No one is quite sure who first suggested a competition between US and British golf professionals. It’s thought that the idea may have originated with Golf Illustrated writer James Harnett in 1920. Others credit Inverness’ Sylvanius Jermain, who brought it up in 1921. It’s likely that—given the incredible interest in sports that led to the era being called the Golden Age of Sports—quite a number of people share the credit.

At any rate, in 1921, a group of American golf professionals faced off against their British counterparts in a competition held at the famous Gleneagles. That first match went to the British, who won 9-3.

And, when a group of American golf professionals found themselves with spare time before the Open Championship in 1926, a second match was held at Wentworth. The British professionals won that, too, 13.5 to 1.5. Participating in the match were Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour, Jim Barnes, Emmett French and Al Watrous on the American side, and Abe Mitchell, George Duncan, Archie Compston, Ted Ray and Arthur Havers on the British.

One of those in attendance at that second set of matches was British millionaire Samuel Ryder.

Ryder is an interesting character. He made his fortune by selling paper packets of seeds. Prior to this, seeds were available only in bulk quantities that were not useful for small gardeners.  Ryder started buying the bulk seeds and repackaging them in penny paper packets. He and his family worked out of their home, delivering the seeds on Friday in time for the workmen to have for their Saturday day off. He soon grew quite wealthy, and had as many as 90 employees.

When he was in his fifties, Ryder’s failing health prompted his doctor to prescribe outdoor exercise and recommended golf. Skeptical at first, Ryder soon became hooked—even employing a full time professional named Abe Mitchell as his personal coach.

It was Abe Mitchell who beat American professional “Long” Jim Barnes in the 1926 matches to secure the victory. 

Following the matches, Ryder met with Mitchell, Duncan, French and Hagen for tea. There, the group planned a series of regular competitions, with a cup and prizes to be provided by Ryder. The cup cost 250 pounds, and bore the likeness of Ryder’s favorite, Abe Mitchell.

The first official Ryder Cup event was held in 1927 at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts. It almost was cancelled, however, due to a lack of funds for the British team. In the end, Ryder stepped up again and helped to pay their expenses.

The first British Ryder Cup team consisted of Ted Ray, George Duncan, CA Whitcombe, Fred Robson, George Gadd, Aubrey Boomer, Archie Compston, Arthur Havers and Herbert Jolly. Mitchell missed the event due to appendicitis. The American team was captained by Walter Hagen and included Johnny Farrell, Leo Diegel, Bill Mehlhorn, Johnny Golden, Gene Sarazen, Al Waltrous, Joe Turnesa. Mike Brady and Al Espinosa served as alternates.

The US won the event 9.5 to 2.5.

The event was held every year until 1937, after which it was interrupted for World War II.

Even after the war ended, however, it was not certain that the matches would resume. While the PGA of American and their British counterparts wanted to resume, the British simply couldn’t afford it. The war had hit them very hard and golf was a luxury in a country that would remain under rationing for years to come.

It looked like the 1947 match, which was slated for the Portland Golf Club would be scrapped. But then an Oregon fruit grower and golf lover named Robert Hudson stepped up to the plate. In a remarkable gesure, Hudson offered to pay the British team’s expenses.

Hudson was incredibly generous. He not only paid for their boat and train tickets, but also for their lodging, meals, caddies and anything else they needed.

Going the extra mile, Hudson also took a personal interest in the British team. He met the British at the dock in New York and threw a party for them when they arrived. Hudson then escorted them on their trip by train west to Oregon.

And for many years afterwards, Hudson sent each of the British team members a large fruit basket for Christmas—a gift that apparently was greatly appreciated, especially because Britain remained under food rationing. 

After the war, the US dominated the Cup, winning 18 of the next 20 events. That pattern began to change, however, thanks to changes made in 1973 and in 1979. In 1973, the British team was expanded to include Irish professionals. Then in 1979, at the suggestion of Jack Nicklaus, the British/Irish team was expanded to include professionals from the European mainland.

The infusion of talent after 1979 has had a major effect on the tournament. Since then, the Europeans have won eight of thirteen.

The Ryder Cup was interrupted once again, in 2001, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Both sides agreed to delay for a year, causing the biennial event to move from odd, to even numbered years.

The British team already had been expanded to include Ireland in 1973.

At the behest of Captain Paul Azinger, the US Ryder Cup team selection process has apparently undergone a much-need revision.

The major change is that eight players win automatic berths on the 2008 team via a points-list based on money earned at PGA Tour events held earlier that season.
Double points will be on offer at the four majors, with single points available at the 2007 majors.

In addition, the number of Captain’s picks has been increased from two to four.

