What started as a friendly golf exhibition almost is anything but that now. The Ryder Cup has become the biggest spectacle in golf, held once every two years between the United States and Europe for nothing more than bragging rights and ownership of a 17-inch gold trophy.

While the United States has a 27-14-2 lead in the series dating to 1927, Europe has a 11-9-1 edge going back to 1979 when Continental Europe was invited to join players from Britain and Ireland.

The Americans have not won on European soil in 30 years. This could be their best chance to end that drought, coming off a 19-9 mauling in 2021 at Whistling Straits.

This year’s renewal in Rome begins on Friday and ends on Sunday and this is the schedule for the week.

What is the format of the Ryder Cup?

There are four foursomes matches and four fourball matches on Friday, with this repeated on Saturday. Sunday then features 12 singles matches as each European player goes head-to-head with an American opponent. For more information about how this works, and the difference between foursomes and fourballs, click here.

What are the tee times?

This year in Rome, the foursomes matches will be in the morning with the fourballs in the afternoon (this is sometimes the other way around). Fourball matches take longer because all four players in the group play their own ball.

Friday September 29 (all times British Summer Time)

Morning

6:35am (Foursomes)
6:50am (Foursomes)
7:05am (Foursomes)
7:20am (Foursomes)

Afternoon

11:25am (Fourball)
11:40am (Fourball)
11:55am (Fourball)
12:10pm (Fourball)

Saturday September 30

Morning

7:35am (Foursomes)
7:50am (Foursomes)
8:05am (Foursomes)
8:20am (Foursomes)

Afternoon

12:25pm (Fourball)
12:40pm (Fourball)
12:55pm (Fourball)
1:10pm (Fourball)

Sunday, October 1

The deciding singles matches will begin at 11.35am, with a match every 12 minutes. This should mean a finish close to 5pm in the UK.

What are the tee times in the US?

Friday September 29 (all times Eastern Time)

Morning

1:35am (Foursomes)
1:50am (Foursomes)
2:05am (Foursomes)
2:20am (Foursomes)

Afternoon

6:25am (Fourball)
6:40am (Fourball)
6:55am (Fourball)
7:10am (Fourball)

Saturday September 30

Morning

2:35am (Foursomes)
2:50am (Foursomes)
3:05am (Foursomes)
3:20am (Foursomes)

Afternoon

7:25am (Fourball)
7:40am (Fourball)
7:55am (Fourball)
8:10am (Fourball)

Sunday, October 1

The Sunday singles will begin at 6.30am on America’s east coast with play finishing around noon.