The Ryder Cup is unlike anything else in professional golf. Forget stroke play, forget leaderboards, forget individual glory — for three days every two years, the world’s best golfers set aside their personal rankings to compete as a team. The result is some of the most dramatic, emotional, and unpredictable golf the sport has to offer.
But how did this beloved event begin? Who has dominated it, and what moments have defined its century-long history? Here’s the complete story of the Ryder Cup.
The Origins: Samuel Ryder and a Friendly Wager
The Ryder Cup owes its existence to a British seed merchant named Samuel Ryder. Born in 1858, Ryder had made his fortune by selling penny seed packets through the mail — a revolutionary concept at the time that brought gardening to the masses. In his later years, he took up golf and became an enthusiastic supporter of the game at Verulam Golf Club in St Albans, England.
The event that would become the Ryder Cup grew out of informal matches played between American and British golfers in the early 1920s. A practice match held in June 1926 at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey — the week before the Open Championship — saw a British team thrash an American squad 13½ to 1½. The spirit of friendly international competition captivated everyone present, including Samuel Ryder, who had attended with his personal golf teacher, Abe Mitchell.
Inspired by what he’d witnessed, Ryder donated a gold trophy worth £250 — a significant sum in 1927 — and the Ryder Cup was officially established as a biennial competition between professional golfers from Great Britain and the United States.
The Early Years: American Dominance (1927–1977)
The inaugural official Ryder Cup was held at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts in June 1927. The United States won 9½ to 2½, and Walter Hagen captained the American team to a dominant performance. Britain won the trophy back two years later at Moortown Golf Club in Leeds, but American dominance would prove to be the defining narrative of the event’s first five decades.
From 1935 to 1983, Great Britain — and later Great Britain and Ireland — won the Ryder Cup just once, in 1957 at Lindrick Golf Club in Yorkshire. The Americans won everything else, often by large margins. The contest was lopsided to the point where interest began to wane on both sides of the Atlantic.
Something had to change. And in 1979, it did.
The European Era: Expansion and Revival (1979–present)
In 1979, Jack Nicklaus — recognising that the lopsided nature of the contest was damaging the event’s appeal — advocated for expanding the British and Irish team to include players from continental Europe. The suggestion was adopted, and Europe entered the Ryder Cup for the first time at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
The transformation was dramatic. Within six years, Europe had won. Under the charismatic captaincy of Tony Jacklin and led by a generation of brilliant European golfers — Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, and Sandy Lyle — Europe won the Cup at The Belfry in 1985, ending 28 years of American dominance.
Seve Ballesteros became the heart and soul of the European Ryder Cup team throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His passion, combativeness, and extraordinary talent galvanised his teammates and helped establish the event’s emotional intensity. To this day, the Ryder Cup’s unique atmosphere owes much to the culture Ballesteros helped create.
Greatest Moments in Ryder Cup History
The Miracle at Medinah (2012)
Perhaps the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history came at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. After two days of play, Europe trailed the United States 10–6 — a deficit widely considered insurmountable. What followed on the final day was extraordinary. Europe won 8½ of the 12 singles points to win the overall match 14½ to 13½. Martin Kaymer holed the decisive putt, and the celebrations that followed became one of golf’s most iconic images.
The War on the Shore (1991)
The 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island in South Carolina was one of the most emotionally charged and controversial editions of the event. Played just months after the Gulf War, the atmosphere was intensely nationalistic on both sides. The match came down to the final hole of the final singles match, with Bernhard Langer needing to hole a six-foot putt to halve the hole and retain the Cup for Europe. He missed. The United States won 14½ to 13½ in one of the most agonising finishes in the event’s history.
Brookline 1999: The Greatest Comeback… and Controversy
The 1999 Ryder Cup at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts saw the United States trail Europe 10–6 going into the final day — remarkably similar to 2012. The Americans staged a stunning comeback, winning the singles 8½ to 3½ to claim the Cup 14½ to 13½. However, the celebrations were marred by controversy when American players and their spouses invaded the 17th green while Justin Leonard’s opponent, José María Olazábal, still had a putt to halve the hole. The incident left a bitter taste that took years to fade.
Ryder Cup Records and Statistics
The Ryder Cup has been played 44 times as of 2023 (including the 2023 edition held in Rome). Here’s how the overall record stands:
- United States wins: 27
- Europe wins: 14 (as Great Britain/Ireland/Europe)
- Ties/halved: 2 (most recently 1969 at Royal Birkdale)
- Most appearances: Nick Faldo holds the European record with 11 appearances (1977–1997)
- Most points scored: Nick Faldo is Europe’s all-time points leader
The Format: How the Ryder Cup Is Played
The Ryder Cup is played over three days across four sessions:
- Day 1: Foursomes (morning) and Fourball (afternoon) — 8 points available
- Day 2: Foursomes (morning) and Fourball (afternoon) — 8 points available
- Day 3: 12 singles matches — 12 points available
28 points are available in total. The team that reaches 14½ points wins the Cup. In the event of a 14–14 tie, the team that currently holds the Cup retains it.
Foursomes (also called alternate shot) sees two players share one ball, alternating shots. Fourball sees two players each play their own ball, with the best score on each hole counting for the team. Singles is straightforward individual match play.
The Ryder Cup Today
The 2023 Ryder Cup was held at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome, Italy — the first time the event had been played in continental Europe south of the UK. The United States, captained by Zach Johnson, faced Europe under Luke Donald’s captaincy. Europe won 16½ to 11½ in what proved to be a dominant performance on home soil.
The next Ryder Cup is scheduled for 2025 at Bethpage Black in New York — one of the most demanding and beloved public golf courses in the United States. The Americans will be looking for revenge on home soil, while Europe will be hoping to continue their resurgent recent record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is the Ryder Cup held?
Every two years, alternating between venues in the United States and Europe. The event was postponed by one year in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (originally scheduled for 2020), so some recent editions have been held in odd-numbered years.
How are players selected for the Ryder Cup?
Each team uses a combination of automatic qualifying (based on world rankings and tour points accumulated over a qualifying period) and captain’s picks (usually 3–4 players selected at the captain’s discretion). The captain’s picks allow experienced match-play specialists and team-room leaders to be included even if their individual ranking has dipped.
Do players get paid for the Ryder Cup?
No — Ryder Cup players receive no prize money. They play entirely for pride and the honour of representing their team. This is part of what makes the event’s intensity so genuine and compelling. Any commercial revenue from the event goes to the respective governing bodies (PGA of America and the DP World Tour/Ryder Cup Europe).
