1957 Ryder Cup
Encyclopedia
The 12th Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Lindrick Golf Club in Rotherham
, England
. The Great Britain team led by captain Dai Rees
beat the United States team by a score of 7½ to 4½ points, winning the Ryder Cup
for the first time since 1933
.
On the first day of competition the Americans dominated the foursomes, winning three of four matches. Dick Mayer
and Tommy Bolt
's 7 & 5 win over Britain's Christy O'Connor
and Eric Brown
was the largest margin of victory on day one. On the second day of competition the British rallied, starting with the first two singles matches. Brown recorded a 4 & 3 victory over Bolt, and Peter Mills defeated Jack Burke, Jr. to draw Britain level at 3 to 3. The Americans responded when Fred Hawkins
won his match against Peter Alliss
, however Britain won the next four matches. Great Britain won the Ryder Cup when O'Connor defeated Dow Finsterwald
, giving the British team 7 points. Harry Bradshaw
and Mayer halved the final singles match to bring the final score to 7½ to 4½. The 1957 matches would mark the last time that a United States team would lose the event before players from continental Europe were allowed to take part in the Ryder Cup.
event, with each match worth one point. From 1927
through 1959
, the format consisted of 4 foursome (alternate shot) matches on the first day and 8 singles matches on the second day, for a total of 12 points. Therefore, 6½ points were required to win the Cup. All matches were played to a maximum of 36 holes.
— Captain Peter Alliss
Ken Bousfield
Max Faulkner
Christy O'Connor
Bernard Hunt
Harry Weetman
Eric Brown
Peter Mills Harry Bradshaw
Team USA
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Great Britain team led by captain Dai Rees
Dai Rees
David James Rees, CBE was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of World War II.The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as the captain of the Great Britain Ryder Cup team which defeated the United States at Lindrick Golf...
beat the United States team by a score of 7½ to 4½ points, winning the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
for the first time since 1933
1933 Ryder Cup
The 4th Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club in Southport, England.The Great Britain team won the competition by a score of 6½–5½ points. John Henry Taylor became only the second of three Team Great Britain captains to ever lift the Ryder Cup.-Format:The Ryder Cup is...
.
On the first day of competition the Americans dominated the foursomes, winning three of four matches. Dick Mayer
Dick Mayer
Alvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City....
and Tommy Bolt
Tommy Bolt
Thomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana...
's 7 & 5 win over Britain's Christy O'Connor
Christy O'Connor Snr
Christy O'Connor is a former Irish professional golferO'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, Galway. He turned professional in 1946. Throughout the 1960s he won at least one professional event during each year on the British Tour, a level of consistent success matched by very few other players...
and Eric Brown
Eric Brown (golfer)
Eric Chalmers Brown was a Scottish professional golfer.Brown was born in Bathgate and played at the local golf course. He represented Great Britain in the Ryder Cup in 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1959 and had a 4-4-0 win-loss-half record. He won all of his four singles matches but lost his four foursomes...
was the largest margin of victory on day one. On the second day of competition the British rallied, starting with the first two singles matches. Brown recorded a 4 & 3 victory over Bolt, and Peter Mills defeated Jack Burke, Jr. to draw Britain level at 3 to 3. The Americans responded when Fred Hawkins
Fred Hawkins
Fred Hawkins is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s.Hawkins was born in Antioch, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois and the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy . He turned professional in 1947...
won his match against Peter Alliss
Peter Alliss
Peter Alliss is an English professional golfer, BBC television presenter and commentator, author and golf course designer. Alliss is known for his charismatic and unique style of commentary, often displaying a witty demeanour...
, however Britain won the next four matches. Great Britain won the Ryder Cup when O'Connor defeated Dow Finsterwald
Dow Finsterwald
Dow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in...
, giving the British team 7 points. Harry Bradshaw
Harry Bradshaw (golfer)
Harry Bradshaw was a leading Irish professional golfer of the 1940s and 1950s.Bradshaw was born in Delgany, Wicklow. He was the son of the Delgany professional golfer Ned Bradshaw and he and his three brothers Jimmy, Eddie and Hughie all became professional golfers...
and Mayer halved the final singles match to bring the final score to 7½ to 4½. The 1957 matches would mark the last time that a United States team would lose the event before players from continental Europe were allowed to take part in the Ryder Cup.
Format
The Ryder Cup is a match playMatch play
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; this is as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes...
event, with each match worth one point. From 1927
1927 Ryder Cup
The 1st Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Worcester Country Club in Worcester, Massachusetts.The United States team won the competition by a score of 9½–2½ points. USA Captain Walter Hagen became the first winning captain to lift the Ryder Cup...
through 1959
1959 Ryder Cup
The 13th Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Eldorado Golf Club in Indian Wells, California. The United States team won the competition by a score of 8½ to 3½ points. The British who were once again led by Dai Rees were unable to repeat the heroics of two years earlier and were comprehensively...
