European Ryder Cup Leads Amid Rare 'Envelope Rule' Activation After US Player Injury

The Ryder Cup's rarely used "envelope rule" was invoked at the 2023 event after Viktor Hovland of Team Europe withdrew from Sunday's singles matches due to a neck injury. This rule, introduced in 1979, requires each team captain to secretly designate one player who will sit out if an opponent cannot play, with the designated players' names sealed in envelopes and revealed only in emergencies. For the United States, Harris English was the player named in the envelope, so he did not play in the singles, and the match between Hovland and English was recorded as a tie, awarding each team a half-point. This rule aims to avoid forfeits and maintain fairness but is considered awkward because it forces captains to single out a player as the least likely to play. The envelope rule has been employed only three times in Ryder Cup history, including in 1979, 1991, and 1993, making its 2023 use notable. Despite Europe's commanding lead prior to the singles matches, the U.S. team did not use Hovland's injury as an excuse for their earlier struggles.