Editing Ryder Cup (section)

==Notable Ryder Cups==
===1969: Nicklaus vs Jacklin===
{{Main|1969 Ryder Cup}}
[[File:Tony Jacklin's golf ball from Royal Birkdale, 1969.png|thumb|right|Tony Jacklin's golf ball used in the 1969 Ryder Cup held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club]]
The 1969 Cup held at [[Royal Birkdale Golf Club|Royal Birkdale]] was perhaps one of the best and most competitive contests in terms of play (18 of the 32 matches went to the last green). It was decided in its very last match, of which United States Captain Sam Snead later said "This is the greatest golf match you have ever seen in England".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I8paAAAAIBAJ&pg=1271,2026044&dq=tony+jacklin+sam+snead+ryder+cup&hl=en |title=Yanks' Great Golf Good For Tie |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |location=Florida |agency=Associated Press |date=22 September 1969 |page=4-C}}</ref>

With the United States and Great Britain tied at {{frac|15|1|2}} each, [[Jack Nicklaus]] led [[Tony Jacklin]] by the score of 1 up as they played the 17th hole. Jacklin made a 35-foot eagle putt and when Nicklaus missed his own eagle try from 12 feet, the match was all square.

At the par-5 finishing hole, both Jacklin and Nicklaus got on the green in two. Nicklaus ran his eagle putt five feet past the hole, while Jacklin left his two feet short. Nicklaus then sank his birdie putt, and with a crowd of 8,000 people watching, picked up Jacklin's marker, conceding the putt Jacklin needed to tie the matches. As the current holders, the rules meant that the United States retained the trophy.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lZRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1792,4042414&dq=ryder+cup+jacklin+conceded&hl=en |title=Ryder Cup Climax Of Breath-Taking Excitement |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |date=22 September 1969 |page=4 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1969/09/29/610801/a-tie-may-be-like-kissing-your-sister |title=A tie may be like kissing your sister... |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=29 September 1969 |first=Gwilym S. |last=Brown}}</ref> "I don't think you would have missed that putt", Nicklaus said to Jacklin afterwards, "but in these circumstances I would never give you the opportunity."

This gesture of sportsmanship by Nicklaus caused controversy on the American side, some of whom would have preferred to force Jacklin to attempt the putt for the small chance that he might miss, which would have given the United States team an outright win. "All the boys thought it was ridiculous to give him that putt", said Sam Snead. "We went over there to win, not to be good ol' boys."

===1989: Azinger and Ballesteros===
{{Main|1989 Ryder Cup}}
Held at The Belfry in England, the 1989 Ryder Cup saw the rising of tensions in the series. After holding the cup for more than two decades, the United States team lost both the [[1985 Ryder Cup|1985]] and [[1987 Ryder Cup|1987]] matches. At the 1989 matches, the pressure was on the United States team and its captain, Raymond Floyd. At a pre-match opening celebration, Floyd slighted the European team by introducing his United States team as "the 12 greatest players in the world."

The competition saw the beginnings of a feud between [[Seve Ballesteros]] and [[Paul Azinger]]. Early in their singles match, Ballesteros sought to change a scuffed ball for a new ball under Rule of Golf 5–3. Somewhat unusually, Azinger disputed whether the ball was unfit for play. A referee was called, and sided with Azinger in ruling the ball fit for play. Ballesteros reportedly said to Azinger, "Is this the way you want to play today?" The match continued in a contentious fashion, culminating in Ballesteros unusually contesting whether Azinger took a proper drop after hitting into the water on the 18th hole.

The American team's frustration grew as the matches ended in a tie, with the European team retaining the cup.

===1991: "The War on the Shore"===
{{Main|1991 Ryder Cup}}
The overall tension between the teams and the feud between Ballesteros and Azinger escalated at the [[Kiawah Island Golf Resort]] in 1991. At the ceremonial opening dinner, the PGA of America played two videos that were seen as less than hospitable by the European team. The first video was presented as a highlight reel of past Ryder Cups, but reportedly showed only Americans. The second video was a welcoming address by then-United States President [[George H. W. Bush]] in which he closed by cheering on the American side.

