1933 Ryder Cup

Score: Great Britain 6.5, USA 5.5
Site: Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club in Southport, England
Captains: USA - Walter Hagen; Great Britain - J.H. Taylor

In retrospect, the 1933 USA Ryder Cup team looks like one of the strongest ever assembled: eight of the 10 members would finish their careers with at least two wins in majors. Only one of the 10 (Ed Dudley) failed to win at least one major in his career.

But it was Team Great Britain that earned the victory, keeping alive the streak through the first four Ryder Cups of the home team winning.

Great Britain got off to a great start in foursomes when Charles Whitcombe and Percy Alliss teamed to earn a halve with the powerhouse partnership of Gene Sarazen and player-captain Walter Hagen. The Brits won the next two foursomes, and finished Day 1 leading by one point.

Sarazen opened the Day 2 singles with a 6-and-4 victory, but then Britain's Abe Mitchell clocked Olin "King Kong" Dutra 9 and 8. The teams traded points until Horton Smith took a 2-and-1 win over Whitcombe, tying the score at 5.5, and leaving one match on the course.

That match was Denny Shute vs. Syd Easterbrook, and it reached the 36th hole all square. Shute needed only to halve the hole and match for the USA to retain the cup.

But Shute's lengthy par putt rolled well past the hole, and then he missed the 4-foot comebacker. A final-hole 3-putt, giving Easterbrook the hole and the match, and Great Britain the Ryder Cup.

The PGA of America history points out that the 1933 Ryder Cup was the final one attended by namesake Samuel Ryder, who died in 1936.

This was an era in golf history when American players rarely traveled to play the British Open. However, every fourth year, when the Ryder Cup was played in Britain, most of the American team members stayed over or arrived early (depending on scheduling) to play the Open. Although Shute 3-putted away the Ryder Cup, a short time later he won the 1933 British Open.

• USA - Billy Burke, Leo Diegel, Ed Dudley, Olin Dutra, Walter Hagen, Paul Runyan, Gene Sarazen, Denny Shute, Horton Smith, Craig Wood
• Great Britain - Percy Alliss, Allan Dailey, William Davies, Syd Esterbrook, Arthur Havers, Arthur Lacey, Abe Mitchell, Alf Padgham, Alf Perry, Charles Whitcombe

• Percy Alliss/Charles Whitcombe, GB, halved with Gene Sarazen/Walter Hagen, U.S.
• Abe Mitchell/Arthur Havers, GB, def. Olin Dutra/Denny Shute, U.S., 3 and 2
• William Davies/Syd Easterbrook, GB, def. Craig Wood/Paul Runyan, U.S., 1-up
• Ed Dudley/Billy Burke, U.S., def. Alf Padgham/Alf Perry, GB, 1-up

• Gene Sarazen, U.S., def. Alf Padgham, GB, 6 and 4
• Abe Mitchell, GB, def. Olin Dutra, GB, 9 and 8
• Walter Hagen, U.S., def. Arthur Lacey, GB, 2 and 1
• Craig Wood, U.S., def. William Davies, GB, 4 and 3
• Percy Alliss, GB, def. Paul Runyan, U.S., 2 and 1
• Arthur Havers, GB, def. Leo Diegel, U.S., 4 and 3
• Syd Easterbrook, GB, def. Denny Shute, U.S., 1-up
• Horton Smith, U.S., def. Charles Whitcombe, GB, 2 and 1

Player Records (wins-losses-halves)

USA
Billy Burke, 1-0-0
Leo Diegel, 0-1-0
Ed Dudley, 1-0-0
Olin Dutra, 0-2-0
Walter Hagen, 1-0-1
Paul Runyan, 0-2-0
Gene Sarazen, 1-0-1
Denny Shute, 0-2-0
Horton Smith, 1-0-0
Craig Wood, 1-1-0

Great Britain
Percy Alliss, 1-0-1
Allan Dailey, did not play
William Davies, 1-1-0
Syd Esterbrook, 2-0-0
Arthur Havers, 2-0-0
Arthur Lacey, 0-1-0
Abe Mitchell, 2-0-0
Alf Padgham, 0-2-0
Alf Perry, 0-1-0

1931 Ryder Cup | 1935 Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup Results