It is 20 years since one of the most famous competitions in world sport visited southern Spain. Seve Ballesteros and Tom Kite captained their respective teams at a Ryder Cup being hosted in mainland Europe for the first time. Real Club Valderrama, host of this week's Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation, was the site of Europe's triumph over an American side that included a 21 year old Tiger Woods.
We take the opportunity to look back on ten of the best photos from that week in 1997, when everything came together for a special European win.
1) Picture perfect
With its tree-lined fairways and beautiful water features, there's always a chance you'll capture something special at Valderrama. That's exactly what happened on the final day in 1997, with this picturesque shot on the 14th showing the course in all its glory.
2) Taming Tiger
Lee Westwood and Sir Nick Faldo claimed one of the outstanding results of the week when they beat Mark O'Meara and Tiger Woods in the Saturday morning fourballs 2&1. Woods had won the Masters Tournament, his first Major Championship, earlier in the year.
3) Dedication
The result may have been in Europe's favour, but the weather was far from perfect. As shown above, some fans used their imagination to protect their feet from the elements.
4) Jesper's joy
Jesper Parnevik's fist pump on the 18th came after the Swede and Per-Ulrik Johansson beat Jim Furyk and Tom Lehman 1UP to earn Europe one of two points in the Friday morning fourballs.
5) Captain
Seve Ballesteros looks like calmness personified in this picture, but his nervous energy played its part in getting Europe over the line against the United States.
6) Time to celebrate
Costantino Rocca and Jose Maria Olazábal proved a formidable partnership in Spain, winning two-and-a-half points together. After victory was confirmed, the duo shared a moment inside Valderrama's clubhouse.
7) Smile for the camera
Despite the wet end to proceedings, the photographers were out in force to capture Olazábal with the trophy, his third Ryder Cup win.
8) Amigos
Winning The Ryder Cup in their native Spain must have been that little bit more special for the men pictured above. Olazábal and Ignacio Garrido were the only two Spaniards on the team, with Miguel Angel Jiménez acting as vice-captain to Seve.
9) Flying high
These four know a thing or two about Ryder Cups. All of them have made at least three appearances in the competition.
10) A match made in heaven
No words needed.