On the first morning of the competition, Azinger and [[Chip Beck]] were paired against Ballesteros and [[José María Olazábal]] in a foursomes match, an alternate shot event. Azinger and Beck accused Ballesteros of gamesmanship on account of his throat clearing during Beck's shots. Later in the same match, Azinger and Beck, who were playing the same brand and make of ball but each with a slightly different model, switched their balls. While this switching was unlikely to have resulted in an advantage or to have been intentional, it was in violation of the "one ball rule" which was in effect for the competition. Under that rule, a player is prohibited from changing the type of ball he uses during the course of a match.

A few holes after the switch had occurred, Ballesteros called the Americans for the violation. Azinger, seeming to feel that his integrity was being questioned, said "I can tell you we're not trying to cheat." Ballesteros responded, "Oh no. Breaking the rules and cheating are two different things." As the violation was called too long after it had occurred, no penalty was assessed against the American pair. The constant goading between Ballesteros and Azinger intensified their respective desires to win. Out of that intensity, they and their playing partners produced what may be regarded as one of the best pairs matches in history, with the Spaniards winning 2 & 1. After the matches concluded, Ballesteros reportedly said, "The American team has 11 nice guys. And Paul Azinger."

The 1991 matches received the sobriquet "the War on the Shore" after some excitable advertising in the American media, and intense home-team cheering by the American home crowds. For his part, [[Corey Pavin]] caused controversy by sporting a ''[[Desert Storm]]'' baseball cap during the event in support of the U.S. and coalition war effort in Iraq.

The matches culminated in one of the single most dramatic putts in the history of golf. With only one match remaining to be completed, between Hale Irwin for the United States and Bernhard Langer for the Europeans, the United States team led by one point. Irwin and Langer came to the last hole tied. To win the cup, the American team needed Irwin to win or tie the match by winning or tying the hole. The Europeans could keep the cup with a win by Langer. Both players struggled on the hole, and found themselves facing a pair of putts; Langer had a six-foot, side-hill par putt, and Irwin had a generally uphill, 18-inch putt for bogey. To the surprise of his teammates, Langer conceded Irwin's bogey putt, leaving himself in a must-make position. Langer missed his putt, the match was halved, and the U.S. team took back the cup.

Players on both sides were driven to public tears by the pressure of the matches on the final day. The intense competition of the 1991 Ryder Cup is widely regarded as having elevated public interest in the series.

===1999: Battle of Brookline===
{{Main|1999 Ryder Cup}}
The 1999 Ryder Cup held at [[The Country Club]] in [[Brookline, Massachusetts]], caused great controversy. A remarkable comeback by the American team helped propel the U.S. to a 14{{1/2}}–13{{1/2}} victory after trailing 10–6 at the start of the final day. The U.S. defeated Europe 8{{1/2}}–3{{1/2}} in the singles matches to seal the first American victory since [[1993 Ryder Cup|1993]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Sports Illustrated Sports Almanac |date=2000 |publisher=Little, Brown, and Company |isbn=978-1-892129-14-7 |page=396}}</ref>

The competition turned on the 17th hole of a match between American [[Justin Leonard]] and Spaniard [[José María Olazábal]]. With the match all square, Leonard needed to earn at least a half-point to seal an American victory. After Olazábal's second shot left him with a 22-foot putt on the par-4, Leonard hit his shot within 10 feet of the hole and then watched it roll away from the cup, leaving him with a 45-foot putt for birdie. Leonard had made putts of 25 and 35 feet earlier in the round. Leonard holed the putt, and a wild celebration followed with other U.S. players, their wives, and a few fans running onto the green. The putt did not guarantee a half-point for Leonard since Olazábal could still hole his putt and win the last hole. However, Olazábal missed his putt, and the American team celebrated once again, although the second celebration was more reserved than the first one.

