Your chances of winning the Ryder Cup are obviously boosted if you have the lead after the first day of the tournament wraps up, and teams in that position have historically ended up with the trophy when everything is said and done. However, there are more than a few that have been able to crawl out of a hole and mount a comeback.
These are all of the Ryder Cup teams that managed to win despite trailing after the first day of play
1963 marked the first year the Ryder Cup changed to its current format by throwing four-ball into the mix (prior to that point, it had only been a two-day affair consisting of alternate shot foursomes play and individual matches).
As a result, I’m only taking a look at the tournaments that have occurred in that “Modern Era” (which arrived 16 years before the other “Modern Era” that saw Team Europe officially debut in 1977) when it comes to the teams that have bounced back from a less-than-ideal start.
Team Europe—2012
Europe did not get off to the hottest start at the Ryder Cup in 2010, as Team USA pulled out to a 5-3 lead on its home turf that grew to a seemingly insurmountable 10-6 margin by the time the dust had settled on Saturday.
However, the visiting squad didn’t hear no bell and rallied for the comeback that is known as the “Miracle at Medinah” en route to winning by a single point.
Team Europe—2010
The United States headed to Celtic Manor in 2010 hoping to ride the momentum of a victory in 2008 that had snapped Europe’s run of three straight wins. The guys representing the stars and stripes got off to a pretty good start, as they were up 6-4 after what was technically the first two days of play thanks to the inclement weather that became a major storyline.
However, the Europeans responded by winning five of the next six matches (halving one) to take a 9 1/2-6 1/2 lead. Team USA did what it could to stop the bleeding in head-to-head play, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the 14 1/2-13 1/2 defeat that marked the start of another three-event losing streak.
Team USA—1999
The Miracle at Medinah gave the Americans a taste of the medicine they shoved down Europe’s throat when the Ryder Cup was held at The Country Club in Brookline in 1999.
The visitors had a commanding 6-2 lead after the first day of play, and the margin remained the same when they ended up sitting at 10-6 following Saturday’s round. However, Team USA harnessed the power of the ugliest shirts any Ryder Cup team has ever worn to win by the narrowest margin possible.
Team Europe—1995
Team Europe had never overcome a deficit heading into the final day of the Ryder Cup when it found itself down 9-7 after Team USA went up 5-3 on the first day at Oak Hill in 1995.
However, they finally managed to get over the hump and ruin America’s quest for a threepeat with a 14 1/2-13 1/2 victory.
Team USA—1993
The Belfry had not been kind to an American team that had lost there the first two times the Ryder Cup was held at the course in 1985 and 1989, and it looked like that would once again be the case when Europe went up 4 1/2-3 1/2 in 1993.
However, that was far from a dominant lead, and the United States kept its deficit at a single point on the second day before surging for the 15-13 victory.
Team Europe—1985
The last entry marks the first of three straight where the team that eventually lost had a 4 1/2-3 1/2 lead at the start of the Ryder Cup, and that was the situation Team USA found itself in at The Belfry in 1995.
As you know from the multiple spoilers I’ve dropped over the past few paragraphs, Europe came back by pulling out to a 9-7 lead before putting things away to the tune of 16 1/2-11 1/2 to bring a skid of 13 winless Ryder Cup efforts to a merciful end.
Team USA—1983
The shoe ended up on the other foot at PGA National when Europe—which had not gotten an outright win at the Ryder Cup since 1957 (the two sides tied in 1969)— took the aforementioned lead in 1983.
The two sides were all tied up at 8 heading into the individual showdowns, but Team USA was able to eke out the 14 1/2-13 1/2 win.
Team USA—1973
This is the first entry on this list that doesn’t involve Team Europe and the only one that falls during the relatively brief era where the United States competed against a squad consisting of players from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
1973 marked the inaugural Ryder Cup for the expanded team that was hoping the new talent pool would help it end America’s dominance. They got off to a pretty good start, as the golfers hailing from those neighboring isles were up 5 1/2-2 1/2 heading into Friday.
However, the two sides were tied at 8 points apiece by the time the next round of matches wrapped up, and the Americans dismantled the opposition in singles play to cruise to a 19-13 victory.
Team USA—1971
This is the only entry here that features a Ryder Cup between the United States and the United Kingdom. The Brits were down pretty bad at this point thanks to the dynasty the Americans had built at their expense, but they got a glimmer of hope by taking a 4 1/2-3 1/2 lead at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis in 1971.
Unfortunately, it was quickly extinguished as the Americans ended up at 10-6 following the second day of play en route to getting the 18 1/2-13 1/12 victory that led to the UK turning to the Emerald Isle for some help.
The post The 9 Ryder Cup Teams That Rallied To Win After Trailing Following The First Day Of Play appeared first on BroBible.
The 9 Ryder Cup Teams That Rallied To Win After Trailing Following The First Day Of Play
Pinoy Human Rights
0 Comments