The Ryder Cup returns at the end of the month and it is up to Paul McGinley’s Europe team to retain not just the trophy, but bragging rights also. After a nail biting 14.5 to 13.5 victory last time out, this year’s encounter is surely one that will be as fiercely contested as ever. Especially given the circumstances of the epic from two year’s ago where the US team failed to record a single point in the last five matches; which handed the overall win to Europe.

Gleneagles is a course long in the history of the Ryder Cup. The first suggestion of a cross Atlantic battle between the US and Great Britain (rest of Europe to join in 1979) was in September 1920. Golf Illustrated wrote a letter to the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, which set the wheels in motion for an all conquering battle of the nations. From this, a team of eleven along with James Harnett, sailed from New York on RMS Aquitania on May 24, 2024 to play a warm up tournament at non other than Gleneagles; ahead of the British Open two weeks later at St. Andrews. The Great British team also won that event recording 9 points to USA’s 3, with three matches being halved.

This year however, European stars such as Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer and of course Rory McIlroy will be looking to make the trip to Gleneagles one to forget for a USA team notably missing bad boy Tiger Woods. With stalwarts Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk still in the fight, only time will tell if USA’s mix of young and old will be enough to claw back one of the oldest trophies in sport.

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For such a simple game there is something about the Ryder Cup that tends to deliver great drama, tension and raw emotion. Some of the greatest pressure shots in golf have been played over these three days. It is almost impossible to narrow down a list of best shots, but here are some that we enjoyed:

JUSTIN LEONARD’S PUTT AT BROOKLINE

At the Country Club in 1999 Justin Leonard was struggling in his final day match against Jose Maria Olazabal. At one point he was 4 shots behind with seven holes to play. However, the match swung again, after a combination of mistakes and gutsy putting, by the 17th hole the match was all square. At this point the stakes were incredibly high, the American team needed a half-point to complete the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history.

It all came down to the green. Leonard’s ball sat 45 feet from the hole. Olazabal’s about 25 away. The American had always been a positive putter and it was no different this time, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife as his ball set of up the hill and then an incredible release of energy as it unbelievably dropped into the centre of the hole.

LANGER’S MISSED PUTT

In 1991 the American team were desperate to get their hands back on the trophy. It was an incredibly close matchup and it all came down to the final hole, of the final match, on the final day. Bernhard Langer v Hale Irwin the winner would take the cup.

The Americans led 14-13. The match was all square. If Langer won the hole, the Ryder Cup would end in a tie and Europe would keep the cup. Irwin’s approach hit a spectator, he chipped weakly and made bogey. Langer’s 45-foot birdie attempt went some five feet past the hole.

Described as the greatest pressure putt in the history of golf, Bernhard Langer faced a tricky five footer to regain the Ryder Cup for Europe. Painfully for the German his put was always off line and slipped by the hole.

NICKLAUS’S SPORTSMANSHIP

The 1969 Ryder Cup is remembered not for any particular great shot (of which there were many) but for an act of great sportsmanship. Held that year at Royal Birkdale it was one of the most competitive contests in terms of actual play, 18 of the 32 matches played went to the final green. The contest came down to the final match - Jack Nicklaus v Tony Jacklin.

Both teams had 15½ points and coming down the 18th the match was all square. On the final green Nicklaus holed his four-foot putt, leaving Jacklin with three feet for the half. Nicklaus’s par meant the USA would escape with at least a draw, and retain the trophy no matter what. But with his captain, Sam Snead, on the sidelines itching for the outright win, Nicklaus picked up Jacklin’s marker and conceded the putt. The match was halved – and the 1969 Ryder Cup was drawn. “I don’t think you would have missed that Tony,” Nicklaus said, “but I didn’t want to give you the chance.”

SEVE 3-WOOD FROM A BUNKER

If one match could encapsulate a career, perhaps even a man, it was this one. In 1983 with seven holes to play Seve Ballesteros was three up against Fuzzy Zoeller. He blew this lead and even ended up a shot behind before coming back to square things up as they approached the par five 18th tee. From there Ballesteros hit a poor first shot, his second wasn’t much better finding a bunker some 245 yards from the hole. At this point conventional wisdom suggested that there were two options for the next shot:

1. The sensible - layup short of the green and take your chances from there.

2. And the foolish – try and hit an iron from the bunker, over the water hazard, and onto the green.

Option one would keep the tie alive (just). Option two meant inevitable failure.

Ballesteros chose:

Option 3 – The crazy/genius shot. A 3 wood from 245 yards out of the sand, over the water and onto the green.

He made par and halved the match with Zoeller. Jack Nicklaus the US captain called it the “the finest shot I have ever seen”.