There was considerable bad blood after the event, with some of the European players complaining about the behavior of the American galleries throughout the match. [[Sam Torrance]] branded it "disgusting", while European captain [[Mark James (golfer)|Mark James]] referred to it as a "bear pit" in a book recounting the event.<ref name="book">{{cite book |last=James |first=Mark |title=Into the Bear Pit: The Hard-Hitting Inside Story of the Brookline Ryder Cup |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_QFMGQAACAAJ |date= 2007 |publisher=Ebury Publishing |isbn=978-0-7535-1297-5}}</ref> There were also reports that a spectator spat at James' wife.<ref name="report">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/golf/1999/ryder_cup/news/1999/09/28/ryder_abuse_ap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010610213948/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/golf/1999/ryder_cup/news/1999/09/28/ryder_abuse_ap/ |archive-date=10 June 2001 |title='A mob demonstration' |magazine=Sports Illustrated |via=CNN |date=28 September 1999}}</ref> [[Payne Stewart]] had conceded his singles match to [[Colin Montgomerie]] with both players level and on the last green in 2 shots as a response to the abuse Montgomerie had received throughout the match.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kingdom.golf/golf/a-champion-remembered/ |title=Payne Stewart: A Champion remembered |website=kingdom.golf |date=19 March 2015 |access-date=18 September 2021 }}</ref>

Following the 1999 Ryder Cup, many members of the U.S. team apologised for their behavior, and there were numerous attempts by both teams to calm the increasing nationalism of the event.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |first=David |last=Davies |title=Day of shame that refuses to die |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/sep/17/rydercup2004.rydercup3 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 September 2004 |access-date=29 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="balls">{{cite news |title="He Acted Like A Madman" - Balls Remembers The Most Controversial Ryder Cup Ever Played |url=https://www.balls.ie/golf/1999-ryder-cup-347531-347531 |work=Balls |date=26 September 2018 |access-date=29 September 2018}}</ref>

===2012: The Miracle at Medinah===
{{main|2012 Ryder Cup}}
The 39th Ryder Cup was held at the [[Medinah Country Club]] in [[Medinah, Illinois]]. Under captain [[José María Olazábal]] of Spain; the Europeans were down 10–4 after 14 matches, with two four-ball matches still on the course and 12 singles matches to be played the next day. At the end of day two, [[Ian Poulter]] made five birdies on the final five holes to give him and [[Rory McIlroy]] the point over [[Jason Dufner]] and [[Zach Johnson]]. Despite being down 10–6 going into the final day Europe came back to win by {{frac|14|1|2}} points to {{frac|13|1|2}}.<ref name="BBCresult2012">{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19780678 | title=Ryder Cup 2012: Europe beat USA after record comeback | date=30 September 2012 | agency=BBC | access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> Out of the 12 points available on the final day Europe won {{frac|8|1|2}} points with the U.S. winning only {{frac|3|1|2}} points. In terms of points this feat matched the Americans' 1999 comeback at Brookline Country Club.

[[Martin Kaymer]] struck the putt that retained the cup for Europe. The putt was almost identical in length to the one  that fellow German [[Bernhard Langer]] missed at the [[1991 Ryder Cup]]. [[Francesco Molinari]] secured the final half-point to win the Ryder Cup outright by winning the 18th hole to halve his match against [[Tiger Woods]]. [[Ian Poulter]] of the European team finished this Ryder Cup with a perfect 4–0 record.

The event is often referred to as the "Meltdown at Medinah" in the United States or the "Miracle at Medinah" in Europe.

===Cancellations and postponements===
====1939 Ryder Cup====
The 1939 Ryder Cup was planned for 18–19 November at [[Ponte Vedra Inn and Club|Ponte Vedra Country Club]] in [[Jacksonville, Florida]]; [[Walter Hagen]] was chosen as non-playing captain of the U.S. team. The competition was cancelled shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe in September. It would have been the first Ryder Cup to be held in Florida; the competition was not held there until 1983.

