Ryder Cup : definition of Ryder Cup and synonyms of Ryder Cup (English) 11 External links Format The Ryder Cup Matches involve various match play competitions between players selected from two teams of twelve. Currently, the matches consist of eight foursomes matches, eight fourball matches and 12 singles matches. The winner of each match scores a point for their team, with ½ a point each for any match that is tied after 18 holes. 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 also a competition between two teams of two golfers, but all four golfers play their own ball throughout the round rather than alternating shots, and each hole is won by the team whose individual golfer has the lowest score. A singles match is a standard match play competition between two golfers. The matches take place over three days, Friday to Sunday, a total of 28 matches. On Friday, there are four fourball matches in the morning (or afternoon) and four foursomes matches in the morning (or afternoon).

On Saturday, the same schedule repeats. On Sunday, there are 12 singles matches, when all team members play. Not all players must play on Friday and Saturday; the captain can select any eight players for each of the four rounds of play over these two days. The winning team is determined by cumulative total points. Under Ryder Cup rules, the defending champion team from the previous matches only needs to halve the cumulative point totals (14) to retain the Cup, while the opposing team must win it outright (14½ or more). The format has changed over the years. From the inaugural event through 1959, the Ryder Cup was a two-day competition, with four 36-hole foursomes matches on the first day and eight 36-hole singles matches on the second day, for a total of 12 points. In 1961, the matches were changed to 18 holes each, but the number of matches was doubled, resulting in a total of 24 points. In 1963, the event was expanded to three days, with eight fourball matches being added on the middle day to make a total of 32 points.

This format remained until 1977, when the number of matches was reduced to 20: five foursomes matches on the first day, five fourball matches on the second day, and ten singles matches on the final day. In 1979, the first year continental European players participated, the format was changed to the 28-match version in use today, with eight foursomes/four-ball matches on the first two days and 12 singles matches on the last day. [5] In 2008, the format for the event changed versus the previous three Ryder Cup Matches. For the first time since 1999, the opening matches of a Ryder Cup featured the foursome (alternate-shot) format. U.S. captain Paul Azinger , hoping to give his team an early advantage in Kentucky , announced the change on January 30, 2008 at the PGA Tour's FBR Open in Phoenix. Alternate shot, or foursomes, had been used in the first sessions every year since 1981 until European captain Seve Ballesteros opened with better ball (fourballs) in 1997 at Valderrama . U.S.

captain Ben Crenshaw switched back to alternate shot in 1999 at Brookline , but the next three Ryder Cup matches started with better ball. [6] The competition in 2008 however returned to the foursomes format, but was reverted again to fourballs in 2010. In the 2010 competition , the format was changed significantly after inclement weather cost the competition over 7 hours of play during the weekend. Initially, on the Friday (1 October), the fourballs competition began, but was suspended after around 2 hours due to torrential rain that caused the course to be waterlogged. The delay continued from around 9:30 to around 17:00, when play resumed, but was again suspended at around 19:00 due to fading light after sunset . The decision was taken to change the format completely, to try and prevent a Monday finish to the Ryder Cup for the first time. Thus, on the Saturday, the opening fourballs finished before 6 foursome matches began (involving all 24 players, a unique event in a single Ryder Cup foursomes contest).

These matches were completed on the Saturday, upon which the last two foursomes and the four remaining fourballs began. Again, sunset caused play to be suspended after the lead match had just finished the 9th hole. It was hoped that these matches could be completed on Sunday, followed by the 12 singles matches, but further heavy rain on Sunday morning caused play to start at 13:30, leaving insufficient time to complete the Ryder Cup. With the weather forecast for the Monday (4 October) being good, the decision was taken to complete the foursomes and fourballs competitions on Sunday and play the whole singles contest on Monday. Team selections Team Europe The European team qualification rules for 2012 have changed since 2010. The European Points List now takes precedence over the World Points List, while the captain's picks have been reduced from 3 to 2 with the top 5 players in the World Points List now qualifying rather than the top 4.

The team will consist of: [7] The leading five players on the Ryder Cup European Points List [8] The leading five players, not qualified above, on the Ryder Cup World Points List [9] Two captain's picks Team USA The United States qualification rules for 2012 remain the same as for 2010 and the team will consist of: [10] The leading eight players on the Ryder Cup Points List [11] Four captain's picks Founding of the Cup The Ryder Cup on display in 2008. 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 PGA of America on December 15, 1920 and, having failed to attract support, the idea was refloated by Sylvanus P. "SP" Jermain, president of the Inverness Club , the next year. Historical records indicate that the first unofficial Ryder Cup-style matches were played in 1921 at Gleneagles Golf Course, Perthshire . The American team was chosen by James Harnett.

Great Britain made Ryder Cup history by beating the American golf team 9-3, the second match in 1926 was won 13½–1½ by Britain. Present at the 1926 match, held on the East Course at Wentworth Club , Virginia Water , Surrey , was Samuel Ryder , a seed merchant who traded from St Albans , Hertfordshire . Having watched the play, Ryder thought it would be a good idea to make the match official and thus the Ryder Cup was founded, with Ryder donating the trophy. [12] Few people who took up golf after their 50th birthday have left as many positive impressions on the game during the history of golf. To get started, Ryder recruited the services of a golf professional called Hill from a local golf course to introduce him to the fundamentals of golf. Afterwards, Ryder hired Abe Mitchell as his private tutor for a fee of £1,000 per year. Ryder received most of his lessons at his home, Marlborough House, and he was relentless. He practised his driving, pitching and putting six days each week.

