All you need to know about the 2023 Ryder Cup as Europe take on USA in Rome

The 2023 Ryder Cup is finally underway as Team Europe welcome Team USA to Rome looking for revenge.

The Americans romped to victory at Whistling Straits in 2021, winning 19-9 to secure the largest margin of victory in a Ryder Cup since 1967.

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Steve Stricker’s young side were superb on home soil but USA have not won in Europe since 1993.

Build-up to this year’s tournament has been shrouded in LIV Golf controversy but thankfully, the action is finally ready to take over.

Team Europe, led by superstars Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, are in Italy eager to reclaim the famous trophy and hit back from their horror show in Wisconsin.

Ryder Cup 2023: Date and start time

The 44th edition of the Ryder Cup will take place from Friday, September 29 to Sunday, October 1.

It is being held at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.

For the opening two days, the morning foursomes will get going at 6:35am UK time while the afternoon fourballs will start at 11:25am.

The Sunday singles will get underway at 10:35am UK time.

Ryder Cup 2023: How to follow

talkSPORT 2 will have live commentary from Italy throughout the week starting at 6am on Friday.

Coverage will come from our expert reporters Russ Hargreaves, Marcus Buckland, Sue Thearle, Ron Jones, Matt Adams, Rupert Bell and Sean O’Brien. 

The breakfast show with Alan Brazil and Ally McCoist will also be coming to you live from the course on Thursday and Friday.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

The action will be shown live on Sky Sports Golf throughout the week too.

Sky Sports will begin their extended coverage on the Monday before their tournament coverage begins on Friday morning.

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Ryder Cup 2023: The format

A total of 28 points are up for grabs at the Ryder Cup and each team must reach 14½ to claim victory.

The competition is held over three days with three different disciplines – the foursomes, the fourballs and the singles.

Friday and Saturday will see four foursome (alternate shot) matches and four fourball (better ball) matches before the 12 singles matches on Sunday.

Any match that is tied after 18 holes will see both teams earn half a point.

Should the tournament finish 14-14, the team who won the previous edition will retain the trophy.

Every player will play in the singles but the pairs for the other matches will be announced by the captains shortly before each session.

Ryder Cup 2023: Matches and results

Score: Team Europe 6.5-1.5 Team USA

The full list of pairings, matches and results will follow once the competition is underway.

Friday 

Morning Foursomes

• Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton [Europe] def Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns [USA] 4 & 3
• Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg [Europe] def Brian Harman and Max Homa [USA] 4 & 3
• Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka [Europe] def Rickie Fowler and Colin Morikawa [USA] 2 & 1
• Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood def Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay [USA] 2 & 1

Afternoon Fourballs

• Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton [Europe] tied with Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth [USA]
• Jon Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard [Europe] tied with Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka [USA]
• Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose [Europe] tied with Max Homa and Wyndham Clark [USA]
• Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick [Europe] def Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele [USA] 5 & 3

Saturday 

Morning Foursomes

Afternoon Fourballs

Sunday

12 Singles Matches

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Ryder Cup 2023: The teams

The Ryder Cup teams were fully confirmed earlier this summer.

Henrik Stenson was set to captain Europe but was removed in July 2022 following his decision to join LIV Golf.

Luke Donald was announced as his replacement last August and picked the team alongside vice-captains Francesco Molinari, Edoardo Molinari, Jose Maria Olazabal, Thomas Bjorn and Nicolas Colsaerts.

As well as McIlroy and Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick will make up the backbone of the European team while Ludvig Aberg has earned a spot alongside the likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry.

LIV players such as Ryder Cup legends Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were not considered for selection.

For the USA, Zach Johnson was named their team captain in February 2022 and will be joined by vice-captains Stewart Cink, Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk and Fred Couples.

World No1 Scottie Scheffler will lead the team alongside qualifiers and 2023 Major champions Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman.

Sam Burns and Rickie Fowler were among those to earn captain’s picks.

Also selected were PGA Championship winner and LIV star Brooks Koepka and surprise pick Justin Thomas.

