The Ryder Cup: Golf's Greatest Event [Import] [Hardcover] by Bubka, Bob

Revised and updated, this in-depth look recounts The Ryder Cup’s rich history and venerated place in sports, its champions and its characters, and its status as golf’s greatest grudge match.From its humble origins in 1927 to its place today as golf’s most gentlemanly battle—and a multi-million-dollar international sports event—The Ryder Cup has cemented its place in both its legacy and lore. Golf journalist Tom Clavin and golf commentator Bob Bubka have now made current their seminal work on the tournament, exploring the history and the rivalries, the extraordinary triumphs and devastating defeats, and the U.S. and the European contingents who have made this contest so remarkable.The names are legendary for any fan of Palmer, Nicklaus, Jacklin, Floyd, Mickelson, Ballesteros, Faldo, Hogan, Nelson, Watson, Strange, Sarazen, Crenshaw, Woods, Montgomerie…the list goes on, as do their pitched battles for dominance and accomplishments on the greens. This up-close and personal look at The Ryder Cup is a must-read for golf fans, especially in preparation for the landmark 40th Anniversary tournament in Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2014.

Pitting the best American golfers against the best Europeans, the biannual Ryder Cup is one of the few sporting events for professionals where patriotism, duty, and honor override the winner's check, of which there is none. The game is head-to-head match play for individuals and pairs. The history dates to 1927, when English seed merchant Samuel Ryder donated the trophy that gave the competition its name. Pretty much every golfer of import has left his divot on its fairways since. And then there's the competition. In 1997, a heavily favored American squad led by Tiger Woods; Fred Couples; Davis Love, III; Justin Leonard; Phil Mickelson; and Mark O'Meara shockingly failed to bring the trophy back from Valderamma, Spain.

The Ryder Cup collects the event's traditions and lore, traces its rise from obscurity to importance, describes a lot of golf, replays the American "Trauma at Valderamma" in--for Americans--painful detail, and proffers a preview of the September '99 matches at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Through interviews with Cup players and captains, Bubka and Clavin capture the intrigues and thoughts behind the preparation and strategy that go into team match-play format, like how pairings are formed among team players and the tactics of individual matchups on the final day. They also examine other team competitions, particularly the new President's Cup (Americans vs. a team of non-Europeans), and dredge up lots of individual and team Cup stats. Like the matches themselves, The Ryder Cup is designed to let you follow from start to finish, or just drop in wherever the play looks most appealing. --Jeff Silverman