A look at Europe’s dominance on home soil in the Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup is rapidly approaching, with the 44^th renewal of the fiercely competitive tournament between Europe and the United States of America set to take place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia Montecelio on the outskirts of Rome between 29 September – 1 October.

You have to go all the way back to 1993 to find Team USA’s last victory on their travels across the Atlantic, as Tom Watson inspired his men to a 15-13 victory over the Bernard Gallagher-led Europeans at The Belfry in Wishaw, Warwickshire.

It looks like this year’s captain Luke Donald is going to have to pull off a miracle to stop the Americans from running riot in Italy, however. The visitors thrashed Team Europe 19-9 at Whistling Straits two years ago and they are the odds-on favourites to retain their title in the Paddy Power sports betting.

But this is the Ryder Cup and anything can happen when these two great nations come together for three days of golf that are sure to grab the attention of millions from all over the world. So, as we count down the days to tee off, let’s take a look at Europe’s dominance on home soil.

1997: Europe 14½-13½ United States

After their loss in Scotland four years prior, the 1997 Ryder Cup took place in Spain for the first time ever, and the legendary Seve Ballesteros fittingly captained the side at the Valderrama Golf Club. The scores were all square after the morning four-ball on the first day, but Europe soon stormed into a lead and boasted a healthy advantage of 10½ points to 5½ going into the Sunday singles.

That lead didn’t prove to be as comfortable as it seemed, however, as the US won the singles 8-4. It certainly would have Ballesteros sweating, but it wasn’t enough to stop the hosts winning 14½-13½.

2002: Europe 15½-12½ United States

The Ryder Cup returned to the Belfry for the fourth time in five renewals of the tournament on European soil, but Curtis Strange couldn’t guide the Americans to victory in Warwickshire like Watson did nine years prior — as the hosts ultimately won 15½ points to 12½.

The visitors led after all of the first three rounds of matches, but Europe leveled the scores at 8-8 in Saturday’s afternoon four-balls, and they won the singles 7½-4½ to secure the overall victory and regain the Ryder Cup after losing it in America three years earlier.

2006: Europe 18½-9½ United States

After stunning the US with an 18½-9½ victory at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004, Europe won the Ryder Cup by the same scoreline at the K Club in Ireland two years later to make it three victories on the bounce.

Ian Woosnam’s men only led by a point after the first four-ball session but kept extending their lead from there and went into Sunday’s singles matches with a 10-6 advantage. It still could have gone either way on the final day, but Europe dominated the singles with an 8½- 3½ win and the US went home with their tails between their legs.

2010: Europe 14½-13½ United States

It was a major headline in the sports news that the Ryder Cup was to be held at Celtic Manor in Wales for the first time in 2010 and Europe managed to come back from 2008’s hefty 16½-11½ defeat at Valhalla to win by a narrow 14½ points to 13½ under the supervision of Colin Montgomerie.

The United States led 6-4, but the hosts picked up five and a half points from a possible six to go into Sunday’s singles matches with a three-point advantage. They needed that cushion as well, as the US edged the singles 7-5, but it wasn’t enough.

2014: Europe 16½- 11½ United States 

Following another 14½-13½ victory at Medinah Country Club in 2012, Europe won the Ryder Cup for a third time in a row again in 2014. This time at Gleneagles in Scotland, Paul McGinley captained the hosts to a comfortable 16½- 11½ win.

The US led by a point after the opening round of fourballs, but Europe took a 5-3 lead into Saturday after the foursomes. The gap was extended to 10-6 after the second day’s play and the hosts outscored their counterparts 6½-5½ to win 16½- 11½.

2018: Europe 17½-10½ United States

The United States ended Europe’s streak with a 17-11 win over the Darren Clarke-captained side in 2016, but they regained the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in France with a 17½-10½ under Thomas Bjorn win in 2018.

The US took a 3-1 lead in the morning fourballs on Friday, but Europe won the foursomes 4-0 and Saturday’s morning fourballs 3-1 to lead by four. A 2-2 draw in the last foursomes meant Europe held a 10-6 advantage going into the singles and won 7½-4½ to regain the title.

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