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 1979 The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Captains: Billy Casper (US), John Jacobs (Europe)
USA 17EUROPE 11

1979 European Team
With continental Europeans allowed to compete in the Matches, the final format change brought the total number of points to be decided to 28, with eight foursomes, eight fourballs, and 12 singles. The new European Team was bolstered by the play of Nick Faldo, who finished 4-1, but it was America's Larry Nelson who turned in a brilliant 5-0 performance. Nelson defeated Spain's Seve Ballesteros in four of those meetings. Ballesteros was joined by fellow countryman Antonio Garrido as the first continental European Ryder Cup selections. It was the first Matches where each team would use the "envelope," a process where each Captain inserted the name of a player in a sealed envelope in the event either team was reduced to 11 players due to injury or health reasons. The result was a half point for each team.


EuropeUnited States
 Fourballs: Morning
 A Garrido & S Ballesteros0 L Wadkins & L Nelson (2 & 1)1
 K Brown & M James0 L Trevino & F Zoeller (3 & 2)1
 P Oosterhuis & N Faldo0 A Bean & L Elder (2 & 1)1
 B Gallacher & B Barnes (2 & 1)1 H Irwin & J Mahaffey0
 Foursomes: Afternoon
 K Brown & D Smyth0 H Irwin & T Kite (7 & 6)1
 S Ballesteros & A Garrido (3 & 2)1 F Zoeller & H Green0
 A Lyle & A Jacklin (halved)½ L Trevino & G Morgan (halved)½
 B Gallacher & B Barnes0 L Wadkins & L Nelson (4 & 3)1
 Foursomes: Morning
 A Jacklin & A Lyle (5 & 4)1 L Elder & J Mahaffey0
 N Faldo & P Oosterhuis (6 & 5)1 A Bean & T Kite0
 B Gallacher & B Barnes (2 & 1)1 F Zoeller & M Hayes0
 S Ballesteros & A Garrido0 L Wadkins & L Nelson (3 & 2)1
 Fourballs: Afternoon
 S Ballesteros & A Garrido0 L Wadkins & L Nelson (5 & 4)1
 A Jacklin & A Lyle0 H Irwin & T Kite (1 hole)1
 B Gallacher & B Barnes (3 & 2)1 L Trevino & F Zoeller0
 N Faldo & P Oosterhuis (1 hole)1 L Elder & M Hayes0
 Singles: Morning
 B Gallacher (3 & 2)1 L Wadkins0
 S Ballesteros0 L Nelson (3 & 2)1
 A Jacklin0 T Kite (1 hole)1
 A Garrido0 M Hayes (1 hole)1
 M King0 A Bean (4 & 3)1
 B Barnes0 J Mahaffey (1 hole)1
 Singles: Afternoon
 N Faldo (3 & 2)1 L Elder0
 D Smyth0 H Irwin (5 & 3)1
 P Oosterhuis0 H Green (2 holes)1
 K Brown (1 hole)1 F Zoeller0
 A Lyle0 L Trevino (2 & 1)1
 M James (injured, halved)½ G Morgan (halved, match not played)½
USA 17EUROPE 11


did you know?
1961 saw all matches reduced from 36 holes to 18 which has remained the position since. In 1963 fourball matches were introduced and the overall match extended to three days from the previous two.
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