The Ryder Cup is a team golf competition between Europe and the United States. It is decided through matches rather than one individual tournament leaderboard, so the score on a hole and the overall team points tell different stories. Four-ball lets each golfer play a ball, with a pair's better score counting for the hole; foursomes asks partners to alternate shots with one ball. Singles then puts individual opponents head to head. These formats change what a broadcast must explain: an aggressive shot can be sensible when a partner is already in a safe position. Following the team tally alongside individual match scores makes a session much easier to understand than reading the numbers as ordinary stroke-play positions.
How the viewing session is organised
Team match play, combining four-ball, alternate-shot foursomes and singles; many simultaneous matches contribute to a team total.
Useful answers
What is the difference between Ryder Cup four-ball and foursomes?
In four-ball, partners each play their own ball and the better score counts. In foursomes, the partners alternate shots using one ball.
Does the lowest total stroke score win the Ryder Cup?
The competition awards team points from individual matches. Hole-by-hole match scores and the team points total matter more than an aggregate stroke-play leaderboard.