fbpx
Classic Golf moments: The '53 Ryder Cup

Classic Golf moments: The ’53 Ryder Cup

America land in London ahead of their Ryder Cup defence
 

For more golf news, discussion and videos follow @NCGmagazine on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube video channel, and sign up to our newsletter.

Date
26th September 1953

The Place
London Airport, England


The Scene
By today’s standards, this scene looks rather sedate and low key; when teams arrive for Ryder Cups they do so to enormous fanfare, hype and attention.

19767|c:520x330.img

In contrast, the American side landing at London Airport ahead of the 1953 Ryder Cup look understated, relaxed and unflustered. We rather like the neat simplicity of it all.

The line up is as follows, from left to right: Lloyd Mangrum

(holding the cup), Dr Cary Middlecoff, Ed Oliver, Sam Snead, Jim Turnesa, Jack Burke, Walter Burkemo, Ted Kroll, Fred Haas, Dave Douglas, Roy O’Brien (a supporter) and manager Fred Corcoran.

Background
Snead is clearly the best known of the team, followed by Burke and Middlecoff but by American standards this was not a classic side, falling between their star-studded eras.

Indeed, we are all more familiar with the names in the Great Britain & Ireland side of the day – which is a rarity in this era of American dominance.

The captain was Henry Cotton and he led a side containing several luminaries of the British and Irish game: Max Faulkner, Fred Daly, Peter Alliss, Harry Bradshaw, Dai Rees, Harry Weetman, Eric Brown, Jimmy Adams, John Panton and Bernard Hunt.

The Action
The match took place at Wentworth and proved to be GB&I’s best chance of victory since the win at Southport & Ainsdale 20 years previous. By way of background, GB&I entered these matches in Surrey on the back of a 9.5 2.5 thrashing at Pinehurst in 1951.

But after losing Friday’s foursomes matches 3-1 – including an 8&7 defeat for Brown and Panton at the hands of Mangrum and Snead, Cotton’s side fought back in the singles.

Burke edged out Rees but then Daly, Brown and Weetman all won their matches – the latter with a one-hole victory over Snead – to level the tie at 4-4. But Faulkner lost to Middlecoff 3&1 and Turnesa saw off Alliss at the 18th.

Hunt halved and Bradshaw beat Haas 3&2 to make the final score a respectable 6.5-5.5.

Latest Posts

dp world tour 2024 schedule

DP World Tour

DP World Tour 2024 schedule and results

Read full article - DP World Tour 2024 schedule and results
liv golf schedule 2024

LIV Golf

LIV Golf schedule 2024: Every date, venue and result

Read full article - LIV Golf schedule 2024: Every date, venue and result
players championship field 2024

News

Players Championship field: Who is playing at TPC Sawgrass?

Read full article - Players Championship field: Who is playing at TPC Sawgrass?
LIV Golf

LIV Golf

How far have the LIV golfers fallen in the world rankings?

Read full article - How far have the LIV golfers fallen in the world rankings?
pga championship field

News

World Golf Rankings 2024: Who’s in the top 10?

Read full article - World Golf Rankings 2024: Who’s in the top 10?
LIV Golf

LIV Golf

Show me the money! How much has each LIV player made since signing up?

Read full article - Show me the money! How much has each LIV player made since signing up?
rory mcilroy talor gooch

News

Rory McIlroy’s advice for Talor Gooch: Be more like Joaquin Niemann!

Read full article - Rory McIlroy’s advice for Talor Gooch: Be more like Joaquin Niemann!
viktor hovland prize money

News

Soulless, comical and sad: Viktor Hovland has a bleak outlook on golf

Read full article - Soulless, comical and sad: Viktor Hovland has a bleak outlook on golf
talor gooch

LIV Golf

‘It’s noteworthy’: Talor Gooch defends controversial Rory McIlroy asterisk claim

Read full article - ‘It’s noteworthy’: Talor Gooch defends controversial Rory McIlroy asterisk claim