, the format consisted of 4 foursome (alternate shot) matches on the first day and 8 singles matches on the second day, for a total of 12 points. Therefore, 6½ points were required to win the Cup. All matches were played to a maximum of 36 holes.
Teams
Team Great Britain Dai ReesDai Rees
David James Rees, CBE was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of World War II.The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as the captain of the Great Britain Ryder Cup team which defeated the United States at Lindrick Golf...
— Captain Peter Alliss
Peter Alliss
Peter Alliss is an English professional golfer, BBC television presenter and commentator, author and golf course designer. Alliss is known for his charismatic and unique style of commentary, often displaying a witty demeanour...
Ken Bousfield
Ken Bousfield
Ken Bousfield was one of the leading British golfers of the immediate post-World War II period.Bousfield won a number of tournaments on the European circuit in the 1950s and 1960s, including the British PGA Championship, which is the second most prestigious tournament in the United Kingdom after...
Max Faulkner
Max Faulkner
Herbert Gustavus Max Faulkner, OBE was an English professional golfer who won The Open Championship in 1951 and was renowned for his colourful dress sense....
Christy O'Connor
Christy O'Connor Snr
Christy O'Connor is a former Irish professional golferO'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, Galway. He turned professional in 1946. Throughout the 1960s he won at least one professional event during each year on the British Tour, a level of consistent success matched by very few other players...
Bernard Hunt
Bernard Hunt
Bernard John Hunt, MBE is an English professional golfer.Hunt was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire. He turned professional in 1946 and was a leading player on the European circuit in the 1950s and 1960s. He topped the Order of Merit, which was then points-based, in 1958, 1960 and 1965...
Harry Weetman
Harry Weetman
Harry Weetman was an English professional golfer.Weetman won many tournaments on the British PGA circuit in the pre-European Tour era and won the Harry Vardon Trophy for lowest stroke average in 1952 and 1956...
Eric Brown
Eric Brown (golfer)
Eric Chalmers Brown was a Scottish professional golfer.Brown was born in Bathgate and played at the local golf course. He represented Great Britain in the Ryder Cup in 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1959 and had a 4-4-0 win-loss-half record. He won all of his four singles matches but lost his four foursomes...
Peter Mills Harry Bradshaw
Harry Bradshaw (golfer)
Harry Bradshaw was a leading Irish professional golfer of the 1940s and 1950s.Bradshaw was born in Delgany, Wicklow. He was the son of the Delgany professional golfer Ned Bradshaw and he and his three brothers Jimmy, Eddie and Hughie all became professional golfers...
Team USA
- Jack Burke, Jr. — Captain
- Doug FordDoug Ford (golfer)Douglas Michael Ford, Sr. born Fortunato is an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion.Ford was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 1949 and won for the first time in 1952 at the Jacksonville Open.The win in Jacksonville was an unusual one...
- Art Wall
- Ted Kroll
- Dick MayerDick MayerAlvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City....
- Dow FinsterwaldDow FinsterwaldDow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in...
- Fred HawkinsFred HawkinsFred Hawkins is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s.Hawkins was born in Antioch, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois and the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy . He turned professional in 1947...
- Tommy BoltTommy BoltThomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana...
- Lionel HebertLionel HebertLionel P. Hebert was an American golfer. He won five times on the PGA Tour including the 1957 PGA Championship, the last to be held at match play. His older brother Jay won the same event at stroke play in 1960. Lionel also played on the 1957 Ryder Cup team...
- Ed FurgolEd FurgolEdward Joseph Furgol was an American professional golfer.When he was twelve years of age, Furgol injured his left elbow when he fell off a set of parallel bars. The elbow never healed correctly and Furgol was left with a crooked arm as a result...
