Jean Van de Velde remembers it as if it were yesterday. In 1999, the Frenchman became the first representative of his country to compete in the Ryder Cup, one of the biggest – if not the biggest – international golf competitions. “I have very vivid memories of it,” he explains to Le Monde. In my opinion, it’s the holy grail for any professional: it only takes place every two years and there are only twelve players per team so there aren’t many opportunities to participate during your career. career. Hence the honor of being selected. »
The Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia Montecelio, northeast of Rome, is hosting the 44th edition of the event, from Friday September 29 to Sunday October 1. “There are several factors that explain its success and prestige,” explains Jean Van de Velde. First, it’s a showdown between the two biggest tours in the world – the European Tour and the American PGA. Then, it is a team participation in one of the most practiced individual sports, the format of the games is particular and there are tens of thousands of spectators, the atmosphere is very special. »
If the Ryder Cup has existed since 1927, its current format where the best European male players compete against their American counterparts dates back to 1979. Previously, the tournament opposed the United Kingdom (the formal recognition of the participation of the Irish and Northern Irish dates from 1973) in the United States. Note that the Solheim Cup, its women’s equivalent, was created in 1990.
In total, 24 players take part in the three days of competition: twelve in the European team, twelve in the American team. In each of them, six are selected thanks to their results – respectively on the European and American circuits – and six others are chosen by the team captain who grants them a wild card – an invitation.
During the last edition of the tournament, in 2021, at Whistling Straits Golf Course (Wisconsin), the Americans won the trophy. This time, Jean Van de Velde is banking on a victory for the troops from the Old Continent: “The course should favor them, that’s the advantage of playing at home. In 2021, it was made for very big hitters: it was very wide and there were no roughs [part of an unmaintained golf course]. However, in Europe, the fairways [mown part between the teeing area and the green, the clearest area] are much narrower. There will be roughs and the greens are slower. »
Throughout the season, matches are played in “stroke-play”: that is, golfers have a score card on which all their shots are counted. The goal is to complete the course – generally made up of 18 holes – with as few shots as possible.
During the Ryder Cup, teams compete in a very different format, “match play”: shots are counted per hole and not over the entire course. To win a hole, you must achieve the best score, in other words, make fewer strokes than your opponent. “For example, if you win the first hole with two strokes to ten, you will only have one hole in advance and not eight, as would be the case in a normal tournament,” illustrates Jean Van de Velde.
The side that has won the most holes wins the game and scores a point. In the event of a tie after 18 holes – 9 all – each team scores half a point.
From Friday morning to Sunday evening, 28 matches take place. Each of these counts for one point, so there are 28 points at stake throughout the competition. So, to win the trophy, you need to score at least 14 and a half points.
In the event of a tie after 28 matches, with 14 points overall, there is a “leaver bonus” – this year, the United States would therefore be declared the winner. This situation only happened once, in 1989: the Europeans retained their title.
Teams compete in doubles and singles. For the four doubles sessions, the captains are free to compose their pairs as they wish, while each player must play once in singles – there are twelve of them. Thus, over the three days of competition, a golfer plays between one and five games.
Friday and Saturday morning, four “fourball” doubles matches are played. Two duos face each other and each player – two Europeans and two Americans – plays their own ball. For each hole, the one among the four with the highest score wins the hole for their team. Four other doubles take place, Friday and Saturday afternoon, this time in a “foursome”. There is only one ball per side: the two players from the same team take turns playing the same ball. Each hole is won by the pair who made the fewest strokes.
To form duos, several strategies are possible. “We would tend to put a player who has a lot of experience with another who has less, but we can also do it by affinity or by style of play. There are a multitude of things to take into account,” argues Jean Van de Velde.
Sunday, it’s time for singles, always with the same principle: win the most holes to earn your team a point. This last day can change everything. In 2012, then trailing 10 points to 6 on Saturday evening, the Europeans finally won 14.5 to 13.5. Further proof that this competition is unlike any other.