In early April 1939, the [[Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain and Ireland)|British P.G.A.]] chose a selection committee of six and selected [[Henry Cotton (golfer)|Henry Cotton]] as captain.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Ryder Cup |newspaper=The Times |date=5 April 1939 |page=6, column C |issue=48272}}</ref> In August, eight players were named in the team: Cotton, [[Jimmy Adams (golfer)|Jimmy Adams]], [[Dick Burton (golfer)|Dick Burton]], [[Sam King (golfer)|Sam King]], [[Alf Padgham]], [[Dai Rees]], [[Charles Whitcombe (golfer)|Charles Whitcombe]], and [[Reg Whitcombe]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Ryder Cup Team |newspaper=The Times |date=22 August 1939 |page=6, column E |issue=48390}}</ref> Charles Whitcombe immediately withdrew from the team,<ref>{{cite news |title=C Whitcombe out of Ryder Cup Team |newspaper=The Times |date=23 August 1939 |page=6, column B |issue=48391}}</ref> not wishing to travel to the United States. With seven selected, three places were left to be filled. War was declared on 3 September and the British P.G.A. immediately cancelled the match: "The P.G.A. announce that the Ryder Cup match for this year has been cancelled by the state of war prevailing in this country. The P.G.A. of the United States is being informed."<ref>{{cite news |title=Ryder Cup Match Cancelled |newspaper=The Times |date=5 September 1939 |page=3, column C |issue=48402}}</ref><ref name=sdcbprct>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FtZXAAAAIBAJ&pg=3294%2C629729 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington, U.S. |agency=Associated Press |title=Britain postpones Ryder Cup tourney |date=4 September 1939 |page=11 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref>

====1941, 1943, and 1945 Ryder Cups====
The Ryder Cup was not played in these scheduled years due to [[World War II]]; by the fall of 1945, many members of the British team were still in the military.<ref name=rcgsidbt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0dpXAAAAIBAJ&pg=3488%2C2465560 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington, U.S. |agency=Associated Press |title=Ryder Cup golf still in doubt |date=13 November 1945 |page=12 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref> After a decade-long absence, it resumed in November 1947 at the [[Portland Golf Club]] in [[Portland, Oregon]].

====2001 Ryder Cup====
{{Main|2002 Ryder Cup}}
The competition, scheduled for 28–30 September at [[The Belfry]]'s Brabazon Course, was postponed a year because of the [[September 11 terrorist attacks]]. "The PGA of America has informed the European Ryder Cup Board that the scope of the last Tuesday's tragedy is so overwhelming that it would not be possible for the United States Ryder Cup team and officials to attend the match this month."<ref>{{cite news |title=Officials forced to postpone Ryder Cup for one year |newspaper=The Times |date=17 September 2001 |page=1[S]}}</ref> The manager of [[Phil Mickelson]] and [[Mark Calcavecchia]] had earlier announced that the two players would not travel to Europe. Other American players were said to be concerned about attending the event. It was played in [[2002 Ryder Cup|2002]] at the original venue with the same teams that had been selected to play a year earlier. The display boards at The Belfry still read "The 2001 Ryder Cup", and U.S. captain [[Curtis Strange]] deliberately referred to his team as "The 2001 Ryder Cup Team" in his speech at the closing ceremony.

It was later decided to hold the subsequent Ryder Cup in [[2004 Ryder Cup|2004]] (rather than 2003) and thereafter in even-numbered years. This change also affected the men's [[Presidents Cup]] and [[Seve Trophy]] and women's [[Solheim Cup]] competitions, as each switched from even to odd years.

====2020 Ryder Cup====
{{main|2021 Ryder Cup}}
In July 2020, the Ryder Cup, scheduled to be held at [[Whistling Straits]] in Wisconsin, was postponed for a year due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/53246674 |title=2020 Ryder Cup postponed until 2021 because of impact of coronavirus |work=BBC Sport |date=8 July 2020 |access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref> As a consequence, all future editions of the Ryder Cup are again taking place in odd-numbered years from 2021, as was the case up to 1999. As a consequence, the Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup competitions reverted to even-numbered years from 2022 and 2024 respectively, as were the case up to 2000 and 2002, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/54964880 |title=Solheim Cup to move to even years from 2024 to avoid Ryder Cup clash |website=BBC Sport |date=16 November 2020}}</ref>