Friday's foursome matches
Results | ||
---|---|---|
Alliss Peter Alliss Peter Alliss is an English professional golfer, BBC television presenter and commentator, author and golf course designer. Alliss is known for his charismatic and unique style of commentary, often displaying a witty demeanour... /Hunt Bernard Hunt Bernard John Hunt, MBE is an English professional golfer.Hunt was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire. He turned professional in 1946 and was a leading player on the European circuit in the 1950s and 1960s. He topped the Order of Merit, which was then points-based, in 1958, 1960 and 1965... |
2 & 1 | Ford Doug Ford (golfer) Douglas Michael Ford, Sr. born Fortunato is an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion.Ford was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 1949 and won for the first time in 1952 at the Jacksonville Open.The win in Jacksonville was an unusual one... /Finsterwald Dow Finsterwald Dow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in... |
Bousfield Ken Bousfield Ken Bousfield was one of the leading British golfers of the immediate post-World War II period.Bousfield won a number of tournaments on the European circuit in the 1950s and 1960s, including the British PGA Championship, which is the second most prestigious tournament in the United Kingdom after... /Rees Dai Rees David James Rees, CBE was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of World War II.The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as the captain of the Great Britain Ryder Cup team which defeated the United States at Lindrick Golf... |
3 & 2 | Wall/Hawkins Fred Hawkins Fred Hawkins is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s.Hawkins was born in Antioch, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois and the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy . He turned professional in 1947... |
Faulkner Max Faulkner Herbert Gustavus Max Faulkner, OBE was an English professional golfer who won The Open Championship in 1951 and was renowned for his colourful dress sense.... /Weetman Harry Weetman Harry Weetman was an English professional golfer.Weetman won many tournaments on the British PGA circuit in the pre-European Tour era and won the Harry Vardon Trophy for lowest stroke average in 1952 and 1956... |
4 & 3 | Kroll/Burke |
O'Connor Christy O'Connor Snr Christy O'Connor is a former Irish professional golferO'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, Galway. He turned professional in 1946. Throughout the 1960s he won at least one professional event during each year on the British Tour, a level of consistent success matched by very few other players... /Brown Eric Brown (golfer) Eric Chalmers Brown was a Scottish professional golfer.Brown was born in Bathgate and played at the local golf course. He represented Great Britain in the Ryder Cup in 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1959 and had a 4-4-0 win-loss-half record. He won all of his four singles matches but lost his four foursomes... |
7 & 5 | Mayer Dick Mayer Alvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City.... /Bolt Tommy Bolt Thomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana... |
1 | Session | 3 |
1 | Overall | 3 |
Saturday's singles matches
Results | ||
---|---|---|
Eric Brown Eric Brown (golfer) Eric Chalmers Brown was a Scottish professional golfer.Brown was born in Bathgate and played at the local golf course. He represented Great Britain in the Ryder Cup in 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1959 and had a 4-4-0 win-loss-half record. He won all of his four singles matches but lost his four foursomes... |
4 & 3 | Tommy Bolt Tommy Bolt Thomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana... |
Peter Mills | 5 & 3 | Jack Burke, Jr. |
Peter Alliss Peter Alliss Peter Alliss is an English professional golfer, BBC television presenter and commentator, author and golf course designer. Alliss is known for his charismatic and unique style of commentary, often displaying a witty demeanour... |
2 & 1 | Fred Hawkins Fred Hawkins Fred Hawkins is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s.Hawkins was born in Antioch, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois and the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy . He turned professional in 1947... |
Ken Bousfield Ken Bousfield Ken Bousfield was one of the leading British golfers of the immediate post-World War II period.Bousfield won a number of tournaments on the European circuit in the 1950s and 1960s, including the British PGA Championship, which is the second most prestigious tournament in the United Kingdom after... |
4 & 3 | Lionel Hebert Lionel Hebert Lionel P. Hebert was an American golfer. He won five times on the PGA Tour including the 1957 PGA Championship, the last to be held at match play. His older brother Jay won the same event at stroke play in 1960. Lionel also played on the 1957 Ryder Cup team... |
Dai Rees Dai Rees David James Rees, CBE was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of World War II.The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as the captain of the Great Britain Ryder Cup team which defeated the United States at Lindrick Golf... |
7 & 6 | Ed Furgol Ed Furgol Edward Joseph Furgol was an American professional golfer.When he was twelve years of age, Furgol injured his left elbow when he fell off a set of parallel bars. The elbow never healed correctly and Furgol was left with a crooked arm as a result... |
Bernard Hunt Bernard Hunt Bernard John Hunt, MBE is an English professional golfer.Hunt was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire. He turned professional in 1946 and was a leading player on the European circuit in the 1950s and 1960s. He topped the Order of Merit, which was then points-based, in 1958, 1960 and 1965... |
6 & 5 | Doug Ford Doug Ford (golfer) Douglas Michael Ford, Sr. born Fortunato is an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion.Ford was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 1949 and won for the first time in 1952 at the Jacksonville Open.The win in Jacksonville was an unusual one... |
Christy O'Connor Christy O'Connor Snr Christy O'Connor is a former Irish professional golferO'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, Galway. He turned professional in 1946. Throughout the 1960s he won at least one professional event during each year on the British Tour, a level of consistent success matched by very few other players... |
7 & 6 | Dow Finsterwald Dow Finsterwald Dow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in... |
Harry Bradshaw Harry Bradshaw (golfer) Harry Bradshaw was a leading Irish professional golfer of the 1940s and 1950s.Bradshaw was born in Delgany, Wicklow. He was the son of the Delgany professional golfer Ned Bradshaw and he and his three brothers Jimmy, Eddie and Hughie all became professional golfers... |
halved | Dick Mayer Dick Mayer Alvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City.... |
6½ | Session | 1½ |
7½ | Overall | 4½ |