Exploding the myths of Ryder Cup captain's picks: How key are they, really?!

Controversy always ensues whenever the Ryder Cup rolls around.

We are talking, of course, about the captain's picks.

Across the first five decades of the contest, all Ryder Cup teams were decided by a qualification process.

That changed at the 1979 Ryder Cup when the matches were played in the U.S.

The '79 Cup was also the very first time players from continental Europe took part.

This was done for two reasons.

First of all it was hoped this would raise the profile of the contest as well as making it more competitive because Team USA had dominated the Cup since its inception in 1927.

The late, great Seve Ballesteros made his Cup debut in 1979. Team USA rant out 17-11 winners. Ireland's Des Smyth and England's Peter Oosterhuis were selected by a committee as Team Europe's wildcards.

Smyth didn't contribute and lost all of his matches whereas Oosterhuis emerged with two points.

Still, it represented the start of a contentious aspect of the Cup. 

GolfMagic decided to take a trip down memory lane to see the contributions of each and every captain's pick.

Afterall, how key are they, really?!

1979

U.S. captain: Billy Casper

European captain: John Jacobs

European captain's picks:

• Des Smyth (0-2-0)
• Peter Osterhuis (2-2-0)

Total points: 2

Result: USA 17 – 11 Europe

1981

U.S. captain: Dave Marr

European captain: John Jacobs

European captain's picks:

• Mark James (0-4-1)
• Peter Oosterhuis (0-3-0)

Total points: 0.5

Result: USA 18.5 – Europe 9.5

1985

U.S. captain: Lee Trevino

European captain: Tony Jacklin

European captain's picks:

• Jose Rivero (1-1-0)
• Ken Brown (1-2-0)
• Nick Faldo (0-2-0)

Total points: 2

USA 16.5 – Europe 11.5

1987

U.S. captain: Jack Nicklaus

European captain: Tony Jacklin

European captain's picks:

• Jose Maria Olazabal (3-2-0)
• Sandy Lyle (3-1-0)
• Ken Brown (0-2-0)

Total points: 6

Result: USA 13 – Europe 15

1989

U.S. captain: Raymond Floyd

European captain: Tony Jacklin

European captain's picks:

• Bernhard Langer (0-3-0)
• Christy O'Connor Jr (1-1-)
• Howard Clark (2-2-0)

Total points: 3

U.S. captain's picks:

• Tom Watson (1-1-1)
• Lanny Wadkins (2-2-0)

Total points: 3.5

Result: USA 14 – Europe 14

1991

U.S. captain: Dave Stockton

European captain: Bernard Gallacher

European captain's picks:

• Jose Maria Olazabal (3-1-1)
• Nick Faldo (1-3-0)

Total points: 4.5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Chris Beck (1-2-0)
• Raymond Floyd (2-2-0)

Total points: 3

Result: USA 14.5 – Europe 13.5

1993

U.S. captain: Tom Watson

European captain: Bernard Gallacher

European captain's picks:

• Joakim Haeggman (1-1-0)
• Jose Maria Olazabal (2-3-0)
• Seve Ballesteros (2-2-0)

Total points: 5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Raymond Floyd (3-1-0)
• Lanny Wadkins (2-1-1)

Total points: 5.5

Result: USA 15 – Europe 13

1995

U.S. captain: Lanny Wadkins

European captain: Bernard Gallacher

European captain's picks:

• Nick Faldo (2-3-0)
• Ian Woosnam (1-1-1)

Total points: 3.5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Curtis Strange (0-3-0)
• Fred Couples (2-1-1)

Total points: 2.5

Result: USA 13.5 – Europe 14.5

1997

U.S. captain: Tom Kite

European captain: Seve Ballesteros

European captain's picks:

• Nick Faldo (2-3-0)
• Jesper Parnevik (1-1-2)

Total points: 4

U.S. captain's picks:

• Lee Janzen (2-1-0)
• Fred Couples (2-2-0)

Total points: 4

Result: USA 13.5 – Europe 14

1999

U.S. captain: Ben Crenshaw

European captain: Mark James

European captain's picks:

• Andrew Coltart (0-1-0)
• Jesper Parnevik (3-1-1)

Total points: 3.5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Tom Lehman (2-1-0)
• Steve Pate (2-1-0)

Total points: 4

Result: USA 14.5 – Europe 13.5

2002

U.S. captain: Curtis Strange

European captain: Sam Torrance

European captain's picks:

• Sergio Garcia (3-2-0)
• Jesper Parnevik (0-1-1)

Total points: 3.5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Scott Verplank (2-1-0)
• Paul Azinger (0-1-1)

