Ryder Cup: What format have Team USA chosen to play at Bethpage?

The format for next month’s Ryder Cup has been confirmed by Team USA, and they have stuck with a tried-and-trusted schedule.

The hosts for each Ryder Cup get to select the format for the contest, and Keegan Bradley’s team have announced a set-up that has favoured the American team statistically in the past.

The 45th edition of the showpiece, which will be played at Bethpage Black in New York, will start with four foursomes matches on Friday 26 September.

That will be followed by fourballs in the afternoon, with the same format in play on Saturday before the event concludes with 12 singles matches on Sunday 28 September.

Team USA traditionally like to open with foursomes, which they refer to as “alternate shot”. In the 13 Ryder Cups that have started with foursomes, the US have won nine of them.

Europe tend to prefer opening with fourballs, although Luke Donald sprung a huge surprise in Rome two years ago, when he announced that foursomes would lead off on the first day.

Donald’s decision was met with criticism in some circles, but the European captain had the last laugh as his inspired team won all four of the morning foursomes on day one in Rome.

Three halved matches and one win in the afternoon fourballs gave Europe a commanding five-point lead, and it was the first time in history that Team USA had failed to win a match on any day in the Ryder Cup.

Europe then won three of the four Saturday morning foursomes, with Max Homa and Brian Harman finally getting some red on the board with a 4&2 win over Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka.

But the US won six of the eight foursomes matches in the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, and they also dominated the alternate shot format at Hazeltine in 2016, sweeping the opening session 4-0 to set the tone for the weekend.