The 1979 Ryder Cup
Forty years ago, golf at The Greenbrier graduated.
The Greenbrier’s place in golf history had already been cemented by the mid-1900s. From golfing legend Sam Snead, who served as the Golf Professional at America’s Resort™ from 1936 through 1974 — later returning as the Golf Professional Emeritus from 1993 until his death in 2002 — to presidents, dignitaries and celebrities who walked the fairways and putted on the greens, those who understood golf in the United States knew all about The Greenbrier.
But it was an event 40 years ago this week that really crowned The Greenbrier as one of golf’s ultimate destinations.
In 1976, The Greenbrier hired Jack Nicklaus with one goal in mind, rebuilding The Greenbrier Course to host the Ryder Cup in 1979. The course, which had opened in 1924, had the pedigree, but some changes had to be made for it to host the best in the world. So, for 22 months, Nicklaus and his team focused HAROLD VARNER III HAROLD VARNER on every hole on the course. The greens were rebuilt, a lake was added, the number of bunkers was increased to 44, and par went from 70 to 72.
The new course officially opened on Memorial Day Weekend in 1978, but it was introduced The 1979 Ryder Cup American Team to the world September 14-16, 1979, when the 23rd Ryder Cup Matches came to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Official Program 13
© 2019 PGATOUR, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The 1979 Ryder Cup was a significant one. Since came into the competition with no intention of 1927, British and American professional teams had relinquishing its dominance. The team had a strong competed for the trophy, but in 1979 the British mix of youth (26-year-old Andy Bean, 27-year- team was replaced by Team Europe, a move that old Fuzzy Zoeller, 29-year-old Tom Kite) and was made to help raise the profile of the event and experience (45-year-old Lee Elder, 39-year-old make the competition, which had been dominated Lee Trevino, 34-year-old Hale Irwin). Tom Watson by the United States since the end of World War II, was supposed to be a part of the U.S. team, but a little tighter. he left the day before the competition began to be there for the birth of his first child. He was replaced Captaining the European team was John Jacobs, by first-alternate Mark Hayes. The rest of the team and his squad was filled with big names, including a included Gil Morgan, Hubert Green, Larry Nelson, pair of 22-year-old phenoms in Seve Ballesteros of John Mahaffey and Lanny Wadkins. Spain and Nick Faldo of Great Britain. Mark James, Brian Barnes, Bernard Gallacher, Sandy Lyle, Ken The United States jumped out to a quick start, Brown, Antonio Garrido, Tony Jacklin, Michael King, winning three of the four morning four-ball Des Smyth and Peter Oosterhuis made up the rest matches, and the U.S. team won two afternoon of the European team. foursomes, and halved another, to take a 5 ½-2 ½ lead into Saturday’s play. Captained by Billy Casper, the United States
14 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Official Program The European team, though, captured three of the four morning foursomes to cut the gap to one point. After the afternoon four-ball competition was split two points each, the U.S. team entered the final day clinging to a slim 8 ½-7 ½ advantage.
The nation tuned in on ABC Television on that final day, and the U.S. team didn’t disappoint in the morning singles. Gallacher’s win over Wadkins was the only European victory in those morning matches, as Nelson, Kite, Hayes, Bean and Mahaffey all won singles matches for the guys in red, white and blue to take a 13 1/2 -8 ½ The 1979 Ryder Cup European Team lead.
The morning domination left the Americans just one point away from claiming victory, and that then in 1994 it hosted the Solheim Cup, becoming came easily as Irwin, Green and Trevino all won the first resort course to host both the Ryder Cup afternoon matches to clinch a 17-11 win for the and Solheim Cup. United States. Today, The Greenbrier Course is open as a nine- The newly-redesigned Greenbrier Course went hole routing, giving golfers an opportunity to see on to host the American Express Championship Nicklaus’ vision and walk in the footsteps of those on the Senior Tour from 1985 through 1987, and golfing greats who made history 40 years ago.
16 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Official Program