Walter Hagen
For the third man on our American shortlist we go right back to the beginning. His impressive points percentage of 83%, his long association with the event and his role as non playing captain in 1937 would be enough to get Hagen on our list. But it is perfectly possible that without Walter there wouldn’t even be an event. It was Hagen who helped persuade Samuel Ryder to buy a trophy and found an official tournament and he then campaigned tirelessly to ensure that the British team were able to travel to America. He even paid for the US team’s outfits himself. And when the golf eventually got started Hagen found the matchplay format entirely suited to his flamboyant style of play. In that first event in 1927 he returned a 100% record that set the tone for all his future involvement in the Ryder Cup. In 1937, his powers on the course finally waning, Hagen took up the position of non-playing captain and guided his charges to victory at Southport. This was the first ever defeat for a home side in the Ryder Cup and was final confirmation of the America’s golfing dominance that Walter himself had done so much to establish.
Appearances: (5) 1927, 29, 31, 33, 35 (all Playing Captain). Captain 1937 (appointed Captain 1939 and 1941)
Record: 83%, Played 9, Won 7, Lost 1, Halved 1
Arnold Palmer
With America so dominant, the Ryder Cup appeared to be a weakened and flawed concept in the early 1960’s. It is doubtful if the event would have survived a snub from the dominant player of the time. Thankfully Arnold Palmer found the Ryder Cup to his liking, the showman in him enjoying the gladiatorial nature of the contest. Nowhere was that more apparent than in the singles where he won more matches than any other American. He lies second on America’s all time points scoring chart and, with Gardiner Dickson, formed one half of America’s most successful partnership. In 1967 Arnie managed to return a perfect five by winning all the matches he played. At the age of just 34 he became the youngest ever captain, and the last playing captain on either side, when he masterminded a 23-9 annihilation in Atlanta. In 1975 he returned as non-playing captain to guide America to yet another comprehensive win - although he watched on with amused detachment as Scotland’s Brian Barnes defeated his star man, Jack Nicklaus, twice in a day.
Appearances: (6) 1961, 63, 65, 67, 71, 73. Captain 1963, 1975
Record: 70%, Played 32, Won 22, Lost 8, Halved 2
Lanny Wadkins
That Lanny Wadkins is the most recent American player to make this shortlist says much about how the balance of the Ryder Cup has swung in recent years, but it also speaks volumes for his own battling qualities. As a rookie in 1977 he took three points from three and then had a ringside seat for the drama of the next few events as Europe joined the fray and the event was reignited. His 21 ½ points is third in America’s all time list although he won many of those points in far more competitive events than Billy Casper or Arnold Palmer could dream of. A team player, Wadkins excelled in the two player formats and is his country’s leading scorer in both foursomes and fourballs. In 1979, he teamed up with Larry Nelson to win four matches out of four – a record for any partnership. As a veteran in 1991 Wadkins had his team’s best record in their famous victory. Even in the newly competitive competition Wadkins would only taste defeat twice in his eight Ryder Cups as a player.
Appearances: (8) 1977, 79, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93. Captain 1995
Record: 63%, Played 34, Won 20, Lost 11, Halved 3