Ryder Cup 2018: TV Times, Channel, Format, Live Stream Info

The 42nd Ryder Cup gets underway at Le Golf National in Paris on Friday with the US team favorite to defend the title they won in 2016 at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota.

The US team maybe favorites in terms of the players in their team, but their European counterparts have been the dominant force in the Ryder Cup, having won four of the last six events. Moreover, the United States has not won a Ryder Cup on foreign soil in 25 years.

The American team, led by Jim Furyk, is packed with talent with nine of their 12-member team ranked inside the top-15 on the PGA Tour, while the remaining three are ranked 16, 17 and 25. Meanwhile, the European team, led by Thomas Bjorn, have just five in the top-15 with Thorbjorn Olesen the lowest ranked player at 44.

The US team’s average ranking of 11.2 is the best of any Ryder Cup team — US or Europe — since the rankings began in 1986. The rankings, however, do not count for much as how one plays on the day will dictate the outcome of the event.

The Ryder Cup got an added boost earlier in September after Furyk named Tiger Woods as one of the captain’s picks for the US team. The former world number one is always certain to help any tournament garner more attention regardless of his form. However, this time around there will be more attention on Woods as he comes into the tournament having won his first PGA Tour title — the Tour Championships — in five years at the East Lake Golf Club in Georgia on Sunday.

2018 Ryder Cup Format

The Ryder Cup will be held in Paris from Sept. 28 to Sept. 30. The first two days of the tournament will include split sessions where both the teams will play four-ball action during the mornings and foursomes later in the day. On Sunday, the US and Europe teams will play one-on-one singles matches — a total of 12 matches to decide the outcome.

Four-ball – Two-golfer teams representing each country will face each other with each golfer playing their own ball. The pair is allowed to decide the best score that will count for each hole.

Foursomes – Two-golfer teams representing each country will face each other, but instead of playing their own ball, the two golfers from each team will take alternate shots until the ball reaches the cup. The rotation can start fresh from the next hole, there is no need for continuity of the pattern. It is a game that involves a lot more strategy than the four-ball.

Scoring for the four-ball and foursomes – The winning team for each hole receives a single point. If the score is even at the end of the hole, no point is awarded to either team. At the end of each match, the winning pair will earn one point for their respective teams. If the scores are again even at the end of the match both the teams get 0.5 points each. A match can end early if the team leading is up by more than the number of holes left to play.

Singles – On Sunday, all 12 players from each team will play a one-on-one singles match. The winner of each match receives one point for their team or 0.5 if it is even at the end of 18 holes.

Where to watch

The opening ceremony of the 42nd Ryder Cup will be held Thursday with the tournament getting underway on Friday. Live TV coverage in the U.S. will be provided by the Golf Channel and NBC. Live streaming of the entire tournament will be available on RyderCup.com.

Schedule and TV times (All times in EDT)

Opening Ceremony – Thursday, Oct. 27

Live TV coverage – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Golf Channel

Live streaming – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. – RyderCup.com

Day 1 – Friday, Oct. 28

Session 1 (four-ball) – 2 a.m.

Session 2 (foursomes) – 7.45 a.m.

TV coverage – 2 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Golf Channel

Live Stream – 2 a.m. – 1 p.m. – RyderCup.com

Day 2 – Saturday, Oct. 29

Session 1 (four-ball) – 2 a.m.

Session 2 (foursomes) – 7.45 a.m.