In 1927, Ted Ray led a team of eight golfers from Great Britain to Massachusetts to face eight golfers from the U.S., captained by Walter Hagen. It was the first Ryder Cup.
Now, 91 years later, captain Jim Furyk leads his U.S. team to Paris to take on the Thomas Bjørn-led European team.
WATCH AND FOLLOW: How to watch | Viewer’s guide | Ryder Cup at a glance
Download our app: Apple devices, Android devices
Quite a few things have changed in those 91 years. Here’s a look at how the 1927 and 2018 Ryder Cups differ:
TEAMS
1927: U.S. vs. Great Britain, with eight players on each team.
2018: U.S. vs. Europe, with 12 players on each team.
MORE: 2018 USA team roster | Europe team roster | Le Golf National course tour
SELECTION PROCESS
1927: Hagen and the selection committee for the U.S. team used a brand-new selection process, aggregating statistics from each player’s past three years of play. The stats were compiled by Melvin A. Traylor, president of the American Bankers Association, and member of the U.S. Golf Association Executive Committee. Only American-born players were eligible to compete, though it was later revealed that Johnny Golden was an Austro-Hungarian native and had emigrated to the United States.
2018: Players earned points based on winning major championships and money won in majors and PGA Tour events. Here is the official criteria. The top eight automatically qualified on August 12, and captain Jim Furyk selected the remaining four.
SHOP: Ryder Cup apparel and accessories
TRAVEL
1927: The first Ryder Cup was hosted by the U.S., so the British team sailed from Southampton on the Aquitania, taking six days to reach to Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts.
2018: The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played in Paris. After the Tour Championship, the U.S. team will fly from Atlanta to Paris on a private plane. The trip takes approximately 8 hours, 25 minutes.
COMPETITION FORMAT
1927: The first competition comprised of four foursomes matches and eight singles matches over two days for a total of 12 available points. The U.S. team won three of the foursomes matches and six of the singles (with one halved match) to win 9 ½ to 2 ½.
RELATED: Past results of the Ryder Cup
2018: The competition will take place over three days. Friday and Saturday will each feature four foursome or four-ball matches in the mornings, and four-ball or foursome matches in the afternoon. Sunday will have 12 singles matches. A total of 28 points are available. The first team to 14 ½ wins.
