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Ryder Cup : Ryder cup |
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The Ryder Cup is a biannual golf tournament pitting the golfers of Europe against those of the United States. Originally 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.
The cup competition consists of various matchplay matches between players selected from two teams of 12. In 2002, those games consisted of 8 foursomes matches, 8 fourball matches and 12 singles matches. The winner of each match scores a point for their team, with 1/2 a point each for a tied match. A foursomes match is a competition between two teams of two golfers. The golfers on the same team take alternate shots throughout the match, with the same ball. Each hole is won by the team that completes the hole in the fewest shots. A fourball match is a competition between two teams of two golfers. All four golfers play their own ball throughout the round. Each hole is won by the team whose individual golfer had the lowest score. A singles match is a standard matchplay competition between two golfers.
Founding of the CupThere 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 13 1/2 - 1 1/2 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 cip and had agreed to pay £5 to each of the winning team, attached his name to the new competition.The women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup is the Solheim Cup[?]. The amateur equivalent is the Walker Cup[?]. A similar event, the President's Cup[?] takes place between the U.S. and an International team, excluding players eligible for the European Ryder Cup team.
Controversial Ryder CupsTODO : The War On The ShoreThe 1999 Ryder Cup featured a remarkable comeback by the Americans. Down 10-6 after the first two days of play, they went 8-3-1 in singles play to take the title. The competition turned on the 17th hole of a match between American Justin Leonard[?] and Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal[?]. Leonard holed a 45-foot putt to go dormie-1, assuring at least a half point and a U.S. victory (the Americans needed 14.5 points to gain the cup due to the Europeans' 1997 victory at Valderrama). A wild celebration ensured, with players and spectators spilling out onto the green, and across the line of the putt that Olazabal had to halve the hole. There was considerable bad blood after the match and some of the European players complained about the American galleries. The competition from 1939 to 1945 were cancelled due to World War II. The 2001 match was delayed for a year following the September 11 Terrorist Attacks.
NB: The 1969 and 1989 tournaments were drawn, so the Cup remained with the previous victors.
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