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List of European Ryder Cup Golfers

By Bill Herrfeldt

List of European Ryder Cup Golfers
Bernard Gallacher, Harry Weetman and Bernard Hunt played in a total of 23 Ryder Cups for the British Team from 1951 to 1979. At that time, the competition for the United States changed to the whole of Europe because the Yanks so dominated the British. The first Ryder Cup matches happened in 1927, when professionals from America and Britain squared off every two years. Since its inception, the Ryder Cup venue alternates between America and Europe.

Bernard Gallacher

This professional golfer played in the Ryder Cup seven times and was the non-playing captain of the European team three times between 1991 and 1995, a year in which the Europeans won the cup. When he played in the Ryder Cup for the first time in 1969, he was only 20 years of age and the youngest golfer in history to make the team for the Europeans. He also won thirteen times on the regular European tour.

Harry Weetman

Weetman played in the Ryder Cup seven consecutive times between 1951 and 1963. Harry Weetman won only two singles matches in the Ryder Cup and had a 2-11-2 win-loss-tie record. He was named captain of the British team three years later. He was always a gutsy player: in the 1959 Ryder Cup, all he needed to do to beat Sam Snead for a point was hit the ball safely on the green. Instead, he risked everything by going for the pin and hit his ball into the water. The Americans went on to beat the British by a startling 8 ½ to 3 ½.

Bernard Hunt

From 1953 to 1969, Bernard Hunt played for the British team in the Ryder Cup eight times and accumulated a won-loss-tie record of 6-16-6, although he was a much better singles player and rang up a record of 4-3-3. He then went on to be the non-playing captain of the British/Irish team in both 1973 and 1975 when the United States prevailed. From 1931 to 1985, the British/Irish or the European team only won one of the Ryder Cups. In 1957, it won by 7 ½ to 4 ½, largely due to Hunt's win over legendary Doug Ford in the singles finale.

About The Author

Bill Herrfeldt specializes in finance, sports and the needs of retiring people, and has been published in the national edition of "Erickson Tribune," the "Washington Post" and the "Arizona Republic." He graduated from the University of Louisville.
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