Ryder Cup Trivia

  • Lee Westwood of Europe lines up his putt on the 18th green during his singles match against Chris DiMarco of USA on the final day of the 2006 Ryder Cup at The K Club on September 24, 2006 in Straffan, Co. Kildare, IrelandThe Ryder Cup tournament takes its name from Samuel Ryder, who donated the solid gold Ryder Cup Trophy for use in the matches in 1927. The original cost of the trophy, designed by Mappin and Webb and featuring a likeness of Ryder's personal tutor, Abe Mitchell, was £250.
  • Although Samuel Ryder is now remembered mostly because of his passion for and support of golf, he was a very successful entrepreneur. Ryder was the person who first thought to market seeds in packets!
  • The Ryder Cup tournament has seen only two ties, in 1969 and in 1989. The 1969 tournament is famous for a controversial concession. On the final green of the last singles match between Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, Nicklaus made a par putt of about 6-8 feet. He then conceded Jacklin's 3-footer for par, ensuring a tie. If Jacklin had been forced to putt and had missed, the USA would have won the match.
  • Both Walter Hagen and Dai Reese share the record of having captained a team in the Ryder Cup tournament a total of five times. Hagen led the US team in each of the first five Ryder Cup Matches. Rees led the Great Britain team in 1955, 1957, 1959 and 1961, and again in 1967.

Winning Percentages by Team

Team USA

  • Jimmy Demaret, 6-0-0, 1.000
  • Gardner Dickinson, 9-1-0, .900
  • Jack Burke Jr. 7-1-0, .875
  • Walter Hagen, 7-1-1, .833
  • Mike Souchak, 5-1-0, .833
  • J.C. Snead, 9-2-0, .818
  • Tony Lema, 8-1-2, .818

Team Great Britain/Team Europe

  • Sergio Garcia, Europe, 14-4-2, .750
  • Paul Way, 6-2-1, .722
  • Paul Lawrie, 3-1-1, .700
  • Jose Maria Olazabal, Europe, 18-8-5, .661
  • Colin Montgomerie, Europe, 20-9-7, .653

Do you think Team Europe will earn a fourth consecutive win at the 2008 Ryder Cup tournament, or will Team USA show us what it's made of?