Is the Ryder Cup the best golf event?

[xgolfx]

Jack, Snead, Torrence, Arnie, Seve, Ollie, Montgomery, Wadkins,Poulter,Sergio ,Casper,  Faldo,Demaret, O’Conner,Jacklin

 

These stars of the Ryder Cup are  great match players. The contestants do exclude players. During The WW llYears, America did not include foreign born players. South African, Japan, China, and many other places are not eligible to tee it up.Tom Weiskopf passed when selected to go hunting. 

CHARLEY PENNA

[scomac2002]

I always thought so from a spectator's perspective.  I always enjoyed the format with alternate shot, best ball and better ball matches along with the traditional match play.  The us versus them mentality of US versus Europe was only icing on the cake.  For some reason, The President's Cup never really provided the sort of drama for me that the Ryder Cup has routinely offered.

[mocokid]

US pros played numerous match play events including the PGA of course in the Hogan Snead era which helped in the Ryder cup.  

[EmperorPenguin]

Yes, without a doubt the Ryder Cup is the most exciting event in golf by far.  Why?  It is because this an event where people cheer a player missing a putt.  I can get downright dirty sometimes, with a guy spitting in Monty's face, Patrick Reed hushing the French crowd.  If only Bryan Cox were a golfer and he would give double flipoffs to the crowds....  Americans all running all over Ollie's line in Brookline, the Meltdown at Medinah, Phil and Sergio's most fabled singles match at Hazeltine which they both halved shooting in the mid-60's.  Bernhard Langer's most pressure-packed putt in the history of Golf (a putt to win or lose the Cup in 1991).  What else?  Poulter's four win matches in a row, Nicolas Colsaerts going something like 11 under on his own ball.

 

Quite honestly, I think sometimes Ryder Cup achievements are better than winning a major or two.  The best example is 1989, in the Sunday Singles match between Christy O'Connor Jr. and Fred Couples.  I would trade two majors for that 2-iron shot over the water to four feet to beat Couples.

 

Whom do we have to thank for all this Ryder Cup excitement?  Jack Nicklaus, of course.  He was the one who wrote the letter suggesting that Great Britain & Ireland expand to Europe to make it more competitive, and thanks to him we have Seve and Jose, and Bernhard and their winning points to make it more competitive.  I think before that GB&I won the Cup only thrice?  Prior to 1980 the Ryder Cup was a silly exhibition because the Americans almost always won.  To make things exciting, it is necessary for Americans to lose.  What good is competing if the winners have been predetermined?

 

I discussed this in a separate thread, that the reason why the Presidents Cup sucks is because the format favors the Americans.  If I were head of the PGA, I would make things more competitive to use the exact same format as Ryder Cup (28 matches, eight on Friday, eight on Saturday, and twelve on Sunday) so the International Team can hide their weaknesses.  What's the point of watching Presidents Cup when we know the Americans will win?  The Internationals won it only once (1997), and both teams shared it in 2003.

[scruffynick]

Quite possibly, but what I love about golf is the gentleman side. From having a football background, my bad behaviour was on the old terraces when I was young and stupid. But golf was different, I love the proper way of behaviour and sporting gesture golf brings..........I just wish on both sides, players and fans behaved better and it's embarrassing and cringe worthy at times. 

Or it's just me getting old