‘The Ryder Cup will be on Concorde’: when Europe won in the USA in 1995 | Ryder Cup

Winning an away Ryder Cup is “one of the biggest accomplishments in golf,” to quote Rory McIlroy. Neither team has a great away record. USA have only won twice on their travels since Europe joined the event in 1979, their last away victory coming in 1993. Europe’s only win on American soil in the last 20 years came in Medinah, and we all know it took a miracle for that to happen.

Of Europe’s four away wins – in 1987, 1995, 2004 and 2012 – their shock victory at Oak Hill 30 years ago remains a personal favourite. Things were far from rosy for Bernard Gallacher’s team in 1995: the captain was bruised after two defeats; there were complaints about his team selection; one star player was ruled out with an injury; and a few others were out of form.

Narrow defeats in 1991 and 1993 had hurt Gallacher, who resigned from the role of captain and was only convinced to return thanks to a letter from Bernhard Langer, a conversation with Seve Ballesteros and a public plea from Nick Faldo. “I’ve been swayed for all the right reasons,” he said. “The bottom line is that I feel we can win.”

The buildup: the captains make big calls

Gallacher first had to select his team and, with just two captain’s picks, he had the unenviable task of omitting two from Nick Faldo, José María Olazábal, Ian Woosnam and Jesper Parnevik. “He’s stuck, isn’t he?” Woosnam complained. “But he’ll get no sympathy from me. He wanted this system and we could end up without all our best players in the team.” Former captain Tony Jacklin was just as scathing. “It’s absolutely the most ridiculous decision that I’ve ever come across. They have shot themselves straight in the foot before the thing starts.”

Gallacher pointed out that the players only had themselves to blame. “Everyone has known since 1993 exactly how to get into the team,” he said before selecting Faldo and Olazábal. But Woosnam made it after all, replacing Olazábal after he pulled out with a foot injury. Losing the Spaniard was a significant blow but Woosnam had won 4½ points at the previous Ryder Cup and had been runner-up at Oak Hill in the 1989 US Open.

Ian Woosnam played his part after filling in for the injured Olazábal. Photograph: Simon Bruty/Getty Images

The USA team was strong but had one possible weakness. A team containing five rookies – Tom Lehman, Phil Mickelson, Jeff Maggert, Loren Roberts and Brad Faxon – was a concern, leading captain Lanny Wadkins to select the experienced duo of Fred Couples and Curtis Strange. There would be no place for Open winner John Daly as the course was not thought to suit his style of play. Wadkins’ decision to pick Strange over the Players Championship winner Lee Janzen was a surprise at the time and looked unwise come the Sunday night of the event.

USA were favourites with the bookies – 1/2 to win as opposed to 15/8 for Europe – but there was some good news for fans back home. Sky Sports broadcast the event live for the first time, with the excellent duo of Ewen Murray and Bruce Critchley providing commentary. Wall-to-wall coverage for those who had access to satellite television: it was a whole new ballgame.

Friday: USA build a 5-3 lead on opening day

News that Ballesteros would be sitting out the morning foursomes made headlines, but there was simply no way Gallacher could play the Spaniard in the alternate shot format due to his poor form. The responsibility of hitting the nerve-racking first tee shot would fall on Colin Montgomerie’s shoulders, but his usually solid partnership with Faldo failed to fire. Four down after five holes, the duo managed to drag themselves back into their match against Tom Lehman and the tough Corey Pavin, but two poor shots from Faldo on the 18th let in the Americans.

Howard Clark and Mark James played poorly in a 4&3 defeat to Maggert and Davis Love III, but the unexpected partnership of Sam Torrance and Constantino Rocca put Europe’s first point on the board. All eyes turned to the final foursomes match. Bernhard Langer and rookie Per Ulrik-Johansson were coasting at three up with six to play. But Ben Crenshaw and Strange fought back, leaving Langer with a six-foot putt on the last to win the match. Fortunately for Europe, there would be no repeat of Kiawah in 1991; Langer’s crucial putt pulled Europe level: 2-2 after the first session.

Colin Montgomerie got things going on Friday. Photograph: Simon Bruty/Getty Images

That was as good as it got for Gallacher on day one. Europe’s captain later admitted a huge error on his behalf when he sent the bedraggled Langer and Johansson back out to play in the fourballs shortly after their win. Faldo and Montgomerie lost again in a second session to forget for Europe. Ballesteros and David Gilford provided an unexpected bonus. “He is great to play with,” said Gilford of the Spaniard. “He wants to win so much it’s infectious.” Ballesteros was all over the place, but still he managed to halve the 9th and win the 10th. Birdies from Gilford on 13 and 15 sealed a point for Europe.

