For those old enough to remember the Ryder Cups before the 1980s were often dispiriting affairs especially if you were British. The Americans were simply too good & the British won only very occasionally. At the end of the 1970s the great American golfer Jack Nicklaus suggested that the British invite golfers from Europe to join their team. Seve Ballesteros from Spain & Bernhard Langer from Germany were just coming to the peak of their careers & it was an inspired suggestion that fortunately the British accepted. The contest became more even & the Europeans began to win as often as the Americans. Indeed since 1981 Europe has won ten of the sixteen contests. There have been many close & exciting contests with huge dramas developing on the last day. Standing out are the matches at Brookline in 1999 when the Americans overturned a deficit of 10-6 going into the final day; Celtic Manor in 2010 when the Americans nearly but not quite overturned a substantial European lead; & finally at Medinah in 2012 when the Americans were cruising comfortably to victory on Saturday afternoon with a 10-4 lead only for the Europeans to fight back: first by winning the last two fourballs on the Saturday & then winning 81/2 points out of 12 in the singles on Sunday. The Ryder Cup captures all the glory of golfs greatest match.