At the age of 51, he had achieved a handicap of six and was accepted as a member of the Verulam Golf Club in St Albans in 1910. A year later, he captained the golf club. He was also club captain in 1926 and 1927. In 1923, he sponsored the Heath and Heather Tournament, which was only open to professionals. One of the golf professionals who took part was ex-gardener Abe Mitchell, considered one of the best British golfers of his era. Among the British at the 1926 landmark match were golfing giants Abe Mitchell, George Duncan , Archie Compston , Ted Ray (portrayed by Stephen Marcus in the 2005 film The Greatest Game Ever Played ), and Arthur Havers . From America came Walter Hagen , Tommy Armour , Jim Barnes and Al Watrous . This first official match was held in Worcester, Massachusetts , at the Worcester Country Club , in 1927. Ryder, who donated a gold cup and had agreed to pay £5 to each member of the winning team, attached his name to the new competition.

Since 1927, it has been held on a two-year cycle, apart from 1939 to 1945, when it was cancelled due to World War II . Until 1977, the matches featured teams representing the United States and Great Britain and Ireland (there was at least one Irish player in every Ryder Cup from 1947 to 1977). Since 1979 inclusive, players from continental Europe have been eligible to join what is now known as Team Europe. The change to include continental Europeans arose from discussion in 1977 between Jack Nicklaus and the Earl of Derby , who was serving as the President of the Professional Golfers' Association ; it was suggested by Nicklaus as a means to make the matches more competitive, since the Americans almost always won, often by lopsided margins. [13] The change worked, as the team matches immediately became much more competitive, with talented young Europeans such as Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer bolstering the European side. The present-day popularity of the Ryder Cup, which now generates enormous media attention, can be said to date from that change in eligibility.

The 2001 match was delayed for a year, as it was due to take place shortly after the September 11 attacks . It was subsequently decided to hold the Ryder Cup in even-numbered years instead of odd-numbered years. The boards at The Brabazon Course at The Belfry , which hosted the 2002 Ryder Cup (which should have been hosted in 2001) still read "The 2001 Ryder Cup", and U.S. captain Curtis Strange deliberately referred to his team as "The 2001 Ryder Cup Team" in his speech at the closing ceremony. Europe claimed their first hat-trick of victories in 2002, 2004 and 2006. Controversial Ryder Cups Main article: 1969 Ryder Cup The 1969 Cup held at Royal Birkdale was perhaps one of the best and most competitive contests in terms of play (18 of the 32 matches went to the last green). It was decided in its very last match, one which United States Captain Sam Snead later called "This is the greatest golf match you have ever seen in England".

[14] With the United States and Great Britain all tied at 15.5 each, Jack Nicklaus led Tony Jacklin by the score of 1 up as they played the 17th hole. Jacklin made a 35-foot eagle putt and when Nicklaus missed his own eagle try from 12-feet, the match was all square. At the par-5 finishing hole, both Jacklin and Nicklaus got on the green in two. Nicklaus ran his eagle putt five feet past the hole, while Jacklin left his two foot short. Nicklaus then sank his birdie putt, and with a crowd of 8,000 people watching, picked up Jacklin's marker, conceding the putt he needed to tie the matches. The United States thus retained the cup. [15] [16] 1991 Main article: 1991 Ryder Cup After accusing each other of cheating at The Belfry in 1989, the feud between Seve Ballesteros and Paul Azinger escalated at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in 1991.

Azinger said, "I can tell you we're not trying to cheat." Ballesteros replied, "Oh no. Breaking the rules and cheating are two different things." The constant goading intensified their desire to win and with their partners, José María Olazábal and Chip Beck respectively, they produced what is regarded as the best pairs match in history, with the Spaniards winning 2 & 1. The match also received the sobriquet "the War on the Shore" after some excitable advertising in the American media, and Corey Pavin caused controversy by sporting a Desert Storm baseball cap during the event. 1999 Main article: 1999 Ryder Cup The 1999 Ryder Cup held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts , caused great controversy. A remarkable comeback by the American team helped propel the U.S. to a 14.5–13.5 victory after trailing 10–6 heading into the final day. The U.S. went 8–3–1 in the singles matches to seal the first American victory since 1993.

The competition turned on the 17th hole of a match between American Justin Leonard and Spaniard José María Olazábal . With the match all square at the 17th hole, Leonard needed to earn at least a half-point by either winning one of the last two holes (therefore earning a full point), or finishing the match at all square (therefore earning a half-point) to seal an American victory. After Olazábal's second shot left him with a 22-foot putt on the par-4, Leonard hit his shot within 10 feet of the hole and then watched it roll away from the cup, leaving him with a 45-foot putt for birdie. While sinking a putt of this length is unlikely, Leonard had made putts of 25 and 35 feet earlier in the round. Leonard holed the astounding putt, and a wild celebration ensued with other U.S. players, their wives, and a few fans running onto the green. Had Leonard's putt sealed the match, this type of behavior would have been inappropriate but moot. Knowing that a made putt would extend the match while a miss would assure Leonard of a half-point and the U.S.

a victory (the Americans needed 14.5 points to gain the cup due to the Europeans' 1997 victory at Valderrama), Olazábal tried to regain his focus. However, he missed the difficult putt, and the American team celebrated once again (although the second celebration was more reserved than the first one). According to the "Best of the Rest" section of ESPN's Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame program, NBC television footage and press photos prove that no official rules (Ryder Cup or PGA) were broken when the Americans celebrated after Leonard's putt (i.e. no one walked in or crossed Olazábal's putting line – although Europe player Sam Torrance has said in TV interviews that a TV cameraman stood on Olazábal's line whilst filming the invasion of the green by players and spectators). However, the game of golf is upheld by many to be "the gentleman's game", and there remain a number of unwritten rules and codes of conduct which the European players believe were being ignored.

