The first official Ryder Cup match dates back to 1927 at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts. Since then, the competition between American and British golfers has been filled with exciting competition and unforgettable moments such as "The Concession" of 1969 and the addition of European players to what had been a British-only team before 1979.
The Origins
Though there is some debate about just who first proposed an exhibition match between American and British golfers, we do know that a competition that would eventually become the Ryder Cup was first played in Scotland in 1921 before the 2,000 Guineas Match Play Championship. Five years later, before the 1926 Open Championship, a similar team event was staged. In both cases, the British golfers won, and in the gallery for the second exhibition was Samuel Ryder, a British seed merchant. He met with British and American team officials after the tournament and their discussions led to the Ryder Cup, which would start in 1927 and be contested every two years.
Highlights
The Americans and the British traded victories during the first several matches, but from 1935 to 1967, the Americans won all but one of the biennial tournaments. Britain's one victory in that span was in 1957, when the British team was selected based on a new points system. The back-and-forth contest proved to be one of the closest contests in Ryder Cup history.
The Concession
As of 2010, the closest match in Ryder Cup history was the 1969 affair at Royal Birkdale, which has become known as one of the greatest moments of sportsmanship in history. With the score tied going into the final match between American Jack Nicklaus and Britain's Tony Jacklin, Nicklaus nailed a four-foot putt on the last hole. But instead of making Jacklin sink his two-footer, Nicklaus conceded the putt, resulting in the first tie in Ryder Cup history. The moment is known in golf circles as simply, "The Concession."
European Expansion
After the 1973 Ryder Cup, Nicklaus approached the PGA of Britain and suggested a broader range of golfers be considered for the British team. Up to that point, Britain had only won three Ryder Cups outright. The 1979 Ryder Cup in West Virginia was the first to include European golfers from beyond England. And though the American team still prevailed, the changes led to much more competitive tournaments and a variety of winners to close out the 20th century and into the early 21st century.
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