Let’s be honest the Ryder Cup wouldn’t be the Ryder Cup without our American friends turning up in a collection of horrific ensembles.
We through some of the absolute best – or worst, depending on which way you want to look at it – over recent years as well as an absolute pearler from 1983 which is well worth the wait…
Knitmare
You’re playing against the coolest golfer to walk the planet, in his favourite competition, on his turf, and you’ve been sent out with a giant Ryder Cup across your chest. And also one on your very bad roll-neck jumpers.
You do wonder what the thinking is and if any other sport would entertain having an image of what you’re playing for on a dreary bit of knitwear.
To his great credit, Jim Gallagher Jr overcame all the odds – and his poor get-up – to beat Seve 3&2 as the US retained the trophy at The Belfry in 1993.
It remains the last time they won overseas.
Floral failure
There is lots to ponder from this pic from Oak Hill in 1995 – namely the gloveless left hand, the size of the clubhead, and the shape of the hat – but the over-riding mental image is of the shirt.
It might only be a practice day but Corey Pavin and the rest of his team took to the fairways in a pair of curtains. If anything screams American golf it is a weird floral design on some sort of fawn shirt.
Is it Boxing Day already?
Another stinker overseen by Captain Wadkins in ’95.
There are few people on this planet who like knitwear and the colour grey and often put together but this is a poor outfit.
If your Uncle Geoffrey turned up on Christmas Day looking like this you’d be a bit disappointed in him.
Head over to the next page for more stinkers from the USA Ryder Cup teams…
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Pizza the action
Who could knock a shirt that might have helped a team to one of the most impressive comebacks in any sport? Well, we’ll give it a go.
The burgundy shirts had pictures of victorious teams from over the years. The BBC commentary likened them to some pepperoni pizzas.
ESPN once did a brilliant piece on what each team player had done with their shirts. Davis Love said: “I’ve got two of those shirts hanging in my closet. I keep all my Sunday shirts when I win. I have two of them because
I wore one to the closing ceremonies and it got all wet.”
Steve Pate framed his and sold it in a charity auction, it raised $5,000.
While Tiger Woods was less enthusiastic: “I threw it in the fireplace over Christmas and burned it.
It was sooo ugly. It provided more warmth for the house.”
Goodfellas
The shambles of Hal Sutton’s leadership in 2004 began at the opening ceremony where the Americans emerged as though they were preparing for a shift down the stock exchange rather than attempting to win back the Ryder Cup.
It shouldn’t be too hard to look both relatively smart and relatively cool at the same time.
In 2004 they failed miserably on both counts.
Rain not so supreme
Sun Mountain, the most famous set of waterproofs in golf but for all the wrong reasons.
This was a misjudged break from the norm as the players’ names were emblazoned across the back of their jackets which also had USA available for your eyes from every angle.
The real problem was that they shipped water which meant the back-up team were dispatched to the merchandising shop where they had to splash £4,000 for some new waterproofs that lived up to the name.
It gets a lot worse – but then strangely far better. Find out on the next page…
Artist’s impression
The terrible jumpers from The Belfry were back in action and part of the line-up in Wales.
Unlike the result from 17 years before things didn’t go their way as Europe sneaked home. Other than the way Pavin is wearing it I quite enjoyed the shirts here, it’s just a shame that they had to sit underneath these jumpers emblazoned with what appears to be a pencil sketch of the trophy.
Red dead redemption
What is it with the Americans and red trousers? A Ryder Cup doesn’t seem to pass by with a pair of scarlet slacks assaulting our eyeballs. Compare the two looks here; every single aspect of Europe’s get-up is on a superior level to that of the visitors.
Sadly Patrick Reed, who was Public Enemy No. 1 at Gleneagles after his infamous shushing the day before, beat Stenson at the last.
USA USA USA
If you were wondering who Jordan Spieth was representing two years ago then wonder no more. Even the socks got the treatment.
It’s even money that his undercrackers had some sort of logo.
Vice City
Of course we’ve saved the best for last…
This might not be to everybody’s taste or, indeed, anybody’s taste but, when you wouldn’t look out of place on the set of Miami Vice, then you’re alright by me.
‘I didn’t pay him a lot of respect – I was 22 and cocky’
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