Many of the American players believed the Europeans' response was hypocritical; they argued that European players – in particular Seve Ballesteros – had been guilty of excessive celebration and gamesmanship as far back as the 1985 Ryder Cup Matches, without attracting the same opprobrium from the European media. There was still considerable bad blood after the match, with some of the European players complaining about the behavior of the American galleries throughout the match. Sam Torrance branded it "disgusting," while European captain Mark James referred to it as a "bear pit" in a book recounting the event. [17] There were also reports that a spectator spat at James' wife. [18] Following the 1999 Ryder Cup, a number of members of the U.S. team apologized for their behavior, and there were numerous attempts by both teams to calm the increasing nationalism of the event. These efforts appear to have been largely successful, with subsequent Cups being played in the "spirit of the game". Results * - Delayed one year due to September 11, 2001 attacks .

NB: The 1939, 1941, 1943, and 1945 tournaments were canceled due to World War II . The 1969 and 1989 tournaments were drawn, so the Cup remained with the previous victors. 1939 Ryder Cup The 1939 Ryder Cup was planned for 18-19 November at Ponte Vedra Country Club in Jacksonville , Florida but never took place. Walter Hagen was chosen as non-playing captain of the United States team. In early April, the British P.G.A. chose a selection committee of six and selected Henry Cotton as captain. [20] In August, eight players were named in the team: Cotton, Jimmy Adams , Dick Burton , Sam King , Alf Padgham , Dai Rees , Charles Whitcombe and Reg Whitcombe . [21] Charles Whitcombe immediately withdrew from the team, [22] not wishing to travel to the United States. With seven selected, three places were left to be filled. War was declared on 3 September and the British P.G.A. immediately cancelled the match: "The P.G.A.

announce that the Ryder Cup match for this year has been cancelled by the state of war prevailing in this country. The P.G.A. of the United States is being informed." [23] Summary Golf Other regular international team golf events include: Solheim Cup — The women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup, featuring the same U.S. vs. Europe format, played in the years the Ryder Cup is not held. Presidents Cup — Men's event, held in odd-numbered years, with a format similar to the Ryder Cup, except that the competing sides are a U.S. side and an International side consisting entirely of players whose citizenship makes them ineligible for the Ryder Cup. Handa Cup — The senior women's equivalent, featuring a U.S. team versus an International team. Walker Cup — Event for amateur men. Unlike the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup has never adopted a U.S.–Europe format. The U.S. side is opposed by a team drawn from Great Britain and Ireland. Curtis Cup — Women's amateur event directly analogous to the Walker Cup. Like the Walker Cup, the competition format is the U.S. versus Great Britain and Ireland.

Lexus Cup — Women's professional event held annually beginning in 2005 and sanctioned by the LPGA . The competing teams are an Asia team and an International team of players from the rest of the world. UBS Cup — A discontinued event for men similar to the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The competing sides were USA and Rest of the World. Six golfers on each side had to be 50 or over, and the remaining six in their forties (2001–2004). Seve Trophy — A European professional men's event, founded by Seve Ballesteros , that pits a side from Great Britain and Ireland against one from continental Europe. Tommy Bahama Challenge — An annual professional men's event, operated by the U.S. PGA Tour , that pits USA and International (rest of the world) professionals no older than 30. Palmer Cup — An annual match between U.S. and European college/university golfers. Tavistock Cup — An annual match between Isleworth and Lake Nona country club featuring some of the world's best professionals. Chrysler Cup — A former event between United States and International senior professionals (1986–1995).

Dynasty Cup — Men's event, held in odd-numbered years, with a similar format as the Ryder Cup, between Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour golfers, started 2003. Single Figure Golfer Challenge Cup — A match between a team of amateur golfers and former Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Walker Cup players. Royal Trophy — An annual match between Asia and Europe, started 2006. Other sports The Presidents Cup: History 2015 Songdo, IBD, Korea The 2015 Presidents Cup was contested in Songdo, IBD, Incheon City, South Korea, at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. The U.S. Team was led by Jay Haas and at the helm of the International Team was two-time captain Nick Price. The U.S. Team clinched the final point on the final hole to win 15.5 to 14.5. The Honorary Chairwoman of the event was Korean President Park Guen-Hye. 2013 Ohio, USA The 2013 Presidents Cup welcomed the 44th U.S.

President Barack Obama as Honorary Chairman of the event for a second time, the only world leader to hold that distinction more than once. The event teed off at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Columbus, Ohio, USA. Fred Couples and Nick Price assumed captains' duties for the U.S. Team and the International Team, respectively. In the end, it was the U.S. Team's cup to keep after a decisive 18.5-15.5 victory. 2011 Victoria, Australia The 2011 Presidents Cup descended upon Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, for the second time in the event's history, pitting Greg Norman's International Team against Fred Couples' U.S. Team. Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard served as the Honorary Chairwoman, marking the first time in event history a woman held the role. The U.S. Team retained the cup with a 19-15 decision. 2009 California, USA The 2009 Presidents Cup showcased an International Team led by Greg Norman and U.S. Team led by Fred Couples for the first time.