Saturday: Europe fight back … briefly

Trailing 5-3 overnight, Europe needed a big response in the morning foursomes and they duly delivered. Faldo and Montgomerie earned their first win; Langer teamed up with Gilford to beat Lehman and Pavin; and Torrance and Rocca crushed Love III and Maggert 6&5. “He’s the rock of Italy,” Torrance said of his partner, whose hole in one at the sixth was part of a dream morning for Europe. The only defeat came when Woosnam and rookie partner Philip Walton lost to Roberts and Peter Jacobsen. But, with the overall score at 6-6, European fans were delighted.

However, the afternoon fourballs did not go so well, with Europe falling 8-7 behind before the crucial last match. As they approached the 18th hole, Langer and Faldo were all square with Pavin and Roberts. Roberts secured a par, ensuring the US would at least halve the hole. They could go one better if Pavin chipped in from just off the green. Inevitably he did it, his ball defying pace and gravity to find the bottom of the cup. All eyes turned to Faldo, who still had a chance to secure half a point for Europe, but he missed his birdie putt. USA would take a 9-7 lead into the final day.

The Americans celebrated as if the trophy was theirs, Wadkins hugging Strange as the crowd whooped in delight. Gallacher looked crestfallen. Noting the reactions of the American team and crowd, Gallacher then turned to his wife and said: “They’re having their celebrations tonight. We’ll have ours tomorrow night.”

Sunday: Europe pull off stunning comeback

Europe were effectively 10-7 down, such was the poor form of Ballesteros. “I only played in three matches and I hit three fairways the whole week, but I cleared out a lot of rough and all the branches on the golf course. I’m sure the members of Oak Hill aren’t going to lose balls any more,” he later reflected. Going out first against Lehman, his sheer guts and acts of escapology inspired those behind him. Lehman won 4&3, but there was hope for Europe.

James and Clark, who had not played since Friday morning, won their matches. Clark’s hole in one on the 11th helped him edge his match against Jacobsen. “That roar was heard around the course and I believe, to this day, it was the moment Europe believed,” Murray later noted.

Woosnam would never win a singles match at the Ryder Cup, but he came agonisingly close to breaking his duck when somehow his putt to defeat Couples slid past the hole. Rocca lost to Love III in a repeat of their 1993 match, giving the hosts a two-point lead, before Gallacher’s ploy of putting his strength in the middle order paid dividends.

Gilford nearly blew his match after going through the 18th green, his bogey putt from 10 feet enough to see off Brad Faxon as the American failed to make par; Montgomerie ended with four threes to defeat Crenshaw; Torrance comfortably beat Roberts. Langer may have lost to the superb Pavin, but Europe were now within touching distance of an astonishing comeback.

Seve Ballesteros was nowhere near his best at Oak Hill but he inspired his teammates. Photograph: Getty Images

Everything rested on the Strange v Faldo match. But with Faldo one down on the 17th, it was time for the five-time major winner to dig deep. A six-foot par putt on the 17th was enough to level the match – Strange unable to hide the distress on his face – as more and more people gathered around the pivotal contest.

On the 18th Faldo found the rough with his drive, but after deliberately laying up he played a sublime approach to within a few feet. With Strange unable to make par, Faldo rolled his putt in – “everything was shaking bar the putter” – holding his arms aloft as Europe took the lead for the first time. “Our hearts go out to Nick Faldo,” Murray announced. As Seve embraced Faldo, the pair shed tears in an iconic moment for European golf.

The winning moment looked like it might not arrive. Europe could not lose, but Walton was struggling to close out his match against Jay Haas. All Walton had to do was halve one of the last three holes to get Europe over the line. Haas pitched in from a bunker at the 16th and Walton missed a putt for the cup on the 17th, so the agony continued to the last hole.

Haas played the 18th poorly as understandably nerves frayed, allowing Walton to chip from the bank in front of the green and have the luxury of two putts for the cup. As his ball rolled next to the hole, it was done. “And the Ryder Cup will be on Concorde tonight,” declared an excited Murray. Gallacher jumped up in delight before hurling himself at Walton. Against the odds, Europe had won the cup back.

The aftermath: over to you, Seve

Gallacher showed his class during the closing ceremony, helping a tearful Wadkins through his speech. “Been there, done that,” Wadkins joked as Gallacher stood up and patted him on the back.

Gallacher could enjoy some Sunday night celebrations after all. “People were writing us off, calling me a three-time loser,” Gallacher said. “But we won as a team, not as individuals. I’m proud that every player on this team contributed a point. They all shared in our success.” The path was now clear for Ballesteros to lead the team at Valderrama.

Sky’s montage – including Save the Best for Last by Vanessa Williams – was a fine tribute. Not many gave Europe a chance, but winning the singles for the first time in the US helped Gallacher’s team defy the odds. Sky had saved the best for first.

This article is by Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog