The 2025 Ryder Cup: A guide to the biennial match-play event at Bethpage with 100 days to go
June 18, 2025 12:40 UTC
With 100 days until the 2025 Ryder Cup begins, we’ve put together a guide to everything you need to know.
After defeating the United States 16½-11½ at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in 2023, Team Europe are the holders and bidding to win on the road for the first time since Medinah in 2012.
With just over three months to go until the 45th Ryder Cup, we answer the key questions as we look at what we can expect as the build-up ramps up.
What is the Ryder Cup?
The Ryder Cup is an international team match-play competition that is traditionally held biennially, or once every two years. Introduced in 1927, the event initially matched up two teams, one from the U.S. and the other from Great Britain. In 1973, the Great Britain team was officially changed to Great Britain and Ireland, though Irish players had played prior to that. Then in 1979, the GB&I squad was expanded to include players from continental Europe, which is what we see today: U.S. vs. Europe
When is the Ryder Cup?
The 45th Ryder Cup Matches will be held from September 26-28.
Although the opening tee shot will happen on Friday 26th, the Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday 25th.
Before that, official practice runs Tuesday to Thursday, with teams typically starting to arrive at the venue from Monday.
Where is the Ryder Cup being held?
Opened for play in 1936, the Black Course at Bethpage State Park was designed by renowned architect A.W. Tillinghast, who was a guest at an exploratory meeting of The PGA of America in January, 1916. Bethpage Black will host the Ryder Cup for the first time in 2025 joining Oak Hill Country Club as the only New York courses to host a Ryder Cup.
What is the format?
On the first two days, there are four foursome matches and four four-ball matches, with the home captain picking which are played in the morning and which in the afternoon.
Over the three days, five sessions are contested, culminating in 12 singles matches on Sunday.
There are 28 matches played in the Ryder Cup with 28 points up for grabs. In the event of a 14-14 tie, the previous Ryder Cup winning team retains the Cup.
Who are the Team Captains?
Having overseen victory in Italy, Luke Donald is Europe's first repeat Captain since Bernhard Gallacher performed the role in three consecutive Ryder Cups in 1991, 1993 and 1995.
Donald will be aiming to become only the second Captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following Tony Jacklin who achieved the double at Muirfield Village in Ohio in 1987, retaining the Ryder Cup following his team’s victory two years previously at The Belfry, in England, in 1985.
The former World Number One is set to go up against a U.S. team led by Major winner Keegan Bradley.
At 39, he will be the youngest Ryder Cup captain since 34-year-old Arnold Palmer was a playing captain in 1963.
FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 08: Team Captains Luke Donald of England and Keegan Bradley of The United States pose for a photograph with the Ryder Cup Trophy during the Ryder Cup 2024 Year to Go Media Event at the Statue of Liberty on October 08, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)How do players qualify?
The qualification process for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team began at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo last summer and will conclude at this year's edition of the same event, from August 21-24.
In a change from the previous years, the new system will see six players qualify via a single Ryder Cup Points List, as opposed to before where three players qualified through world ranking points, along with a further three from DP World Tour's Race to Dubai
With nine DP World Tour events to go before the six automatic qualifiers for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team are decided, the race is hotting up to see who will be heading to New York.
With a Major Championship and a Rolex Series event at the Genesis Scottish Open still to come, along with four events on the PGA TOUR also offering enhanced points, there is plenty of opportunity for movement in the Rankings. The final six spots will be Captain's Picks.
The top six eligible players from the U.S. Ryder Cup Points list following the BMW Championship on August 17, 2025 will make the team. Captain Bradley will also have six Captain’s Picks which will be announced in August following the 2025 Tour Championship.
How does Europe's new points list work?
Here are the amounts of points available to the field in each of the different qualifying events:
• Major Championships: 5,000 points
• 2025 PGA Tour Signature events / The Players / FedExCup Playoffs: 3,000 points
• DP World Tour Rolex Series events: 2,000 points
• 2025 PGA Tour regular FedExCup events: 2,000 points
• DP World Tour ‘Back 9’ events: 1,500 points
• DP World Tour ‘Global Series’ events: 1,000 points
• 2025 PGA TOUR ‘Opposite’ events: 1,000 points
Who is currently in line to feature?
The current top 12 in the Team Europe Ryder Cup Rankings are as follows:
To view the Team Europe Rankings, click here.
To view the U.S. Team Rankings, click here.
What are the key remaining dates?
• June 19-22: Travelers Championship (final PGA TOUR Signature event)
• July 10-13: Genesis Scottish Open (Rolex Series event on DP World Tour, co-sanctioned by PGA TOUR)
• July 17-20: The Open (final Major Championship of the 2025 season)
• August 21-24: Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo (final event of Team Europe's qualifying campaign)
• August 21-24: Tour Championship (final event of U.S. Team's qualifying process)
• W/C August 25: Team U.S. Captain's Picks announced
• W/C September 1: Team Europe's Captain's Picks announced