It all comes down to this.
The 44th Ryder Cup comes to a close Sunday as the Americans are looking to complete an epic comeback to write their names in the biennial event’s illustrious history.
The Europeans hold a 5-point advantage, leading 10½-5½, meaning the continental all-stars need just 4 points of the final 12 to reclaim the cup. Team USA can retain the Cup with an 8½-point effort, a feat that’s been achieved on four separate occasions (more on that to come).
The host course, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, is a public-access layout with tee times available on the course’s website starting at 190 Euros for international players. The course plays to a par 71 with the scorecard showing 7,181 yards. The rough is deep and thick, putting an emphasis on accurate tee shots to relatively tight fairways.
The Americans, captained by Zach Johnson, are trying to win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993. Team Europe, meanwhile, is hoping an influx of young talent will help captain Luke Donald reverse a lopsided, historic loss at Whistling Straits in 2021.
For more info on players, scoring, schedule and course data, check out our Ryder Cup hub.
Team USA golfer Justin Thomas plays his shot from the first tee during day two foursomes round for the 44th Ryder Cup golf competition at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
It all comes down to this. 12 matches to decide the cup.
Both captains front-loaded with their selections as Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm will start the party at 5:35 a.m. ET. Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland will take the next swings at the piñata (5:47 a.m. ET) followed by Patrick Cantlay vs. Justin Rose (5:59 a.m. ET), Sam Burns vs. Rory McIlroy (6:11 a.m. ET) and Max Homa vs. Matt Fitzpatrick (6:23 a.m. ET).
At the back end, the penultimate match features Rickie Fowler vs. Tommy Fleetwood (7:35 a.m. ET), leaving Wyndham Clark and Robert MacIntyre (7:47 a.m. ET) to pick up the candy that’s left on the ground.
Chances are this competition will be over long before the final few matches are completed, but after yesterday’s dust-up there’s sure to be some fireworks throughout the final session. — Adam Woodard
A fly-past by the Italian Air Force with smoke the color of the Italian flag goes over the crowd watching the 2023 Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Italy. (Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/Associated Press)
TV
Sunday singles: NBC, Peacock: 5:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ET
Live From the Ryder Cup: Golf Channel, Peacock, 1-4 p.m. ET,
Radio
Live From the Ryder Cup: Sirius/XM 5 a.m. ET to end of play.
Golfweek reporter Adam Schupak and columnist Eamon Lynch have been on-site at Marco Simone all week, and Eamon was able to capture a walking tour of what the entrance to the first tee looks like for those who will make the trek. — Todd Kelly
Caddie, Joe LaCava waves his hat as he celebrates with Patrick Cantlay of Team United States on the 18th green during the Saturday afternoon fourball matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on September 30, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
So you’re staying there’s a chance.
While no Ryder Cup team has ever come back from a 10½ to 5½ deficit, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee believes U.S. captain Zach Johnson should concentrate on another piece of history.
Team USA needs 8½ points on Sunday to retain the Cup. That number has been reached in singles a total of four times from both sides: 1979, 1999, 2006 and 2012.
Chamblee believes the depth of Team USA and the momentum that Cantlay and “hat gate” created on Saturday gives Johnson’s team a chance.
“The top six players for Europe, are almost exactly the top six players from the United States,” said Chamblee on Live From the Ryder Cup.
“The bottom six players from Europe and the bottom six from the United States, it’s not a fair fight.” — Beth Ann Nichols
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