Ryder Cup Format 2014: Match Play Rules, Scoring Info and Tournament Predictions
The most confusing part about the Ryder Cup is, well, the Ryder Cup.
Thanks to the match play format and innovative scoring methods that unfold as two teams fight over global bragging rights in one of the sporting world's premier events, it is understandable if fans get a tad lost along the way.
What is not so confusing? The potential outcome, of course. Team Europe has won six of the last seven events. This year's squad is headed by world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who is flanked by a variety of proven veterans.
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Things are not as clear for Team USA, which lacks Tiger Woods, Billy Horschel and Dustin Johnson, among others.
The format and rules do give both sides a fair shot at winning it all, though. Let's take a look at the rules surrounding the event before nailing down some predictions.
Team Breakdown
| Player | Age | Ryder Cup Record | Appearances ** |
| Rickie Fowler | 25 | 0-1-2 | 2 |
| Jim Furyk | 44 | 9-17-4 | 9 |
| Zach Johnson | 38 | 6-4-1 | 4 |
| Matt Kuchar | 36 | 3-2-2 | 3 |
| Phil Mickelson | 44 | 14-18-6 | 10 |
| Patrick Reed | 24 | 0-0-0 | 1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 21 | 0-0-0 | 1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 35 | 0-0-0 | 1 |
| Bubba Watson | 35 | 3-5-0 | 3 |
| Keegan Bradley* | 28 | 3-1-0 | 2 |
| Hunter Mahan* | 32 | 3-2-3 | 3 |
| Webb Simpson* | 29 | 2-2-0 | 2 |
| Player | Age | Ryder Cup Record | Appearances ** |
| Thomas Bjorn | 43 | 3-2-1 | 3 |
| Jamie Donaldson | 38 | 0-0-0 | 1 |
| Victor Dubuisson | 24 | 0-0-0 | 1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 34 | 16-8-4 | 7 |
| Martin Kaymer | 29 | 3-2-0 | 3 |
| Graeme McDowell | 35 | 5-5-2 | 4 |
| Rory McIlroy | 25 | 4-3-2 | 3 |
| Justin Rose | 34 | 6-3-0 | 3 |
| Henrik Stenson | 38 | 2-3-2 | 3 |
| Stephen Gallacher* | 40 | 0-0-0 | 1 |
| Ian Poulter* | 38 | 12-3-0 | 5 |
| Lee Westwood* | 41 | 18-13-6 | 9 |
*Captain's selection.
**Appearances include 2014.
Match Play Rules and Scoring Info
Match play is a breath of fresh air to the standard golf format.
Really, it is akin to a game of golf within a game of golf (it goes full Inception that way). There are 28 matches in all, which unfold over the course of three days in head-to-head pairs or singles.
Scores are measured by holes, not strokes, so the player with the lowest score wins the hole. Simple. Should a tie occur, the point for that hole gets halved. Easy. The best part? This shindig continues in each matchup over the course of 18 holes until one side cannot feasibly catch up.
A win in that area produces a point for his team overall. A tie births half a point in both directions. The magic number to win is 14.5, although play continues until its conclusion even in a blowout. In the event of a tie—no, they do not halve the trophy, silly—then the defending champs take home the crown. That would be Europe, folks.
Day 1 and 2 offer fans eight matches apiece of two-man team action. Half of the eight is devoted to four-ball matches, which see four players go at the course in individual rounds. Lowest score of the four gets the point, the good old tie gains the halved point.
The other four matches are foursome showdowns in which the same rules apply but partners alternate shots instead of giving it a whirl individually.
Day 3 is where things get good as they bleed into singles play via 12 head-to-head matchups. The best is certainly saved for last, as tournaments are routinely won and lost on the final day thanks to the number of points up for grabs.
Let's gloss over a fun wrinkle of this tournament, too. Conceded putts. This sounds exactly like what it is, whether players choose to do it as a sign of respect or to simply get play moving along faster. The most memorable moment of this method being employed, of course, came in 1969 courtesy of one Jack Nicklaus, as Joseph Demling of RyderCup.com details:
"Nicklaus made a five-foot putt on the 18th hole and then picked up Tony Jacklin's marker and conceded the 2-foot putt for par at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The concession meant the two tied the match and meant the Ryder Cup ended in a 16-16 tie - the first draw in history.
Some called it the ultimate act of sportsmanship and it's still talked about more than 35 years after it took place.
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So no, this is no ordinary event. That is nothing but a good thing.
Predictions
Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler Shine
Remember Patrick Reed?
He is that young gun most seem to dislike, not that he cares, because he proclaimed himself a top-five player and then fell off a gigantic cliff earlier this year.
Guess what? That attitude, that fire, that don't-care-what-anyone-thinks mentality in front of hostile fans will endear the same Americans who bashed him some months ago now that he represents the country.
Not that it intimidates players, right? Well, possibly. Jason Sobel of GolfChannel.com asked this very question recently:
Reed brings it on the course, too. Two victories, four top-10 finishes and seven made cuts to finish the season provide a nice blend of aptitude and recent success. It helps that he ranks No. 3 overall in approaches from greater than 275 yards and 21st or better in various putting distances.
This means Reed will be especially vital in foursome matches as he can set up teammates perfectly or get set up and be counted on to knock down putts consistently.
Then there is Rickie Fowler. With major aforementioned names out of action and Phil Mickelson in one of the worst slumps of his career, Reed is going to need some help. Fowler has that. And then some.
Fowler finished in the top five at all four majors this year, joining only Woods and Nicklaus as the only men to ever accomplish the feat. He nabbed top-10 finishes in six of his last seven tournaments, too.
The much-needed youth movement for Team USA is in good hands.
Team Europe Escapes
The host team has a 10-6-1 record at Ryder Cups since 1979.
This host team in particular is stacked.
Lee Westwood's record speaks for itself, and the same can be said for Sergio Garcia. The latter is not only elite in match play pairs, but on an individual level, as one can glean by his No. 2 overall rank in strokes gained tee-to-green and strokes gained total for a reason.
Ian Poulter is along for the ride as well, and while he has a shell of his former self as of late, his track record at the Ryder Cup simply cannot be brushed aside.
Team USA's inexperience in a hostile environment can be masked in match play, but on the final day when it is every man for himself, the better team usually winds up on top. This year, that would be Team Europe.
Prediction: Europe wins, 15-13
All info courtesy of RyderCup.com unless otherwise specified. Stats via PGATour.com.
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