France will host the Ryder Cup for the first time in 2018

The Ryder Cup, an international passion

Did you know that the Ryder Cup is the third most publicized sporting event in the world, after the World Cup and the Olympic Games? The attribution of this prestigious event will serve as a catalyst for the development and democratisation of French golf, which will also benefit during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 in Brazil.

The Ryder Cup matches will be held at the Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. The Golf National is one of the few courses in Europe able to welcome 80,000 spectators.

What is the Ryder Cup?

In short, the Ryder Cup takes place every two years, and is a trophy reward for the winners of a match between a European team and an American one. This confrontation is held successively in Europe then in the United States, and has provided for some of the most colourful moments in golf history. Long guarded treasure of the United States, the Ryder Cup trophy has, since 1985, been awarded more often to Europeans than to Americans - with eight victories in 11 editions. The greatest players have participated, and continue to participate, in this event: Severiano Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods... To this day, two French golfers have competed for the Cup: Jean Van de Velde in 1997, and Thomas Levet in 2004.

During three days, two 12-player teams face each other in a Match Play formula, in doubles and singles. At the end of the 28 matches, the team who has surpassed the score by 14½ is declared the winner. The Match Play doubles format is exceptionally engaging since it requires unique strategy based on the complementarity of the players. The Ryder Cup: a must-see three-day event that attracts spectators and television viewers from all over the world.