It says much for the ease with which the United States had won the Ryder Cup on such a regular basis that the December 1983 edition of Golf Monthly was in raptures simply because the European team had lost by just two points in the most recent match, but as history has shown, this was a turning point in the competition’s history.
It was the closest the US had ever come to losing on home soil and, right until the end, there was never more than a single point between the sides. Following the match over the three days, Colin Callander produced a brilliant piece of reporting for the magazine that captured the ebb and flow of the tournament, as well as the American relief at hanging on to the trophy, extraordinary given their nine point win at Walton Heath two years before.
European captain Tony Jacklin hinted at what was to come in future years, saying, “I had 12 of the greatest in my side. I never had one complaint, one whimper, all week…We’re looking forward to doing it all again in two years time. I think we have a great chance.” His US counterpart, Jack Nicklaus, added, “This is as big a thrill as anything I’ve ever done in golf.”
You can read why in the superb full report here.
