Who is the Ryder Cup named after? Name explained as USA and Europe do battle

The Ryder Cup, which commences at Bethpage Black on Friday, stands as one of golf's most prestigious tournaments and undoubtedly the sport's premier team competition. The biennial contest derives its name from a man who didn't take up the game until approaching his 50s.

Samuel Ryder conceived the idea of an official tournament pitting the United States against Great Britain back in the 1920s. Born in 1858, Ryder accumulated substantial riches as a seed merchant. The Manchester-born entrepreneur moved to St Albans, where he took on the roles of mayor and justice of the peace. Ryder was 49 when he discovered golf through his friend, Reverend Frank Wheeler, who told him: "What you need is fresh air and exercise. Come out with me on the golf course and hit a few balls."

Ryder swiftly became engrossed in the sport and served on the greens committee at his local club for two decades. In 1921, the first unofficial match between professionals from Great Britain and the United States took place at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Regarded as a preparation tournament ahead of the Open Championship at St Andrews, it marked the first occasion 12 golfers from each side of the Atlantic had competed head-to-head. GB triumphed 9-3.

The second unofficial match took place at Wentworth in Surrey in 1926. Captivated by the spectacle, Ryder resolved to transform the event into a regular 'official' fixture. He struck an agreement with the British PGA and contributed £250 for a 17in high gold trophy topped with a golfing figure.

That figure represents the likeness of Abe Mitchell, a prominent golfer of the era who received backing from Ryder. The inaugural official tournament occurred in Massachusetts in 1927, with the US triumphing 9.5-2.5. The contest proved enormously popular, establishing itself as a biennial spectacle that rotated between the US and the UK.

Ryder passed away in London in 1936, aged 77. The media honoured his tremendous dedication to golf, reporting: "The devotion of Mr Ryder to the game of golf was shown during the match at Southport over two years ago when he travelled to the North under the care of a nurse.

"On each of the two days of the match, Mr Ryder had to be assisted into a car to travel to the course. There, he was helped to a seat in the open from which he would view a part of the course.

"A great believer in British golf standards he resented strongly an assertion that our Ryder Cup team of 1931 was a collection of 'has beens'. He offered a wager of £1,000 that the British players would prove their superiority over the Americans."

Following decades of American supremacy, players from Ireland joined the GB squad in 1977. Two years later, players from continental Europe were included. This transformed the competition into a far more challenging event, setting the stage for it to become one of the most significant events in sport, not just golf. And it was all thanks to a brainwave from one Samuel Ryder.

The 2025 event will see the US attempt to regain the trophy, having lost it following a thrilling contest in Rome two years ago.