The Ryder Cup - All time Records - 19th Hole Golf Blog by Your Golf Travel

The Ryder Cup never fails to amaze and excite golf fans from both sides of the pond so here at Your Golf Travel we thought we’d take a look at those men who have left their own mark on the tournament…men who have set some of the all time records that separate them from their contemporaries.

Most appearances – Nick Faldo 11

The most appearances goes to Sir Nick Faldo who racked up 11 successive appearances as a player from 1977 to 1997, winning four times and retaining the trophy once. He famously went on to captain Europe’s unsuccessful defence of the trophy in 2008.

Valderrama in Spain saw Nick Faldo sign off on a remarkable Ryder Cup career in his 11th and final match.

Most points – Nick Faldo, 25

As well as having the most appearances, Faldo also holds the record for most points gained, with 25 gained over his 11 playing appearances.

Most singles points – Colin Montgomerie, 7

If it’s a safe pair of hands that you’re after then Monty’s your man. Across 8 consecutive tournaments from 1991 to 2006, he picked up six wins, and halved the other two with Mark Calcavecchia in ’91 and Scott Hoch in ’97 the only men able to take anything from him in the singles.

Best scoring record – Jimmy Demaret, 100% (6-0) 1947-1951

Of all the players to have played in at least three tournaments, Demaret is the only man to have picked up 100% of points on offer to him, with six out of six.

Most used venue – The Belfry

Whilst a number of courses in the UK have hosted the Ryder Cup on more than one occasion, it is The Belfry’s Brabazon Course that has played host to the best team event in golf on three separate occasions that is out in front of the rest.

The Brabazon Course at The Belfry is now synonymous with the Ryder Cup thanks in large part to iconic holes such as the par 4 10th above.

Longest winning streak – 13, USA from 1959-1983

Whilst Europe have been in a good vein of form since the turn of the century, it hasn’t always been that way. For over 20 years the trophy was near enough an American citizen such was their dominance, winning an incredible 13 titles in a row. This dominance could be explained in part by the fact that during this period the US were boasting players of the quality of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and Lee Trevino…and the fact that they weren’t playing Europe but at Team from Great Britain and Ireland instead…mismatch!

Biggest wins – 11-1 USA, 1947 (12 point format), 23.5-8.5 USA, 1963 (32 point format), 18.5-9.5 USA 1981, Europe 2004, 2006

The number of points up for grabs has varied down the years, but in its most recent format of 28 points being up for grabs, Europe edge it having recorded back to back victories in 2004 and 2006 of 18½ to 9½ whilst the US managed the same score in 1981.

In previous formats the USA recorded record wins beating Great Britain 11-1 when 12 points were up for grabs in 1947 and then in 1963 beating Britain 23½ to 8 ½ when it was a 32 point format.

First hole in one – Peter Butler, 1973

Most holes in one – 2, 1995 Oak Hill (Rocca & Howard Clark), 2006 K Club (Casey and Verplank – only USA)

Most successful partnerships

Most wins – USA 26

Obviously boosted by their 13 match winning streak from 1959-1983, the USA are streets ahead in total victories, having claimed the famous trophy 23 times. Since enlisting the support of our European friends, we have been victorious nine times. Back in the days before that the British team chalked up three wins, however as Britain and Ireland we failed to register a victory in three attempts.

Most away wins – USA, 10

It’s all well and good being rampant on your home turf, but it is arguably more satisfying to win the trophy in your neighbours back garden. This is something that the Americans have managed 10 times in the history of the competition, with British and European teams triumphing just three times on the other side of the pond.

Biggest away win – 18½ -9½; USA at Walton Heath 1981, Europe Oakland Hills 2004

Whilst it’s great to win away from home, to do it in style is even more satisfying. The record for the largest winning margin in modern day Ryder Cups has remarkably been scored twice by the visiting team. First of all the Americans took it at Walton Heath in 1981, but Europe stormed to victory by the same 18½-9½ margin back in 2004 at Oakland Hills.

Walton Heath used both of its courses to create a composite course for the Ryder Cup in 1981 where the Americans ran riot.

Most consecutive appearances – Nick Faldo, 11

Ryder Cup record hoarder Nick Faldo is at it again, with his 11 appearances coming in 11 consecutive tournaments – a testament to his talent and longevity.

Youngest player – Sergio Garcia, 1999, 19yrs 258 days

The Ryder Cup is a pressure cooker that can bring even the top players crumbling to their knees with the weight of expectation of their nation or continent on their shoulders. That however was no barrier to a young Sergio Garcia, who made his maiden appearance in 1999 when still a teenager. The pressure didn’t seem to get to him either as he picked up an impressive 3½ points from a total of 5 points available.

Oldest Player – Raymond Floyd, 1993, 51yrs, 20 days

From a teenage Sergio showing that if you’re good enough you’re old enough comes Raymond Floyd proving that if you’re good enough you’re not too old. Teeing up in 1993 just three weeks after his 51^st birthday, Floyd picked up an impressive three points from a possible four, giving hope to all of us weekend hackers that it’s never too late!

Longest gap between appearances – Jay Haas, 1983-1995

Making his Ryder Cup debut as a 29 year old in 1983, and taking a creditable 2½ points from a possible four, Haas could have been forgiven for thinking he would have to wait less than 12 years for his next appearance in 1995. Proving that good things really do come to those who wait, Haas made his third and final (for now at least!) appearance in the 2004 Ryder Cup as one of Hal Sutton’s captain’s picks as a 50 year old, narrowly missing out on taking Raymond Floyd’s record as the oldest player. If the pattern of his Ryder Cup appearances is anything to go by though, we should be looking out for Jay making a late surge for 2018 at Le Golf National in France!

Le Golf National will host the Ryder Cup in 2018.

Most captain appearances –Walter Hagen, 6

Back in the early days of the Ryder Cup the captain would be out on course with his team fighting for a spoil of the points, and such was Hagen’s legendary status, that for the first six tournaments from 1927-1937 it was he that led the American team each time.

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