Total points: 2.5

Result: USA 13.5 – Europe 15.5

2004

U.S. captain: Hal Sutton

European captain: Bernhard Langer

European captain's picks:

• Luke Donald (2-1-1)
• Colin Montgomerie (3-1-0)

Total points: 5.5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Jay Haas (1-2-1)
• Stewart Cink (1-2-1)

Total points: 2

Result: USA 9.5 – Europe 18.5

2006

U.S. captain: Tom Lehman

European captain: Ian Woosnam

European captain's picks:

• Darren Clarke (3-0-0)
• Lee Westwood (3-0-2)

Total points: 7

U.S. captain's picks:

• Stewart Cink (1-1-3)
• Scott Verplank (2-0-0)

Total points: 4.5

Result: USA 9.5 – Europe 18.5

2008

U.S. captain: Paul Azinger

European captain: Nick Faldo

European captain's picks:

• Ian Poulter (4-1-0)
• Paul Casey (0-1-2)

Total points: 5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Steve Stricker (0-2-1)
• Hunter Mahan (2-0-3)
• JB Holmes (2-0-1)
• Chad Campbell (2-1-0)

Total points: 8.5

Result: USA 16.5 – Europe 11.5

2010

U.S. captain: Corey Pavin

European captain: Colin Montgomerie

European captain's picks:

• Edoardo Molinari (0-1-2)
• Luke Donald (3-1-0)
• Padraig Harrington (2-2-0)

Total points: 6

U.S. captain's picks:

• Zach Johnson (2-1-0)
• Tiger Woods (3-1-0)
• Stewart Cink (1-0-3)
• Rickie Fowler (0-1-2)

Total points: 8.5

Result: USA 13.5 – Europe 14.5

2012

U.S. captain: Davis Love III

European captain: Jose Maria Olazabal

European captain's picks:

• Nicolas Colsaerts (1-3-0)
• Ian Poulter (4-0-0)

Total points: 5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Steve Stricker (0-4-0)
• Jim Furyk (1-2-0)
• Brandt Snedeker (1-2-0)
• Dustin Johnson (3-1-0)

Total points: 5

Result: USA 14.5 – Europe 13.5

2014

U.S. captain: Tom Watson

European captain: Paul McGinley

European captain's picks:

• Stephen Gallacher (0-2-0)
• Ian Poulter (0-1-2)
• Lee Westwood (2-2-0)

Total points: 3

U.S. captain's picks:

• Keegan Bradley (1-2-0)
• Webb Simpson (0-1-1)
• Hunter Mahan (1-2-1)

Total points: 3

Result: USA 11.5 – Europe 16.5

2016

U.S. captain: Davis Love III

European captain: Darren Clarke

European captain's picks:

• Lee Westwood (0-3-0)
• Martin Kaymer (1-3-0)
• Thomas Pieters (4-1-0)

Total points: 5

U.S. captain's picks:

• JB Holmes (1-2-0)
• Rickie Fowler (2-1-0)
• Matt Kuchar (2-2-0)
• Ryan Moore (2-1-0)

Total points: 7

Result: USA 17 – Europe 11

2018

U.S. captain: Jim Furyk

European captain: Thomas Bjorn

European captain's picks:

• Paul Casey (1-1-1)
• Sergio Garcia (3-1-0)
• Ian Poulter (2-2-0)
• Henrik Stenson (3-0-0)

Total points: 9.5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Bryson DeChambeau (0-3-0)
• Phil Mickelson (0-2-0)
• Tiger Woods (0-4-0)
• Tony Finau (2-1-0)

Total points: 2

Result: USA 10.5 – Europe 17.5

2021

U.S. captain: Steve Stricker

European captain: Padraig Harrington

European captain's picks:

• Shane Lowry (1-2-1)
• Sergio Garcia (3-1-0)
• Ian Poulter (1-2-0)

Total points: 5

U.S. captain's picks:

• Tony Finau (1-2-0)
• Xander Schauffele (3-1-0)
• Jordan Spieth (1-2-1)
• Harris English (1-2-0)

Total points: 6.5

Result: USA 19 – Europe 9

Overall

Total European captain's picks contributions: 88.5 points

Total USA captain's picks contributions: 72 points

Read more:

• A controversial rule will be in effect at the Ryder Cup! Here's an explainer...
• Six things you need to know about Ryder Cup course Marco Simone
• Ryder Cup 2023: Has Luke Donald picked Europe's best side? We discuss...
• Ryder Cup 2023: Has Zach Johnson picked USA's best side? We discuss...

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