The cup was contested at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California, USA, and welcomed the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama as the Honorary Chairman. The U.S. Team etched its name on the cup with a 19.5-14.5 score. 2007 Quebec, Canada The 2007 Presidents Cup marked the third and final time legendary captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player would lead the U.S. and International Teams, respectively. The Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper served as the Honorary Chairman for the event held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at The Royal Montreal Golf Club. In the end, the United States would retain the cup after a 19.5-14.5 score. 2005 Virginia, USA The 2005 Presidents Cup crowned a Jack Nicklaus-led United States Team champions with an 18.5-15.5 decision over a Gary Player-led International Team. Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Virginia, USA, hosted the event for the fourth time in the competition's history and the 43rd President of the United States, George W.

Bush, acted as the Honorary Chairman. 2003 George, South Africa The 2003 Presidents Cup ventured to George, South Africa, for the first time, fittingly, as the nation is home to Gary Player, who led the International Team for the first time that year in a contest against Jack Nicklaus' United States Team. The host venue, The Links at Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate, saw the first tie in Presidents Cup history, and the Republic of South Africa President Thabo Mbeki served as the Honorary Chairman. 2000 Virginia, USA The 2000 Presidents Cup was the end of an era for the International Team as they followed the leadership of three-time captain Peter Thomson for the final time. Ken Venturi led the U.S. Team in the event held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Virginia, USA. The 42nd President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, acted as the Honorary Chairman for the event, which crowned the U.S. Team victors in decisive fashion, 21.5-10.5.

1998 Victoria, Australia The 1998 Presidents Cup was one of victory for the International Team under the direction of Peter Thomson. For the first time in the event's history, the Internationals defeated the United States Team and Jack Nicklaus, who was serving as captain for the first of four terms, 20.5 to 11.5 in the second-largest margin of victory in the cup's history. The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, hosted the event for the first time, and Prime Minister of Australia John Howard was appointed the Honorary Chairman. 1996 Virginia, USA The 1996 Presidents Cup reigned as the closest score - aside from 2003's tie - until 2015. With Arnold Palmer at the helm, the United States Team edged Peter Thomson's International Team 16.5-15.5 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Virginia, USA. The Honorary Chairman for the event was the 41st United States President, George H.W. Bush. 1994 Virginia, USA The 1994 Presidents Cup was the first in the event's illustrious history.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Virginia, USA, welcomed the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, as Honorary Chairman, and World Golf Hall of Fame members Hale Irwin (United States Team) and David Graham (International Team) as team captains. The U.S. Team was the first to etch its name onto the cup after winning the inaugural event, 20-12. Media Guide The full Presidents Cup media guide includes statistics and team information for each year of the event. Ryder Cup : Wikis (The Full Wiki) The Full Wiki Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics Top rankings for Ryder Cup 2nd Encyclopedia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Ryder Cup is a golf trophy, donated by Samuel Ryder , which is awarded biennially in an event called the "Ryder Cup Matches" between teams from Europe and the United States .

The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour , and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The competition began following an exhibition match in 1926 between a team comprising American professionals against a similar one drawn from the British PGA on the East Course, Wentworth Club , Virginia Water , Surrey , UK . The first competition took place in 1927. Early matches between the two sides were fairly even, but after the Second World War , repeated US dominance [1] led to a decision to extend the representation of the British & Irish [2] team to include continental Europe in 1979. This change was partly prompted by the success of a new generation of Spanish golfers of the time, including Seve Ballesteros . He and Antonio Garrido became the first Spaniards to play in the event in 1979. Since then, Team Europe has included players from Denmark , France , Germany , Italy , and Sweden . Following this change the event has enjoyed more competitive matches, with Europe winning seven times and retaining the Cup once, with seven American wins over this period.

Contents 11 External links Format The Ryder Cup Matches involve various match play competitions between players selected from two teams of twelve. Currently, the matches consist of eight foursomes matches, eight fourball matches and 12 singles matches. The winner of each match scores a point for their team, with ½ a point each for any match that is tied after 18 holes. 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 also a competition between two teams of two golfers, but all four golfers play their own ball throughout the round rather than alternating shots, and each hole is won by the team whose individual golfer has the lowest score. A singles match is a standard match play competition between two golfers. The matches take place over three days, Friday through Sunday, a total of 28 matches. On Friday, there are four fourball matches in the morning (or afternoon) and four foursomes matches in the morning (or afternoon). On Saturday, the same schedule repeats.

On Sunday, there are 12 singles matches, when all team members play. Not all players must play on Friday and Saturday; the captain can select any eight players for each of the four rounds of play over these two days. The winning team is determined by cumulative total points. Under Ryder Cup rules, the defending champion team from the previous matches only needs to halve the cumulative point totals (14) to retain the Cup, while the opposing team must win it outright (14½ or more). The format has changed over the years. From the inaugural event through 1959, the Ryder Cup was a two-day competition, with four 36-hole foursomes matches on the first day and eight 36-hole singles matches on the second day, for a total of 12 points. In 1961, the matches were changed to 18 holes each, but the number of matches was doubled, resulting in a total of 24 points. In 1963, the event was expanded to three days, with eight fourball matches being added on the middle day to make a total of 32 points.

