The Ryder Cup format consists of three match play types over three days, with a total of 28 matches and points at stake:
- On Friday and Saturday, the competition includes two sessions each day:
- Morning: Foursomes (alternate shot) — Teams of two alternate hitting the same ball, with one player teeing off on odd holes, the other on even holes.
- Afternoon: Four-ball (best ball) — Teams of two play their own balls, and the lowest score on each hole counts for the team.
- On Sunday, all 12 players from each team compete in singles matches — head-to-head one-on-one match play.
Each match is worth 1 point. If a match is tied after 18 holes, each team receives half a point. The first team to reach 14.5 points wins the Ryder Cup. In the event of an overall tie, the defending champion retains the Cup. In summary, the Ryder Cup uses a strategic combination of foursomes, four-ball, and singles matches spread over three days with a cumulative scoring system to determine the winning team between the US and Europe.
