Year	Location	Winner
2002	The Belfry	Europe	15½-12½	U.S.
1999	Brookline, Massachusetts	U.S.	14½-13½	Europe
1997	Valderrama, Spain	Europe	14½-13½	U.S.
1995	Oak Hill, New York	Europe	14½-13½	U.S.
1993	The Belfry	U.S.	15-13	Europe
1991	Kiawah Island, S Carolina	U.S.	14½-13½	Europe
1989	The Belfry	Europe	14-14	U.S.
1987	Muirfield Village, Ohio	Europe	15-13	U.S.
1985	The Belfry	Europe	16½-11½	U.S.
1983	PGA National, Florida	U.S.	14½-13½	Europe
1981	Walton Health	U.S.	18½-9½	Europe
1979	The Greenbrier, W Virginia	U.S.	17-11	Europe
1977	Royal Lytham	U.S.	12½-7½	GB&I
1975	Laurel Valley GC, Penn	U.S.	21-11	GB&I
1973	Muirfield	U.S.	19-13	GB&I
1971	Old Warson, Missouri	U.S.	18½-13½	Britain
1969	Royal Birkdale	U.S.	16-16	Britain
1967	Champions, Texas	U.S.	23½-8½	Britain
1965	Royal Birkdale	U.S.	19½-12½	Britain
1963	East Lake, Georgia	U.S.	23-9	Britain
1961	Royal Lytham & St. Annes	U.S.	14½-9½	Britain
1959	Eldorado, California	U.S.	8½-3½	Britain
1957	Lindrick	Britain	7½-4½	U.S.
1955	Thunderbird, California	U.S.	8-4	Britain
1953	Wentworth	U.S.	6½-5½	Britain
1951	Pinehurst, N Carolina	U.S.	9½-2½	Britain
1949	Ganton	U.S.	7-5	Britain
1947	Portland, Oregon	U.S.	11-1	Britain
1939-1945	Not played
1937	Southport & Ainsdale	U.S.	8-4	Britain
1935	Ridgewood, NJ	U.S.	9-3	Britain
1933	Southport & Ainsdale	Britain	6½-5½	U.S.
1931	Scioto, Ohio	U.S.	9-3	Britain
1929	Moortown	Britain	7-5	U.S.
1927	Worcester, Mass	U.S.	9½-2½	Britain

In 1927 English seed merchant Samuel Ryder presented the Ryder Cup to the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain as a prize for an international competition between American and British professional golfers.

The cup was commissioned for £250. It stands 17 inches high, is nine inches from handle to handle and weighs four pounds. The figure at the top is Abe Mitchell, friend and instructor of Ryder.

A bout of appendicitis prevented Mitchell from competing in the inaugural match, but he played in 1929, 1931 and 1933.

He had been employed at an annual fee of £1,000 by Ryder, who was encouraged to take up golf in his fifties after a bout of ill-health caused by over-work.

Born in Manchester in 1858, Ryder decided to go into business on his own, moved south and formed the Heath and Heather Seed Company. It was a huge success and with his social standing growing too he became mayor of St Albans in 1906.

He joined the Verulam club in the city, practised rain or shine six days a week for a year and having got his handicap down to six was elected club captain.

Ryder lived to see two Ryder Cups on British soil. He died in 1936 at the age of 77 and his favourite mashie club was placed in his coffin.

During the 1977 contest Jack Nicklaus approached the PGA and suggested it become America v Europe. This was adopted for 1979 with Seve Ballesteros and fellow Spaniard Antonio Garrido becoming the first continentals to take part.

The same year the format was changed to fourballs and foursomes on each of the first two days and then singles.