This format remained until 1977, when the number of matches was reduced to 20: five foursomes matches on the first day, five fourball matches on the second day, and ten singles matches on the final day. In 1979, the first year continental European players participated, the format was changed to the 28-match version in use today, with eight foursomes/four-ball matches on the first two days and 12 singles matches on the last day. [3] In 2008, the format for the event changed versus the previous two Ryder Cup Matches. For the first time since 1999, the opening matches of a Ryder Cup featured the foursome (alternate-shot) format. U.S. captain Paul Azinger , hoping to give his team an early advantage in Kentucky , announced the change on January 30, 2008 at the PGA Tour's FBR Open in Phoenix. Alternate shot, or foursomes, had been used in the first sessions every year since 1981 until European captain Seve Ballesteros opened with better ball (fourballs) in 1997 at Valderrama . U.S.

captain Ben Crenshaw switched back to alternate shot in 1999 at Brookline , but the next three Ryder Cup matches started with better ball. [4] The latest competition of 2008 however returned to the foursomes format. Team selections Advertisements Team Europe There are two qualifying sections used for the European selection: The European Tour list and the Official World Golf Rankings points list. Team USA The way in which the United States team is selected was revamped for the 2008 competition. Qualification for the United States team began with the four major championships contested in 2007, and continued from January 1, 2008 until August 11, 2008. The top eight players will automatically qualify for the 2008 United States Ryder Cup Team, with the remaining four places reserved for captain’s picks. The captain made those picks on September 2, 2008. The selection process is determined by the following criteria: [5] Prize money earned in the 2007 Masters Tournament , U.S. Open , Open Championship , and PGA Championship – one point for every US$1,000 earned.

Prize money earned in official events in 2008 from January 1 until August 11 – one point for every $1,000 earned, excluding major championships and events played in the same weeks as major championships and World Golf Championships . Prize money earned in the 2008 major championships – two points for every $1,000 earned. Prize money earned in 2008 events played in the same weeks as major championships and opposite World Golf Championships between January 1 until August 11 - one-half point for every $1,000 earned. Founding of the Cup The Ryder Cup on display in 2008. 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 Sylvanus P. "SP" Jermain, president of the Inverness Club , the next year.

This resulted in an unofficial match in 1921, won 9–3 by the British, and another in 1926, won 13½–1½ by Britain. Present at the second 1926 match, held on the East Course at Wentworth Club , Virginia Water , Surrey , was Samuel Ryder , a seed merchant who traded from St Albans , Hertfordshire . Having watched the play, Ryder thought it would be a good idea to make the match official and thus the Ryder Cup was founded, with Ryder donating the trophy. [6] Few people who took up golf after their 50th birthday have left as many positive impressions on the game during the history of golf. To get started, Ryder recruited the services of a golf professional called Hill from a local golf course to introduce him to the fundamentals of golf. Afterwards, Ryder hired Abe Mitchell as his private tutor for a fee of £1,000 per year. Ryder received most of his lessons at his home, Marlborough House, and he was relentless. He practised his driving, pitching and putting six days each week.

At the age of 51, he had achieved a handicap of six and was accepted as a member of the Verulam Golf Club in St Albans in 1910. A year later, he became captain of the golf club. He was also club captain in 1926 and 1927. In 1923, he sponsored the Heath and Heather Tournament, which was only open to professionals. One of the golf professionals who took part was ex-gardener Abe Mitchell, considered one of the best British golfers of his era. Among the British at the 1926 landmark match were golfing giants Abe Mitchell, George Duncan , Archie Compston , Ted Ray (portrayed by Stephen Marcus in the 2005 film The Greatest Game Ever Played ), and Arthur Havers . From America came Walter Hagen , Tommy Armour , Jim Barnes and Al Watrous . This first official match was held in Worcester, Massachusetts , at the Worcester Country Club , in 1927. Ryder, who donated a gold cup and had agreed to pay £5 to each member of the winning team, attached his name to the new competition.

Since 1927, it has been held on a two-year cycle, apart from 1939 to 1945, when it was cancelled due to World War II . Until 1971, the matches featured teams from the United States and Great Britain. From 1973 to 1977, players from the Republic of Ireland were eligible to join the British team, and since 1979 inclusive, players from the continent of Europe have been eligible to join what is now known as Team Europe. The change to include Europeans arose from discussion in 1977 between Jack Nicklaus and the Earl of Derby , who was serving as the President of the Professional Golfers' Association ; it was suggested by Nicklaus as a means to make the matches more competitive, since the Americans almost always won, often by lopsided margins. [7] The change worked, as the team matches immediately became much more competitive, with talented young Europeans such as Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer bolstering the European side. The present-day popularity of the Ryder Cup, which now generates enormous media attention, can be said to date from that change in eligibility.

The 2001 match was delayed for a year, as it was due to take place shortly after the September 11 attacks . It was subsequently decided to hold the Ryder Cup in even-numbered years instead of odd-numbered years. The boards at The Brabazon Course at The Belfry , which hosted the 2002 Ryder Cup (which should have been hosted in 2001) still read "The 2001 Ryder Cup", and U.S. captain Curtis Strange deliberately referred to his team as "The 2001 Ryder Cup Team" in his speech at the closing ceremony. Europe claimed their first hat-trick of victories in 2002, 2004 and 2006: this was particularly surprising as no European player won a major championship in that time period (Americans won fifteen). Controversial Ryder Cups Main article: 1969 Ryder Cup The 1969 Cup held at Royal Birkdale was perhaps one of the best and most competitive contests in terms of play (18 of the 32 matches went to the last green), but it was also marred by acrimony and gamesmanship between some players.

