Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in an event officially called the Ryder Cup Matches by teams from Europe and the United States. The Ryder Cup was first competed for in 1927, with the US competing against Great Britain. After nearly 40 years of US dominance (Britain won only once between 1935 and 1973) it was extended to Britain and Ireland in 1973 and then Europe in 1979, which made the Cup considerably more competitive. Currently, the Ryder Cup Matches are jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour.

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 13½–1½ 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 cup and had agreed to pay £5 to each of the winning team, attached his name to the new competition.

Related Topics:
USPGA - December 15 - 1920 - Samuel Ryder

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Equivalent events are:

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• Solheim Cup — The women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup, featuring the same U.S. vs. Europe format.
• Presidents Cup — Men's event, held in odd-numbered years, with the same format as 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.
• 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 U.S. vs. Great Britain and Ireland.
• UBS Cup — Men's event similar to the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The competing sides are USA and Rest of the World. Six golfers on each side must be 50 or over, and the remaining six must be in their forties.
• The 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.