Founded on the principles of goodwill and prestige rather than prize money, the Ryder Cup has matched the best male professional golfers from the United States against those in Great Britain and Ireland, then later all of Europe, for the past nine decades. Ahead of the matches at Whistling Straits, we look back at some of the Ryder Cup’s most significant moments since the inaugural meeting in 1927 at Worcester Country Club, then played over two days in early June.
Overall, the United States leads in the series with 26 wins against 14 defeats, and two matches have ended in ties.
While the U.S. won seven consecutive Ryder Cups between 1935-55, and captured 12 and tied one between 1959-83, Europe has dominated the past two decades. The Europeans have claimed seven of the last nine and nine of the last 12. Europe enjoyed its largest margin of victory, nine points, in 2004, then matched that in 2006.
Here’s a closer look at some of the more memorable matches.
With the U.S. deciding to field a team of native-born Americans, only Walter Hagen, Bill Mehlhorn and Al Watrous remained from a U.S. squad that had played against a British team in an informal match the previous year. The competition at Worcester Country Club featured four foursomes and eight singles matches.
The Ryder Cup resumed after World War II due to the generosity of Robert A. Hudson, an Oregon fruit grower and canner. He funded the British team at a time when food rationing was still enforced in Britain and the country was struggling to recover from the war. Hudson not only met the British players in New York, he also accompanied them on a rail journey to the Pacific Northwest. This was the first U.S. Team selected via a points system.
Ben Hogan (left), captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team, receives a Gold Golf Trophy from Robert Hudson, sponsor of the Ryder Cup Series on Nov.2, 1947 at Portland, Oregon. The U.S. team defeated the British Ryder Cup team 11 to 1 to retain the trophy. Second from left is Ed Dudley, and at right is Henry Cotton, captain of the British team. (AP Photo)
With four-ball competition added to the format, Arnold Palmer played for the U.S. and also served as captain. It was the last time the Ryder Cup has seen a player in both roles. The Americans were dominant throughout, sweeping the second session of foursomes and winning 7 ½ of eight points in singles.
Arnold Palmer, left, captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup golf team, holds the victor’s cup with Britain team captain John Fallon at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta on Oct. 13, 1963. The U.S. team defeated the British 23-9 in the three-day competition. (AP Photo/Horace Cort)
Although the U.S. ran its winning streak to seven, many observers view the one-point decision as being pivotal in the eventual turn of Ryder Cup fortunes. In a singles match, Seve Ballesteros hit what many believe is the greatest shot in Ryder Cup history, a 240-yard 3-wood from close to the front lip of a bunker to the fringe of the 18th green.
The U.S. team celebrates its 1983 Ryder Cup win in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. — the closest Ryder Cup in years, after which the Americans would not win again till 1991. The players include from center-left top, Ray Floyd, Curtis Strange and Lanny Wadkins, with captain Jack Nicklaus.
Europe took a 9-7 lead into the final day at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England, and handily won the singles session. Scotland’s Sam Torrance made an 18-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole for a 1-up victory in singles, thereby securing Europe’s first Ryder Cup victory since 1957. In the previous span of nearly three decades, the U.S. had won 12 times and tied once.
Tony Jacklin, Captain of Europe with team members Manuel Pinero, Ian Woosnam, Paul Way, Seve Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, Bernhard Langer, Sam Torrance, Howard Clark, Jose Rivero, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Canizares and Ken Brown celebrate winning the 26th Ryder Cup at the Brabazon Course of The Belfry in Wishaw, Warwickshire, England.
For the first time at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, the visiting Ryder Cup team won on American soil. Spaniards Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal teamed to win three of their four matches and the Europeans took control when they completed a sweep of all four afternoon four-balls on the first day.
Seve Ballesteros, left, and captain Tony Jacklin celebrate as Europe marched toward its first Ryder Cup win on U.S. soil in 1987 at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.
In one of the most dramatic moments in golf, the Ryder Cup came down to the final putt at the final green of the final match. Germany’s Bernhard Langer missed a 6-foot par putt, thereby halving the match against Hale Irwin. That gave the Americans the half point needed to reclaim the Cup they had surrendered in 1985.
Mark O’Meara and Payne Stewart look on as team captain Dave Stockton pushes Corey Pavin into the water as the USA celebrate on the beach after victory in the Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island in South Carolina. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Getty Images)
The U.S. completed a stunning comeback by winning 8½ of a possible 12 points in singles. Justin Leonard trailed José María Olazábal by four holes with seven to play, but he won four holes to square the match and then assured the U.S. of a vital half-point by holing an uphill, 45-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole.
Justin Leonard celebrates after sinking his putt on the 17th hole at Brookline in Sunday singles en route to the Americans’ win in the 1999 Ryder Cup.
Europe cruised to its third consecutive win and matched the nine-point margin of victory it had registered two years earlier in Michigan. Europe’s win in the first Ryder Cup conducted in Ireland came from clutch putting and inspirational leadership from Darren Clarke, who lost his wife, Heather, to cancer just five weeks earlier.
Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke celebrate after Europe wins the 2006 Ryder Cup.
Europe extended its winning streak to three, matching its best-ever run first achieved from 2002-06. The U.S. won each of the four-ball sessions on the first two days, but Europe dominated foursomes, collecting seven of a possible eight points. Four different European players won three matches and Victor Dubuisson, playing in his first Ryder Cup, was 2-0-1.
Graeme McDowell of Europe reacts after victory against Jordan Spieth of the United States at the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles on Sept. 28, 2014 in Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The U.S. team returned to its home soil at Hazeltine National Golf Club just outside Minneapolis coming off three consecutive losses, and direly needing a victory. Arnold Palmer died five days before the start of the competition, and the presence of Palmer’s golf bag on the first tee provided some nice inspiration. The U.S. swept its first foursomes session and ended up rolling to a 17-11 victory. Patrick Reed went 3-1-1 to lead the Americans, taking down Europe’s Rory McIlroy in an epic singles match. Every player on the U.S. team contributed at least a point, with Brandt Snedeker finishing 3-0-0.
Rory McIlroy of Europe and Patrick Reed of the United States look on from the fourth tee during singles matches of the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club on October 2, 2016 in Chaska, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
It had been a quarter-century since the U.S. side won a match on the other side of the pond, and a determined European team captained by Thomas Bjorn made sure that streak wasn’t broken in Paris. Europe dominated an opening-day afternoon foursomes session (4-0) and carried a 10-6 lead into the singles. Europe would take over a tight Sunday singles session by winning six of the final seven matches to pull away to a 17 ½-10 ½ rout. Italy’s Francesco Molinari finished 5-0-0, a European first, and rookie Tommy Fleetwood of England, Molinari’s partner, would finish 4-1-0. Justin Thomas (4-1) was a bright spot for the Americans
Europe golfer Francesco Molinari celebrates with Europe golfer Tommy Fleetwood after winning their match during the 2018 Ryder Cup Friday afternoon matches at Le Golf National. Photo by Ian Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
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