In one of golf's most memorable moments of sportsmanship, Jack Nicklaus , playing in his first Ryder Cup Matches, conceded a two-foot putt to Tony Jacklin after making a four-footer for par on the last green. The 'gimme' was very generous; Jacklin was far from assured of making it. Nicklaus said: "I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity." The result was the first tie in the Matches' history (the US retained the Cup), but some of Nicklaus' teammates were less than pleased, including captain Sam Snead . [8] 1991 Main article: 1991 Ryder Cup After accusing each other of cheating at The Belfry in 1989, the feud between Seve Ballesteros and Paul Azinger escalated at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in 1991. Azinger said, "I can tell you we're not trying to cheat." Ballesteros replied, "Oh no.

Breaking the rules and cheating are two different things." The constant goading intensified their desire to win and with their partners, José María Olazábal and Chip Beck respectively, they produced what is regarded as the best pairs match in history, with the Spaniards winning 2 & 1. 1999 Main article: 1999 Ryder Cup The 1999 Ryder Cup held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts , caused great controversy. A remarkable comeback by the American team helped propel the U.S. to a 14.5–13.5 victory after trailing 10–6 heading into the final day. The U.S. went 8–3–1 in the singles matches to seal the first American victory since 1993. The competition turned on the 17th hole of a match between American Justin Leonard and Spaniard José María Olazábal. With the match all square at the 17th hole, Leonard needed to earn at least a half-point by either winning one of the last two holes (therefore earning a full point), or finishing the match at all square (therefore earning a half-point) to seal an American victory.

After Olazábal's second shot left him with a 22-foot putt on the par-4, Leonard hit his shot within 10 feet of the hole and then watched it roll away from the cup, leaving him with a 45-foot putt for birdie. While sinking a putt of this length is unlikely, Leonard had made putts of 25 and 35 feet earlier in the round. Leonard holed the astounding putt, and a wild celebration ensued with other U.S. players, their wives, and a few fans running onto the green. Had Leonard's putt sealed the match, this type of behavior would have been inappropriate but moot. Knowing that a made putt would extend the match while a miss would assure Leonard of a half-point and the U.S. a victory (the Americans needed 14.5 points to gain the cup due to the Europeans' 1997 victory at Valderrama), Olazábal tried to regain his focus. However, he missed the difficult putt, and the American team celebrated once again (although the second celebration was more reserved than the first one).

According to the "Best of the Rest" section of ESPN's Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame program, NBC television footage and press photos prove that no official rules (Ryder Cup or PGA) were broken when the Americans celebrated after Leonard's putt (i.e. no one walked in or crossed Olazábal's putting line). However, the game of golf is upheld by many to be "the gentleman's game", and there remain a number of unwritten rules and codes of conduct which the European players believe were being ignored. Many of the American players believed the Europeans' response was hypocritical; they argued that European players - in particular Seve Ballesteros - had been guilty of excessive celebration and gamesmanship as far back as the 1985 Ryder Cup Matches, without attracting the same opprobrium from the European media. There was still considerable bad blood after the match, with some of the European players complaining about the behavior of the American galleries throughout the match. Sam Torrance branded it "disgusting," while European captain Mark James referred to it as a "bear pit" in a book recounting the event. [9] There were also reports that a spectator spat at his wife.

[10] Following the 1999 Ryder Cup, a number of members of the U.S. team apologized for their behavior, and there were numerous attempts by both teams to calm the increasing nationalism of the event. These efforts appear to have been largely successful with subsequent Cups being played in the "spirit of the game". Results Golf Other regular international team golf events include: Solheim Cup — The women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup, featuring the same U.S. vs. Europe format, played in the years the Ryder Cup is not held. Presidents Cup — Men's event, held in odd-numbered years, with a format similar to the Ryder Cup, except that the competing sides are a U.S. side and an International side consisting entirely of players whose citizenship makes them ineligible for the Ryder Cup. Handa Cup — The senior women's equivalent, featuring a U.S. team versus a European team. Walker Cup — Event for amateur men. Unlike the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup has never adopted a U.S.–Europe format. The U.S. side is opposed by a team drawn from Great Britain and Ireland. Curtis Cup — Women's amateur event directly analogous to the Walker Cup.

Like the Walker Cup, the competition format is the U.S. versus Great Britain and Ireland. Lexus Cup — Women's professional event held annually beginning in 2005 and sanctioned by the LPGA . The competing teams are an Asia team and an International team of players from the rest of the world. UBS Cup — A discontinued event for men similar to the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The competing sides were USA and Rest of the World. Six golfers on each side had to be 50 or over, and the remaining six in their forties (2001-2004). Seve Trophy — A European professional men's event, founded by Severiano Ballesteros , that pits a side from Great Britain and Ireland against one from continental Europe. Tommy Bahama Challenge — An annual professional men's event, operated by the U.S. PGA Tour , that pits USA and International (rest of the world) professionals no older than 30. Palmer Cup — An annual match between U.S. and European college/university golfers. Tavistock Cup — An annual match between Isleworth and Lake Nona country club featuring some of the world's best professionals.

