Ryder Cup Betting / Dan Fitch / 23 September 2010 /

Dan Fitch looks at the most memorable Ryder Cup moments.

The Ryder Cup begins next weekend and it's an event heaped in history. The first competition took place in 1927, between Britain and the US, before the decision was made for a European team to compete in 1979.

Over the years there have been some remarkable golf played in this unique event. Here are our 10 most memorable Ryder Cup moments

10. 1987 - The weirdest Ryder Cup moment

Ben Crenshaw was losing on the sixth to Eamonn Darcy and in a fit of pique, snapped his putter's shaft. He was left to putt with his sand wedge and one-iron. Crenshaw lost by a single shot.

9. 1991 - The best-ever pairs match

Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal's 2 & 1 win over Paul Azinger and Chip Beck, was all the more notable for the fact that Ballesteros and Azinger were in the middle of a war of words, having accused each other of cheating in 1989.

The tension between the warring opponents, ensured that with their partners they produced the most memorable pairs match in history.

8. 1983 - Europe's greatest shot

Jack Nicklaus described Seve Ballesteros' bunker shot on the 18th at the PGA National, as 'the finest shot I've ever seen'.

In the sand and some 250 yards from the green, Seve reached for his three-wood and somehow knocked the ball within 18 ft of the hole.

7. 1991 - USA's greatest win

Dubbed 'The War On The Shore', the 1991 Ryder Cup was a controversial affair, notable for Corey Pavin strutting around in a Desert Storm cap and the ongoing feud between Seve Ballesteros and Paul Azinger.

It all went down to the last hole, when a missed putt by Bernhard Langer gave the US a 14.5-13.5 victory.

6. 1991 - The best Ryder Cup quote

"If you don't pull yourself together, I'm going to join them, and you can play all three of us, you useless bastard!" - Sam Torrance gives a pep talk to his Ryder Cup team-mate David Feherty in 1991.

5. 1981 - The greatest singles match

The fact that Tom Kite beat Sandy Lyle 3&2 in 1981, doesn't tell the whole story. In 16 holes Lyle hit eight birdies, and Kite 10.

Kite later said: "If Sandy and I had played as a foursome, we would have beaten the lights out of anyone."

4. 1971 - America's best ever shot

After finding himself trapped up against a tree at Old Warson in a match against Brian Huggett, the only way that Lee Trevino could hit the ball was to play a left-hand reverse wedge shot.

From 120 yards, he somehow landed plum on the green. Trevino later said: "After I hit that shot, I looked at Huggett, and he looked at me, and I said, 'I'm as surprised as you are'."

3. 1999 - The most controversial Ryder Cup

Having trailed 10-6 going into the final day, the US pulled off a remarkable comeback to win 14.5-13.5.

The controversy came in a decisive singles match between Justin Leonard and Jose Maria Olazabal. Having holed a remarkable 45-ft putt, Leonard celebrated wildly, leading to other US players, wives and fans running onto the green.

What made this controversial was the fact that Leonard's shot hadn't actually won the Ryder Cup for the US. Olazabal could keep Europe in it if he sank his putt, but the actions of the Americans had clearly increased the pressure on him and no one was surprised when he missed.

2. 1995 - Europe's greatest win

With the US having won the previous two Ryder Cups, there was a danger that they were going to monopolise the competition. This looked even more likely when they lead 9-7 on home soil at Oak Hill.

Somehow though, Europe fought back during the singles to claim a narrow victory. Eventually it all came down to Phillip Walton to give Europe a Ryder Cup win. His first putt from 10ft went 12 inches past the hole, but he made no mistake with his second. It was only the second time that Europe had triumphed on American soil.

1. 1969 - Sportsmanship the winner, as the Ryder Cup is tied

The 1969 Ryder Cup is thought of as the definitive contest. The match was halved 16-16, with 18 of the 32 matches going down to the last green.

Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin played out the final match, which was to end in the most dramatic, controversial and yet heart-warming circumstances.

With the Ryder Cup on the line on the 18th, the competitors made the green in two. Nicklaus and Jacklin both failed to hole with their third shot, before Nicklaus putted from four feet.

With Jacklin needing to put from two feet to halve the match, Nicklaus conceded Jacklin's shot to ensure a tie, explaining: "I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity."

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