrusts it into three feet. Following Hatton, he rotated his approach and gently nestlesl next to Fitzpatrick’s ball. Matches.
Over the Rider Cup.
This story has been updated with new information.