Chrysler Cup — A former event between United States and International senior professionals (1986-1995). Dynasty Cup — Men's event, held in odd-numbered years, with a similar format as the Ryder Cup, between Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour golfers, started 2003. Single Figure Golfer Challenge Cup — A match between a team of amateur golfers and former Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Walker Cup players. Royal Trophy — An annual match between Asia and Europe, started 2006. A Seniors Presidents Cup is scheduled for launch in 2009, and is planned to be held annually. The participating sides, all of whose members will be 50 and over, will be U.S. and International, like the main Presidents Cup. However, the International side in this competition will include Europeans.

Other sports Today in Golf Tournament History | OnThisDay.com Today in Golf Tournament History Events 1 - 100 of 140 1811-01-09 1st Women's Golf Tournament held 1916-04-10 1st professional golf tournament held 1922-06-14 Charles Hoffner wins PGA golf tournament Event of Interest 1925-05-12 Walter Hagen wins PGA golf tournament Golfer 1929-12-07 Leo Diegel wins PGA golf tournament Golfer and Two-Time PGA Champion 1930-09-13 Tommy Armour wins PGA golf tournament 1934-08-19 Paul Runyan wins PGA golf tournament 1935-10-23 Johnny Revolta wins PGA golf tournament 1945-08-20 Robert Hamilton wins PGA golf tournament 1947-06-24 Jim Ferrier wins PGA golf tournament 1951-02-25 Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins Orlando Florida 2 Ball Golf Tournament Event of Interest 1952-

02-24 Betty MacKinnon and Sam Snead win the LPGA Orlando Mixed Golf Tournament Golfer 1952-04-12 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Houston Weathervane Golf Tournament LPGA Golfer 1952-06-01 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Cross Country Weathervane Golf Tournament Golf Tournament 1952-08-10 Louise Suggs wins LPGA All American Women Golf Tournament Golfer and Co-Founder of the LPGA 1952-10-19 Louise Suggs wins LPGA Betty Jameson Golf Tournament 1953-06-23 Patty Berg wins LPGA All-American Women Golf Tournament 1953-07-05 Jackie Pung wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1954-02-28 Patty Berg/Pete Cooper wins LPGA Orlando Mixed Golf Tournament 1954-06-06 Patty Berg wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1954-07-18 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Inverness Four-Ball Golf Tournament 1955-

05-01 Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins LPGA Peach Blossom Golf Tournament 1955-06-16 Louise Suggs wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1955-07-24 Betty Jameson/Mary Faulk wins Virg Hot Springs 4-Ball Golf Tournament 1955-08-28 Marilynn Smith wins LPGA Heart of America Golf Tournament 1956-06-10 Marlene Bauer Hagge wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1957-06-02 Fay Crocker wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1957-07-21 Marilynn Smith/Fay Crocker wins Hot Springs 4-Ball Golf Tournament 1958-06-15 Louise Suggs wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1958-07-20 Betty Jameson/Mary Lena Faulk wins Homestead 4-Ball Golf Tournament 1959-02-01 Wiffi Smith wins LPGA Havana Golf Tournament 1959-02-15 Louise Suggs

 wins LPGA St Petersburg Golf Tournament 1959-03-01 Beverly Hanson wins LPGA Golden Triangle Festival Golf Tournament 1959-03-22 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Nehi Golf Tournament 1959-05-03 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Land of the Sky Golf Tournament 1959-06-07 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament Golf Tournament 1959-07-18 African American William 'Bill' Wright is the 1st coloured person to win a major golf tournament (U.S.

Amateur Public Links Championships) 1960-06-12 Louise Suggs wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1960-07-12 Joyce Ziske wins LPGA Hoosier Celebrity Golf Tournament 1960-07-14 Barbara Romack wins LPGA Leesburg Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1960-10-02 Louise Suggs wins LPGA San Antonio Civitan Golf Tournament 1961-01-25 Louise Suggs wins LPGA Naples Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1961-06-11 Mary Lena Faulk wins LPGA Triangle Round Robin Golf Tournament 1961-10-08 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Bill Brannin's Swing Parade Golf Tournament 1962-01-24 Mickey Wright /Marilynn Smith wins LPGA Naples Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1962-05-06 Mary Lena Faulk wins LPGA Peach Blossom Golf Tournament 1962-06-10 Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Austin Civitan Golf Tournament 1962-06-24 B

etsy Rawls wins LPGA J E McAuliffe Golf Tournament 1962-07-22 Shirley Englehorn wins LPGA Lady Carling Golf Tournament 1962-08-12 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Heart of America Golf Tournament 1962-08-19 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Albuquerque Swing Parade Golf Tournament Golf Tournament 1962-11-04 Murle Lindstrom wins LPGA San Antonio Civitan Golf Tournament 1963-01-22 Ruth Jessen wins LPGA Naples Professional Golf Tournament 1963-08-18 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Albuquerque Swing Parade Golf Tournament 1963-09-02 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Idaho Centennia Golf Tournament 1963-10-27 Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Phoenix Thunderbirds Golf Tournament 1964-08-23 Marilynn Smith wins Albuquerque Professional Amateur Golf Tournament 1965-07-25 Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Buckeye Savings Golf Tournament 1965-10-24 Marlene Hagge wins LPGA Phoenix Thunderbirds Golf Tournament