Ryder Cup 2023 Betting Odds

USA – 11/10

Europe – Evens

Tie – 11/1

*Odds correct as of 10:30 27/9/2023

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Ryder Cup 2023: The course

The Championship Course at the Marco Simone Golf Club will be a par 71 and a maximum yardage of 7,181.

The undulating course was redesigned in 2021 with a focus on providing exciting match-play holes.

The first hole has had a huge grandstand built around the tee box and will be a 445 yard par 4.

Action will ramp up from holes 4 to 9 with that run including two par 3s, two shorter par 4s and a par 5.

Matches may well be decided on the drivable par 4 16th while the final two holes consist of a demanding par 3 and a 600 yard par 5.

Fans will enjoy superb views of the Eternal City, St Peter’s Basilica and the Castle of Marco Simone as well as perfect late Italian summer weather.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Hole-by-hole course guide

• 1st, 445 yards, par four: An aggressive tee shot cutting the corner of the dog-leg will leave a shorter club for the approach to a green whose left side is well protected by a long bunker.
• 2nd, 506 yards, par four: A drive over the bunker in the middle of the fairway is required, with another bunker on the left making for a narrow target area the further you go.
• 3rd, 453 yards, par four: Longer players can try to cut the corner of another dog-leg as there are no fairway bunkers, but the thick rough must be avoided. The front left of the green is protected by two bunkers.
• 4th, 188 yards, par three: The first bunker short of the green is not really in play for elite players but the two to the right of the putting surface certainly are, especially to a tough back-right pin position.
• 5th, 302 yards, par four: Shortened by around 70 yards for the Ryder Cup to encourage more players to take advantage of the match-play format and attempt to drive the undulating green, despite the water lurking short and left.
• 6th, 381 yards, par four: Plays longer than its yardage due to the slight rise from tee to green and wayward drives to the right risk going out of bounds. A tee shot to the right of the fairway gives the best angle for approach shots.
• 7th, 222 yards, par three: Two bunkers protect the front of a kidney-shaped green which becomes narrower at the back. One of Europe’s vice-captains, Edoardo Molinari, made a hole-in-one here during the 2021 Italian Open.
• 8th, 525 yards, par four: The ideal drive will find the right half of the fairway to give the best angle of attack to a green which sits at an angle to the players and is guarded by a lake all along its left side.
• 9th, 587 yards, par five: The only par five on the front nine has water running down the left side from tee to green, but more of a factor will be the seven bunkers, particularly the three which surround the undulating green.
• 10th, 453 yards, par four: The water hazard switches to the right side of the hole on the 10th, which requires an uphill approach to a green well guarded by bunkers, with a back-right pin position especially challenging.
• 11th, 329 yards, par four: The generous fairway has a bunker in the middle but most players will attempt to take the more direct route and drive the green, with the bunkers short and left likely to be busy.
• 12th, 546 yards, par five: The shortest of the three par fives can be reached in two, especially if tee shots land on a downslope and kick forward. Three bunkers, two of them some way short, protect an undulating green.
• 13th, 150 yards, par three: A relatively straightforward hole which will be reached with a short iron, but the tricky green catches players out and 2023 Italian Open winner Adrian Meronk three-putted from 60 feet in the final round.
• 14th, 509 yards, par four: A difficult driving hole, with players who attempt to cut the sharp dog-leg left running the risk of running out of fairway in the narrow landing area. A deep bunker to the right of the green is to be avoided.
• 15th, 479 yards, par four: From an elevated tee the drive must avoid three bunkers to the right of the fairway, with three more hazards guarding the green. A back-right pin position will be the most dangerous.
• 16th, 303 yards, par four: An ideal risk-reward hole for match-play, particularly in foursomes or fourballs. Driving the green will be possible for all but the shortest players, but water lurks to the right and drama is guaranteed.
• 17th, 206 yards, par three: A water hazard should only come into play if the pin is placed in the back left portion of the narrow green, but bailing out to the right leaves a treacherous chip.
• 18th, 597 yards, par five: The longest hole should provide a grandstand finish to any matches which reach it, with an elevation change of 45 feet from the fairway down to the green, which is guarded by a water hazard to the left. Meronk two-putted from 75 feet for a winning birdie in May.