By Fred Altvater
The Ryder Cup has become one of the most anticipated and watched sporting events in the world.
Next month the 43rd Ryder Cup will be held at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. Samuel Ryder receives full credit for donating the first trophy back in 1927 and Sports Illustrated officially wrote about a proposed intercontinental golf competition as early as September 1920. A little-known fact, however, is that Toledo-native S.P. Jermain suggested such a competition be held earlier in 1920 during a conversation over dinner with United State Golf Association officials in New York.
This biennial competition originally scheduled for 2020 was postponed due to COVID and is set to be held September 24-26. Whistling Straits has hosted major 
championships and is a highly respected Pete Dye design on the banks of Lake Michigan. Mr. Kohler hired Dye to design and build Whistling Straits and gave him an unlimited budget to create a masterpiece on the banks of Lake Michigan and Dye did just that.
On what was basically a flat piece of farmland, Dye trucked in thousands of tons of sand and dirt to build a stair step hillside course that offers spectacular views of the lake from every hole on the course.
Throughout the early years the United States dominated the series against the team from Great Britain & Ireland. In 1979, at the suggestion of Jack Nicklaus, the GB&I team expanded to include all of Continental Europe, which added future Ryder Cup stars, Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer.
In the first 30 Ryder Cups contested the GB&I managed only five wins, plus one tie, but since 1995, the Europeans have won nine of 12 competitions. In fact, the 2018 Ryder Cup held at Le Golf Club Nacional in France, saw the European Team rout the Americans 17.5-10.5.
Professional golfers are accustomed to playing in front of millions of fans, but when forced to compete as a member of a team, representing one’s country, the pressure is multiplied. Pride becomes an important motivator. Everyday golfers can relate to the mistakes seasoned pros make on the golf course during a Ryder Cup.
The PGA of America in partnership with the European Tour control the location and timing of the Ryder Cup matches. Although both teams are made up of players that compete on the PGA TOUR, the tour has no monetary interest in the Ryder Cup.
The Ryder Cup has become one of the most watched sports events worldwide. This year’s contest from Whistling Straits will certainly draw the attention of golfers and non-golfers alike. The David and Goliath aspect of the Ryder Cup pits the biggest American names versus lesser-known Europeans, yet they struggle against their European foes. Over the past 26 years the Americans have been defeated more times than they have won.
There will be high drama and I guarantee it will be entertaining.