 1969-08-24 Carol Mann wins LPGA Tournament of Champs Golf Tournament 1970-05-17 Shirley Englehorn wins LPGA Johnny Londoff Chevrolet Golf Tournament 1972-08-06 Garry Player wins PGA golf tournament 1973-07-28 Jane Blalock/Sandra Palmer win Lady Angelo's 4-Ball Golf Tournament Event of Interest 1979-05-06 Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Women's International Golf Tournament 1979-05-13 Sandra Post wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament 1979-06-17 Jane Blalock wins LPGA Sarah Coventry Golf Tournament 1980-03-09 Joanne Carner wins LPGA Sunstar '80 Golf Tournament 1980-03-23 Donna Caponi Young Pro-Am wins LPGA National Golf Tournament 1980-04-20 Donna White wins LPGA Florida "Lady Citrus" Golf Tournament 1980-05-04 Hollis Stacy wins LPGA CPC Women's Internationalional Golf Tournament

 1980-05-11 Pam Higgins wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament 1980-06-29 Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Sarah Coventry Golf Tournament 1981-03-22 Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA Desert Inn Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1981-05-10 Amy Alcott wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament 1981-06-28 Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Sarah Coventry Golf Tournament 1981-11-01 Chako Higuchi wins LPGA Pioneer Cup Golf Tournament 1982-03-21 Nancy Lopez wins LPGA J&B Scotch Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1982-05-16 Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament 1982-11-02 Nayoko Yoshikawa wins LPGA Pioneer Cup Golf Tournament 1983-02-27 Jan Stephenson wins Tucson Conquistadores LPGA Golf Tournament 1983-04-10 Nancy Lopez wins LPGA J&B Scotch Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1983-05-0

1 Hollis Stacy wins LPGA CPC International Golf Tournament 1983-05-08 Janet Coles wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament Coastal Georgia’s Mike Cook eases his way into the big-time | Golfweek Coastal Georgia’s Mike Cook eases his way into the big-time Coastal Georgia’s Mike Cook eases his way into the big-time Coastal Georgia’s Mike Cook eases his way into the big-time By Brentley Romine May 27, 2016 9:24 am shares By: Brentley Romine | May 27, 2016 9:24 am Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the May 9 issue of Golfweek.

SEA ISLAND, Ga. – Mike Cook asked to hear the question a third time, hoping that might bring better clarity. He was at home in Georgia last November, enjoying a post-dinner glass of wine. The Golf Coaches Association of America was phoning with a simple question: Would Cook like to coach the U.S. team in the Arnold Palmer Cup at England’s Formby Golf Club? “I asked, ‘Are you calling the right golf coach? I think you meant to call Chris Haack down the road at the University of Georgia,’ ” said the self-deprecating Cook. No, Cook was their guy. Finally convinced, he answered, “Hell yeah!” Cook’s 10-man U.S. team, led by Stanford’s Maverick McNealy, a Haskins and Nicklaus award winner, will take on Europe at Formby on June 24-26. The Palmer Cup was rebranded the Arnold Palmer Cup to better connect with its inspirational ambassador, the King himself, and will celebrate its 20th year. In 2018 the event will include women as well as players from all corners of the world.

A Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup/Solheim Cup-meets-college-golf kind of deal. Cool. College golf has its giants, and then there is Coastal Georgia, a fledgling NAIA program in Brunswick, Ga. Cook, 56, an instructor just over the causeway at Sea Island’s Golf Performance Center for 25 years, started the men’s and women’s programs at Coastal in 2010; he still coaches the men while overseeing the women’s program as the university’s director of golf. Coastal Georgia has emerged as an NAIA force, and it’s nice that Cook is recognized for what he has built. The last three seasons, his teams have won 18 tournaments, including back-to-back national titles in 2014-15 and twice Cook has been NAIA coach of the year. Sport sometimes gets lost in its giants. Naming Cook is a deserving nod to the little, often lesser-recognized guy. “I think it’s neat,” said Scott Wellington, executive director of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, which is aligned closely with the Arnold Palmer Cup.

“You look at what he’s done, and wow, Mike has been very successful.” Cook was first-team All-SEC and a third-team All-American as a senior at Georgia (1982-83). He says his game paled to what he sees at the college level today. “I’ve witnessed a lot of great talent at the NAIA level that could have played D-1 golf,” he said. “There’s kids from all over the world who can really play.” He points to the Golfweek NAIA Spring Invitational that his Mariners team won in April at Mission Inn in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. When Cook played the mini-tours in the 1980s, he played Mission Inn’s El Campeon a bunch. “That course used to eat my lunch,” he said. “These guys do a lot better job with it than I did.” Cook has a significant challenge ahead at Formby: The U.S. leads the Arnold Palmer Cup, 10-8-1, but since 2004, Uncle Sam’s boys are 1-5 across the pond (sound familiar?).

The team will have only two full days to learn the bounces of Formby’s storied 1884 links before the matches commence. At Sea Island, Cook has several places to turn for advice. Residents include USGA president Diana Murphy; Walker Cup captain Spider Miller; and Davis Love III, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain. “We think we have an excellent team,” Cook said, “and Davis has some ideas for me.” First, though, Cook will lead his Coastal Georgia into the NAIA nationals at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. In his typical laid-back style, Cook said the “three-peat” won’t be any part of pregame talks. Cook laughs. “Not even going to mention it,” he said.

Question: The Palmer Cup, Lexus Cup, Solheim Cup, and Ryder Cup are all events in what sport?
Answer: Golf