For immediate release
The countdown is nearly over. From 29 April to 2 May 2026, the 6th Annual Bakoorjakkals Ryder Cup heads to Hermanus, and all signs point to a properly electric weekend.
Both teams have done their homework. There have been training games, spanbou sessions, tactical whispers, bold claims, and no doubt a few highly selective versions of the truth around current form.
Team USA's preparation took an early hit, with the camp forced to call in two substitutes after certain players became unavailable. Europe, by contrast, took the more dramatic route to readiness, braving the full force of the Cape of Storms and grinding through heavy downpours like men determined to prove that poor weather is simply a mindset.
On paper, the handicap spread adds another layer of intrigue. The numbers suggest a contest with enough balance, enough tension and enough combustible personalities to produce some proper Ryder Cup theatre — and gives USA the right to say things like “jou fokken ringer” at least twelve times before the first tee shot.
Team USA arrive with the leaner handicap profile, which they will no doubt mention within the first seven minutes of arriving in Hermanus. This is a side built on structure, experience, and a firm belief that pressure is for other people.
Europe may carry the bigger number on paper, but they also bring depth, personality, and a squad desperate to make amends after last year's defeat. They are slightly looser, slightly more volatile, and therefore slightly more dangerous.
One point per match, ½ for a tie. Handicap allowances are locked in and fixed for the weekend, which means there will be absolutely nowhere to hide once the first matchups are announced.
Pairs · better-ball matchplay. Set the tone.
Eight head-to-head matches. Nowhere to hide.
Pairs · pick the best, hit it again. Trust your partner.
Eight final battles. Cup on the line.
One of the best parts of this year's format is that team selection happens live on tour, adding a tactical edge and some delicious public pressure. Both captains get to go first across the weekend, but Team USA has first strike on Day 1.
Day 1 first pickTeam USADay 2 first pickTeam EuropeIn other words: this is not just golf. It is captaincy, poker, ego management, bluffing, selective bravery, and the age-old art of pretending a pairing was “always the plan.”
See the live draft →All times are local. Buses leave on time — be on the bus. Detailed tee-off slots and pairings drop the night before each round.
This deserves its own section because, frankly, it is elite. The first night's dinner is a proper spit braai — exactly the kind of opening statement this tour deserves. Before a single competitive point is won or lost, the group will be treated to a meal worthy of the occasion, setting the tone for a weekend that promises to be equal parts golf tour, tactical summit and travelling circus.
A 2-night stay at Wunder HQ in Pringle Bay — an exclusive reward experience for up to four guests at the place where the Wunderpar story began.
Sponsored by Geran de Klerk & Wunderpar
Locally enforced. Strictly observed. No appeals.
So here we are. The teams are set. The handicaps are locked. The captains are plotting. The Vice-Captains are pretending to be useful. The pairing board is waiting. Hermanus is ready. Are you?
What lies ahead is a weekend of pressure, banter, momentum swings, clutch putts, 4-putts, suspicious rulings, general shithousery and at least a few guys insisting they “actually struck it well” immediately after making double.
