There were two unofficial matches between professionals from Great Britain and the United States before the birth of The Ryder Cup in 1927, both won by the British.

The first was played at Gleneagles in 1921 but the second of these, held at Wentworth in 1926, was undoubtedly the most significant for among those in the gallery was a man called Samuel Ryder.

Ryder was an English seed merchant and entrepreneur from St Albans in Hertfordshire who made his money selling penny seed packets. He had taken up golf relatively late in life to improve his health and employed Abe Mitchell, one of the golfing greats of his era, as his personal tutor.

Ryder was enthralled by the match at Wentworth, and particularly delighted to see Mitchell team up with George Duncan to defeat the defending Open Champion Jim Barnes and the great Walter Hagen. ‘We must do this again’, said Ryder in the bar afterwards and The Ryder Cup was born.

Ryder donated a small but striking gold cup that today epitomises all that is good in sporting competition. It cost £250 and the small golfing figure atop the cup, as requested by the donor, stands as a lasting memorial to Abe Mitchell.

The first 22 Ryder Cup matches pitched Great Britain and Ireland against the United States, with the US winning 18, GB and Ireland three and one match, the famous 1969 contest, tied.

In 1979, Europe entered the fray, with Seve Ballesteros and Antonio Garrido becoming the first continental golfers to play in The Ryder Cup. In the subsequent 16 matches, Europe have won eight, the United States seven, with one match tied.

The Ryder Cup has become one of the world’s greatest sporting contests as every two years 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head in match play competition. Drama, tension, incredible golf, camaraderie and sportsmanship are served in equal measure, captivating an audience of millions around the world. It’s an event that transcends sport, yet remains true to the spirit of its founder, Samuel Ryder.