Editing Ryder Cup (section)

===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."