The Ryder Cup is a biennial mens golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup involves various match play competitions between players selected from two teams of twelve. It takes place from a Friday to a Sunday with a total of 28 matches being played, all matches being over 18 holes. On Friday and Saturday, there are four fourball matches and four foursomes matches each day; a session of four matches in the morning and a session of four matches in the afternoon. On Sunday, there are 12 singles matches, when all team members play.

The formats of the matches are as follows:

• Fourball: In this format, each player plays their own ball, and the teams score for a hole is the lower of the two players scores. The team with the lower score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved.

• Foursomes: In this format, each two-man team plays one ball per hole with the players taking turns until each hole is complete. Players alternate hitting tee shots, with one leading off on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting first on even-numbered holes. The team with the low score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved.

• Singles: In singles, each match features one player from each team with the pair facing off. The player with the lower score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved.

Each match is worth one point, and there are no extra holes in Ryder Cup matches. Should the two sides be tied after 18 holes, each side earns a half point. To win the Ryder Cup outright, a team must collect 14 ½ of the 28 points available. In the case of a 14-14 tie, the winning team from the previous Ryder Cup retains the trophy.