The presumed advantage of this system is that it will stock the US team with the players that are playing their best just prior to the Cup. Under the previous system it was possible for a player to play very well two years before the Cup and then cool off in the Cup year, but still have enough points to get on the team.

Kenny Perry is the poster child for the flaws in the old system. He won three times in 2003 and played poorly in 2004, yet had enough points to get on the team. He lost both of the matches in which he played at Oakland Hills.

“I think this is the best way,” Azinger said. “Money has always been the barometer. We are always rewarded based on our earnings. I really wanted a one-year system because I just felt like something a little more current was going to be the best way to ensure that we had the hottest and best American players on the team”

I like the idea—especially in doubling the number of Captain’s picks. In fact, I think that ALL of the picks should be Captain’s picks. No more of this automatic berth nonsense. And if I were Captain, Tiger would not be one of my picks. Nor would Mickelson. All of my picks would be young, hungry guys who play with passion and joy and exuberance. Who won’t scare their teammates. And who can jump more than six inches off the ground when they sink the winning putt at a major.

And I’d try to get Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby to become naturalized American citizens.

But all silliness aside, it’s about time something was done. I still have my doubts that it will make much of a difference, but it’s about the only thing that could be done.

Now we’ll see if Azinger can get the American players to focus.

In one of the most bizarre columns I’ve ever read, Tim McDonald, “National Golf Editor” for Golf Publisher Syndication is blaming George Bush for our recent Ryder Cup loss. It’s so strange that I’m not going to grace it with a link. If you want it, you can Google it up.

At first I thought that the column was a joke. I’m still hoping that it’s a joke. But after reading it a couple of times, I don’t think that’s the case. McDonald really appears to believe that Bush is to blame. He writes:

Drop the excuses: The PGA Tour guys don’t care enough. They’re a bunch of coddled millionaires who don’t know how to form warm, personal bonds with anyone besides their press agents. The selection process is flawed. The captain is a dope. The course was set up for the Europeans. Pluto was downgraded.

No, no and no.

The reason we’re losing, plain and simple, is George W. Bush.

He’s turned the rest of the world against us.

Now I realize that the idea that Bush is to blame for all the world’s problems is an article of faith in certain circles (I do live, after all, in Ann Arbor, Michigan). But to pin the Ryder Cup loss on him is absurd. I can’t figure out how McDonald became the “National Golf Editor” without apparently knowing a whit about golf history.

Let me explain it to Mr. McDonald:  The Europeans are 6-3-1 since 1995. In 1995, Bill Clinton was president. What did he do to make the Euros angry? Saving them from their Bosnian problems, perhaps.

From 1917 to 1979, our record was 18-3-1. But since 1979, the record is 6-6-1. So the Europeans began to turn things around long before Clinton, even.

Last I checked, 1979 was under the Carter Administration. Therefore, I blame Carter. It was his spirit of “international fair play” that made us think we should allow the European continentals into what was previously strictly a US - United Kingdom match.

I guess we should be glad that McDonald isn’t the “National Political Editor” of some publication. Then he might blame our involvement in Iraq on our feelings of inferiority from our Ryder Cup Losses.

The Daily Mail is reporting that a Dublin magazine has published photos of what it purports to be a topless Elin Woods. “The Dubliner” magazine apparently published the photos under the headline “Ryder Cup Filth For Ireland.”

The Mail reports that Woods’ camp says that the photos are not authenthic. Indeed, the magazine’s claim that “Tiger Woods’s wife Elin Nordegren can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites across the web…” makes it seem pretty unbelievable. One papparazzi photo of a sunbathing Elin through a long range lens I could believe. A “variety of sweaty poses” is a little more difficult. Everyone knows she was a model, but I have never heard that she did pornographic material.

The magazine also reportedly:

goes on to claim that Chad Campbell’s wife Amy is a ” largechested singer” and suggests that Jim Furyk’s wife Tabitha ” married geeky Jim as his winnings hit £10 million”. The piece also says Sonya Toms, wife of David, finds it “liberating” to wear her bikini around the house.

Now, it is true that Mrs. Toms posed in a bikini for an issue of a sports magazine. And I have no idea about the proportions of Mrs. Campbell. But to allege that a man’s wife is a golddigger ...

In fact, the whole tone of the alleged article seems a bit off. I call it “alleged” article, because I’m not really sure the article really exists. The whole thing frankly sounds a bit like a hoax to me. While there IS a magazine called the Dubliner, it’s website makes it sound like a legitimate periodical—and not the sort that would need to stoop to such things for sales.

And if they did publish such a thing, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that it was a satire of some sort.

At any rate, I’ve got an email in to the editor of the magazine to find out the real scoop. And if anyone can confirm having actually seen the article, I’d love to hear from you.

More to come.