Ryder Cup Trophy: History, How It Got Its Name And All You Need To Know

The Ryder Cup has been one of the most prestigious occasions in the game for decades, as the Europeans and Americans compete over three days for the iconic trophy. But what is the history of the coveted prize awarded to the winner? 

The story of the trophy begins with Samuel A Ryder, who the trophy is named after. Ryder was a seed merchant from England who was born in 1858 and, from the age of 50, took up golf and began promoting local tournaments.

Eventually, in 1927, he commissioned the Mappin & Webb Co. to make a trophy, which he donated as the prize for the winning team in a proposed golf match between players from the US and Great Britain - the first Ryder Cup.

The trophy is made of gold and cost around £250 ($310) to make, which in today's money would be approximately £13,000 ($16,000), and Ryder then presented it to the Professional Golfers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland. 

As for that first Ryder Cup match, it took place at Worcester Country Club in Worcester, Massachusetts. It featured four foursomes and eight singles matches and was won by the US team by 9.5 points to 2.5 points. The victory was largely attributed to more accurate putting from the Americans.

The trophy was designed as a golden chalice and, while it would be easy to assume the figure of the man on top is Ryder, it is actually Abe Mitchell, who was a friend of Ryder's as well as his golf coach and an accomplished player. 

Indeed, Mitchell had plenty of success in the game, with several top-10 finishes in Majors. He went on to play in three Ryder Cups, too, in 1929, 1931 and 1933, with Europe winning twice, and Mitchell accumulating an overall record of 4-2-0.

The trophy is 17 inches tall, while it measures nine inches from handle to handle, with a weight of only four pounds. Meanwhile, the wooden base at the bottom has the scores of each match engraved into it.

The trophy received by the winning team is a replica owned by the PGA of America, while the original resides at the Professional Golfers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland. There is also a replica that is used for promotional purposes, while players and captains of the winning team receive another replica standing 12 inches in height.

When it began, the Ryder Cup didn't have nearly the significance it has today. However, by 1973, the British team had expanded to include Ireland, and, six years later, it changed again, to include all of continental Europe. That modest trophy commissioned almost a century ago has grown in stature, too, and nowadays is one of the most iconic in sport.