How well do you know Ryder Cup history? Try this quiz:
FRIDAY FOURSOMES
1. Where did the Ryder Cup get its name?
a.) An English seed merchant
b.) An American rental truck company
c.) Bernard Darwin
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2. Name the first Senior Tour player to be picked for the Ryder Cup.
a.) Fred Funk
b.) Jay Haas
c.) Raymond Floyd
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3. Who is the only player to end a Ryder Cup match with a hole-in-one?
a.) Paul Casey
b.) Nick Faldo
c.) Scott Verplank
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4. Who was the last playing captain in the Ryder Cup?
a.) Tony Jacklin
b.) Arnold Palmer
c.) Dow Finsterwald
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FRIDAY FOURBALLS
5. Who is the youngest player to compete in the Ryder Cup?
a.) Sergio Garcia
b.) Tiger Woods
c.) Rickie Fowler
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6. Which U.S. captain put together the No. 1 and No. 2 player in the world, only to see them get beat on the last hole?
a.) Hal Sutton
b.) Ben Crenshaw
c.) Dave Stockton
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7. Rory McIlroy is No. 1 in the world. Who was the last European to be No. 1 at the Ryder Cup?
a.) Ian Woosnam
b.) Nick Faldo
c.) Lee Westwood
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8. Who holds the record for career points won in the Ryder Cup?
a.) Billy Casper
b.) Walter Hagen
c.) Nick Faldo
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SATURDAY FOURSOMES
9. On which course did Europe win its first Ryder Cup on American soil?
a.) Muirfield Village
b.) Oak Hill
c.) The Greenbrier
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10. What significant change in the Ryder Cup occurred in 1979?
a.) Players from continental Europe were eligible.
b.) Captains no longer could play in the matches.
c.) The Ryder Cup turned its first profit.
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11. On which golf course has the Ryder Cup been played the most times?
a.) Valhalla
b.) Southport and Ainsdale
c.) The Belfry
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12. The Ryder Cup was not played on consecutive days in 1951 at Pinehurst. Why was no golf played on Saturday?
a.) Overnight storms toppled all the corporate hospital tents.
b.) A hurricane warning.
c.) Both teams attended a college football game.
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SUNDAY SINGLES
13. Name the player whose 45-foot birdie putt that won the Ryder Cup became known as the “shot heard `round the world.”
a.) Seve Ballesteros
b.) Justin Leonard
c.) Davis Love III
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14. Who is the only player to beat Tiger Woods in Ryder Cup singles?
a.) Jesper Parnevik
b.) Ian Poulter
c.) Costantino Rocca
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15. Name the only American who played in at least five Ryder Cups and never lost a singles match.
a.) Larry Nelson
b.) Tom Kite
c.) Jack Burke Jr.
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16. This player, regarded one of the greatest ever in match play, suffered the worst singles loss in Ryder Cup history.
a.) Walter Hagen
b.) Seve Ballesteros
c.) Tiger Woods
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17. When the Ryder Cup resumed in 1947 after World War II, the Americans won 11-1 at Portland Golf Club. Name the only American to lose his match.
a.) Herman Keiser
b.) Byron Nelson
c.) Sam Snead
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18. When this player beat Ian Woosnam 2-up, he became the only player to go 18 holes in all five matches. Name him.
a.) Lanny Wadkins
b.) Curtis Strange
c.) Tom Watson
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19. What is considered the greatest gesture of sportsmanship in the Ryder Cup?
a.) Jack Nicklaus conceding Tony Jacklin a short par putt in 1969 so the Ryder Cup would end in a tie.
b.) Hal Sutton sending out Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as partners _ twice.
c.) Corey Pavin supporting Ryder Cup sales by purchasing rain suits from the pro shop at Celtic Manor.
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20. Who was the last player to win all five of his Ryder Cup matches?
a.) Luke Donald
b.) Larry Nelson
c.) Jack Nicklaus
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21. Ian Poulter defeated Steve Stricker in singles at Valhalla in 2008 to set what Ryder Cup record?
a.) Most points won by a captain’s pick.
b.) Fewest putts for an 18-hole match.
c.) First player to tweet a Ryder Cup result.
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22. Which player broke his putter in anger and had to use a sand wedge the rest of his match?
a.) Ben Crenshaw
b.) Tiger Woods
c.) Tommy Bolt
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23. Who was Bernhard Langer’s opponent when he missed his 6-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Kiawah Island?
a.) Hale Irwin
b.) Mark Calcavecchia
c.) Payne Stewart
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24. What did caddie Steve Williams do at The K Club in a 2006 singles match that caused so much embarrassment?
a.) Broke a photographer’s camera.
b.) Broke wind.
c.) Dropped Tiger Woods’ 9-iron into the River Liffey.
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25. Name the European who was No. 119 in the world when he beat Phil Mickelson in a pivotal singles match in 2002?
a.) Phillip Price
b.) Philip Walton
c.) David Gilford
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26. Who was the only American who failed to earn a point as a captain’s pick?
a.) Curtis Strange
b.) Jay Haas
c.) Fred Couples
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27. Which player hit a wedge to a foot on the final hole at PGA National that led to a U.S. victory?
a.) Raymond Floyd
b.) Lanny Wadkins
c.) Jim Gallagher Jr.
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28. Name the only American who lost the decisive singles match and won the decisive singles match.
a.) Jim Furyk
b.) Justin Leonard
c.) Hunter Mahan
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ANSWERS
1. a
2. c
3. a
4. b
5. a
6. b
7. b
8. c
9. a
10. a
11. c
12. c
13. b
14. c
15. b
16. a
17. a
18. b
19. a
20. b
21. a
22. a
23. a
24. c
25. a
26. a
27. b
28. a
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