The final round of the 2025 Ryder Cup featured some unexpected drama, and many feels feel the situation should inspire a significant rule change going forward.
Europe won the Ryder Cup on Sunday after the U.S. flirted with what would have been the most incredible comeback in the history of the event. The U.S. was dominated through the first two days at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., and faced an 11.5-4.5 deficit heading into the singles matches.
The score was then changed to 12-5 before the singles matches began. Viktor Hovland was unable to play for Europe due to a neck injury, which led to the Ryder Cup’s “envelope rule” coming into effect.
The envelope rule, which was created in 1979, requires the captain of both Team USA and Team Europe to designate one golfer as the player who will sit out if a player on the opposing team is unable to play in singles matches due to injury. The designated player’s name is placed inside a sealed envelope in advance.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley made Harris English his envelope player this year. That is why neither Hovland nor Harris played on Sunday, and their hypothetical match was treated as a tie. Both the U.S. and Europe were awarded a half point.
Europe ended up winning 15-13. Since they won two years ago, they only needed 14 points to retain the cup. The U.S. would have needed 14.5 to win. For a while, it looked like the tournament might end 14-14. If that happened, that would have meant Europe won by virtue of the automatic half point they were awarded with Hovland having to withdraw.
Many fans feel the rule needs to be changed so that the player who withdraws forfeits his match.
Easy to solve the envelope rule. Each team carries a reserve in case of injury. To have the sport's biggest event potentially settled by a player NOT PLAYING is bananas
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) September 28, 2025
Is the envelope rule the worst rule in the history of rules?
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) September 28, 2025
Undeniable truths:
— Chris Nickel (@GolfSpyC) September 28, 2025
1) Europe played better golf and better golf wins.
2) The envelope rule is dumb and should be replaced by the no-envelope rule, whereby if you can't play your match due to illness, injury or something else, the point is either forfeited or a vice-captain may…
Another alternative to the current rule would be for each team to carry at least one alternate golfer. That could create a new set of issues, however. There would then be concern that a player who was playing poorly during the Ryder Cup could fake an injury or illness before the singles matches in order to give the alternate golfer a chance to play instead.
Of course, it is also possible that Hovland would have beaten English or whichever golfer he faced on Sunday, which would have meant a full point for Europe rather than a half point.
There probably is not a perfect solution, but the consensus seems to be that a team with a player who withdraws due to injury should not receive an automatic half point. The envelope rule has been used just three times since 1979, and it is possible there will be a change to it in the future.
