The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on Twitter

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Every two years, the #RyderCup features Team Europe and Team USA squaring off in golf’s most celebrated dramatic rivalry. For its 40th anniversary, the Ryder Cup will tee off on the PGA Centenary Course in Perthshire, Scotland – and all of the action will unfold on Twitter.

Led by captain Paul McGinley, #TeamEurope looks to defend its title this weekend (September 26-28) while #TeamUSA, led by captain Tom Watson (@TomWatsonPGA), seeks redemption after its dramatic defeat in 2012:

To get a sense of the anticipation heading into the weekend, look to Twitter for player excitement from Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory), Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) and Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson):



Tournament highlights

This year, official tournament broadcasters (@GolfChannel, @NBCSports and @SkySportsGolf) and governing bodies (@PGA_Com, @EuropeanTour) have you covered from the first tee to the last green. Here are a few noteworthy initiatives to watch out for:

  • #GoUSA and #GoEurope walls: Meanwhile, on course at Gleneagles, @EuropeanTour wants fans to send encouragement to either squad with the hashtags #GoEurope and #GoUSA. The best Tweets have been printed on giant banners, showcasing the passion and excitement of fans around the world via Twitter.

The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on TwitterPhoto provided by @EuropeanTour

  • Tweets on the big screens: The best Tweets about the event will be broadcast to fans on big screens across the course and on a dedicated mobile app for spectators.

The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on TwitterPhoto provided by @Stackla

  • High fives via RFID: The @EuropeanTour is also using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to let fans support their team via automated interaction. One example: fans “high five” to generate a Tweet supporting their favorite team:

The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on TwitterPhoto provided by @EuropeanTour

  • “Alternate Shot” coverage from @GolfChannel: Away from the course, the @GolfChannel will debut its Ryder Cup Alternate Shot coverage. Adjacent to the NBC broadcast, @GolfChannel will offer alternative Ryder Cup perspectives and an interactive map of Tweets from around the world. Fans can also check out this map.

The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on TwitterPhoto provided by @GolfChannel


  • Twitter highlight clips: For those fans, who can’t bear to miss the best action, both @SkySportsGolf and @PGA_Com will be serving up an extra treat by Tweeting out dozens of clips of the key putts and drives each day within minutes of them being struck.

Join the conversation

Be sure to dive into the conversation by using this hashtag for the tournament (#RyderCup) as well as the one for each team: #TeamEurope, #GoEurope, #TeamUSA and #GoUSA.

Three-quarters of the competing players are on Twitter; find a list of the Europeans here and the U.S. players here.

Here are the most-followed golfers on each team:

The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on TwitterWe also looked at how many unique followers each team has (and accounting for super-fans who follow more than one golfer on each team). If it were up to Twitter followers, #TeamEurope would defeat #TeamUSA, as they have over 3.5 million unique followers amongst their golfers compared to over 1.7 million for Team USA.

The 2014 #RyderCup tees up big plans on TwitterTo stay connected to the #RyderCup, you’ll also want to follow these accounts:

As the #RyderCup writes its next epic chapter, fans can count on Twitter from the first tee to the final putt. Whether you’re with #TeamEurope, #TeamUSA — or just a fan of great golfing — sit back and enjoy the conversation.