RYDER CUP

biennial professional team golf event first held in 1927. Until 1979 it was played between teams of golfers from the United States and Great Britain, but in 1979 and thereafter players opposing the United States were chosen from all of Europe. The trophy was donated by Samuel Ryder, a British seed merchant, for a biennial golf competition to alternate between British and U.S. venues. The players for each side were chosen by professional golf associations. The competition has been match play, foursomes (partners taking alternate strokes) one day and singles the next; in 1963 there was added a day of four-ball play (each player plays his own ball, and each team counts only the better score on each hole). Each match is worth one point to the winning side.