The Ryder Cup – America v Europe golf competition

No one is absolutely certain of the origins of the Ryder Cup, the third most popular televised sporting event in the world, but 35 matches have been played so far with the 36th due to be played at the K Club, Straffan, County Kildare, in Ireland from September 22nd to 24th 2006. The idea came either from Sylvanus P. Jermain, president of Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, who first presented the concept in 1921 or from James Harnett, a circulation representative for Golf Illustrated. In 1920 Harnett had attempted to attract potential readers by raising funds to pay expenses for a golf competition for professionals between Great Britain and the US. Harnett finally got the support he needed when the PGA of America voted to advance Harnett some funds at its Annual Meeting on December 15, 1920; this then was the start of the Ryder Cup.

The first matches were played at Gleneagles golf course in Scotland in 1921 when the British beat the Americans 9-3. The next competition took place in 1926; that year the R & A announced qualifying rounds for competitors wishing to play in the Open. This resulted in the Americans coming over to Britain earlier than normal and with spare time the American and British professionals agreed to play an unofficial match at Wentworth in England, this time the Americans were thrashed 13 ½ to 1 ½.