When Sam Torrance bruised his foot at the 1993 Ryder Cup, Lanny Wadkins volunteered his name for the envelope and sat out the Sunday singles.
This was the third time the envelope rule was ever used in Ryder Cup history, where one player sits out due to an injury to the opposition.
What is the Ryder Cup envelope rule?
The rule was established in 1979 when the format changed to the one we see today: four foursomes matches and four fourball matches, followed by 12 singles matches.
When the captains submit their singles lineups, they also submit one name in an envelope of the player they’d leave out if a player from the other team withdrew.
This match would be halved. In 2021, the captains were asked to submit a second name due to COVID-19 protocols. Fortunately, the envelope rule wasn’t needed.
The idea of players sustaining an injury before or during the Ryder Cup seems unfathomable.
After the Saturday fourballs of the 2025 Ryder Cup, Viktor Hovland withdrew to nurse a neck injury and was replaced by Tyrrell Hatton, who partnered Matt Fitzpatrick. It was said to be just a precautionary move. But it was announced shortly before the Sunday singles started that Hovland couldn’t play.
Ryder Cup envelope rule: US Team statement:
Viktor Hovland from Team Europe is unable to play in the Sunday Singles Matches due to injury. The substitution Rule 3.d) of the Ryder Cup Captains’ Agreement requires each Team Captain to provide the name of one player, in the sealed envelope, who will not play in the case of an injury to a member of the other team.
The USA Team player is Harris English and under the Ryder Cup Captains’ Agreement the Match between Viktor Hovland and Harris English is treated as tied
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(1⁄2 point to each team). The overall Match score now stands as: USA 5 Europe 12
“3.d) When the Captain’s lodge their team selection for singles play, they must provide a sealed envelope containing the name of one player who is regarded as having been paired with a player who, through illness, injury or other emergency reason, has to withdraw from the other side. Such pairing is regarded as a tied match. If this requires the re-pairing of a match, this will be done down the order of the play.”
Here is what Team Europe said:
The Norwegian has been managing the issue since withdrawing from the Travelers Championship in June.
He received treatment during the Saturday morning Foursomes and was then unable to play in the Saturday afternoon Fourballs, with Tyrrell Hatton replacing him in the final match alongside Matt Fitzpatrick.
He had an MRI scan on Saturday night at a local hospital in New York. He then woke up on Sunday morning unable to move his neck.
He tried to warm up at Bethpage but due to limited movement, he had to inform Captain Luke Donald that he will be unable to play in his Singles match against Harris English at 2.03 pm.
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