The cup competition consists of various matchplay matches between players selected from two teams of 12. In 2002, those games consisted of 8 foursomes matches, 8 fourball matches and 12 singles matches. The winner of each match scores a point for their team, with 1/2 a point each for a tied match.
A foursomes match is a competition between two teams of two golfers. The golfers on the same team take alternate shots throughout the match, with the same ball. Each hole is won by the team that completes the hole in the fewest shots. A fourball match is a competition between two teams of two golfers. All four golfers play their own ball throughout the round. Each hole is won by the team whose individual golfer had the lowest score. A singles match is a standard matchplay competition between two golfers.
Founding of the Cup
There is some debate over who suggested the idea for the Ryder Cup. James Harnett, a journalist with Golf Illustrated magazine appears to have proposed a similar idea to the USPGA on December 15, 1920 and, having failed to attract support, the idea was refloated by a Sylvanus Germain, president of a club in Toledo, the next year. This resulted in an unofficial match in 1921, won 9-3 by the British, and another in 1926, won 13 1/2 - 1 1/2 by Britain. A spectator at the second game, Samuel Ryder, saw the potential of the competition and persuaded the two captains to reform their teams in 1927 for the first official Cup. Ryder, who donated a gold cip and had agreed to pay £5 to each of the winning team, attached his name to the new competition.
The women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup is the Solheim Cup. The amateur equivalent is the Walker Cup. A similar event, the President's Cup, takes place between the U.S. and an International team, excluding players eligible for the European Ryder Cup team. Another similar event, the UBS Cup, is contested between U.S. and Rest of the World sides; six golfers on each side must be 50 or over and the remaining six must be in their forties.
The 1999 Ryder Cup featured a remarkable comeback by the Americans. Down 10-6 after the first two days of play, they went 8-3-1 in singles play to take the title. The competition turned on the 17th hole of a match between American Justin Leonard and Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal. Leonard holed a 45-foot putt to go dormie-1, assuring at least a half point and a U.S. victory (the Americans needed 14.5 points to gain the cup due to the Europeans' 1997 victory at Valderrama). A wild celebration ensured, with players and spectators spilling out onto the green, and across the line of the putt that Olazabal had to halve the hole. There was considerable bad blood after the match and some of the European players complained about the American galleries.
The competition from 1939 to 1945 were cancelled due to World War II. The 2001 match was delayed for a year following the September 11 Terrorist Attacks. At the same time, it was decided to hold the Ryder Cup in even-numbered years instead of the past schedule of odd-numbered years.
Controversial Ryder Cups
TODO : The War On The Shore
| Year | Venue | Victors | Losers | ||
| 2016 | Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, MN | ||||
| 2014 | Gleneagles, Scotland | ||||
| 2012 | Medinah CC, Medinah, IL | ||||
| 2010 | Celtic Manor, Wales | ||||
| 2008 | Valhalla GC, Louisville, KY | ||||
| 2006 | The Kildare Hotel & CC, Straffan, Ireland | ||||
| 2004 | Oakland Hills CC, Bloomfield Hills, MI | ||||
| 2002 | The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, Eng | Europe | 15 1/2 | USA | 12 1/2 |
| 1999 | The Country Club, Brookline, MA | USA | 14 1/2 | Europe | 13 1/2 |
| 1997 | Valderrama GC, Sotogrande, Spain | Europe | 14 1/2 | USA | 13 1/2 |
| 1995 | Oak Hill CC, Rochester, NY | Europe | 14 1/2 | USA | 13 1/2 |
| 1993 | The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, Eng | USA | 15 | Europe | 13 |
| 1991 | The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, SC | USA | 14 1/2 | Europe | 13 1/2 |
| 1989 | The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, Eng | Europe USA | 14 14 | ||
| 1987 | Muirfield Village GC, Dublin, OH | Europe | 15 | USA | 13 |
| 1985 | The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, Eng | Europe | 16 1/2 | USA | 11 1/2 |
| 1983 | PGA Ntnl GC, Palm Beach Gardens, FL | USA | 14 1/2 | Europe | 13 1/2 |
| 1981 | Walton Health GC, Surrey, England | USA | 18 1/2 | Europe | 9 1/2 |
| 1979 | The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV | USA | 17 | Europe | 11 |
| 1977 | Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England | USA | 12 1/2 | Britain & Ireland | 7 1/2 |
| 1975 | Laurel Valley GC, Ligonier, PA | USA | 21 | Britain & Ireland | 11 |
| 1973 | Muirfield, Scotland | USA | 19 | Britain & Ireland | 13 |
| 1971 | Old Warson CC, St. Louis, MO | USA | 18 1/2 | Britain | 13 1/2 |
| 1969 | Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, Eng | USA Britain | 16 16 | ||
| 1967 | Champions GC, Houston, TX | USA | 23 1/2 | Britain | 8 1/2 |
| 1965 | Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, Eng | USA | 19 1/2 | Britain | 12 1/2 |
| 1963 | East Lake CC, Atlanta, GA | USA | 23 | Britain | 9 |
| 1961 | Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England | USA | 14 1/2 | Britain | 9 1/2 |
| 1959 | Eldorado CC, Palm Desert, CA | USA | 8 1/2 | Britain | 3 1/2 |
| 1957 | Lindrick GC, Yorkshire, England | Britain | 7 1/2 | USA | 4 1/2 |
| 1955 | Thunderbird CC, Palm Springs, CA | USA | 8 | Britain | 4 |
| 1953 | Wentworth GC, Wentworth, England | USA | 6 1/2 | Britain | 5 1/2 |
| 1951 | Pinehurst CC, Pinehurst, NC | USA | 9 1/2 | Britain | 2 1/2 |
| 1949 | Ganton GC, Scarborough, England | USA | 7 | Britain | 5 |
| 1947 | Portland GC, Portland, OR | USA | 11 | Britain | 1 |
| 1937 | Southport & Ainsdale GC, England | USA | 8 | Britain | 4 |
| 1935 | Ridgewood CC, Ridgewood, NJ | USA | 9 | Britain | 3 |
| 1933 | Southport & Ainsdale GC, England | Britain | 6 1/2 | USA | 5 1/2 |
| 1931 | Scioto CC, Columbus, OH | USA | 9 | Britain | 3 |
| 1929 | Moortown GC, Leeds, England | Britain | 7 | USA | 5 |
| 1927 | Worcester CC, Worcester, MA | USA | 9 1/2 | Britain | 2 1/2 |
NB: The 1969 and 1989 tournaments were drawn, so the Cup remained with the previous victors.
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