Ryder Cup
Year1967
DatesOctober 20–22, 1967
VenueChampions Golf Club
LocationHouston, Texas, U.S.
HomeUSA
AwayGreat Britain
HomecaptainBen Hogan
AwaycaptainDai Rees
Homescore23
Awayscore8
ResultUnited States wins

The 17th Ryder Cup Matches were held October 20–22, 1967 at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. The United States team won the competition by a record score of 23 to 8 points.[1][2][3] To date, the 15-point victory margin remains the largest at the Ryder Cup.[4]

Ben Hogan was named the captain of the U.S. team in May 1967, five months before the matches.[5] He opted for the U.S. team to use the smaller British golf ball; the same weight, its diameter was .06 inches (1.5 mm) smaller at 1.62 inches (4.11 cm).[6]

The match had originally been arranged for June 9–11, a date that the British P.G.A. had reluctantly agreed to, as it interfered with the British tournament season. In April 1966, it was agreed that the dates be changed to October 20–22.[7]

The course hosted the U.S. Open two years later in 1969.

Format

The Ryder Cup is a match play event, with each match worth one point. From 1963 through 1971 the competition format was as follows:

  • Day 1 — Eight foursomes (alternate shot) matches, four each in morning and afternoon sessions
  • Day 2 — Eight four-ball (better ball) matches, four each in morning and afternoon sessions
  • Day 3 — Sixteen singles matches, eight each in morning and afternoon sessions

With a total of 32 points, 16 points were required to win the Cup. All matches were played to a maximum of 18 holes.

Teams

Source: [8][9]

 Team USA
NameAgePoints
rank		Previous
Ryder Cups		MatchesW–L–HWinning
percentage
Ben Hogan55Non-playing captain
Billy Casper3613148–3–367.86
Arnold Palmer38231611–4–171.88
Gay Brewer3530Rookie
Doug Sanders3440Rookie
Gene Littler3753145–3–657.14
Julius Boros4763117–2–272.73
Bobby Nichols3170Rookie
Al Geiberger3080Rookie
Gardner Dickinson4090Rookie
Johnny Pott3110231–2–033.33

The British team was based on a points system using performances in 1966 and 1967, starting with the 1966 Schweppes PGA Close Championship and finishing after the 1967 Open Championship.[10][11]

 Team Great Britain
NameAgePoints
rank		Previous
Ryder Cups		MatchesW–L–HWinning
percentage
Dai Rees54Non-playing captain
Peter Alliss3616219–8–452.38
Hugh Boyle3190Rookie
Neil Coles3333165–8–340.62
Malcolm Gregson2480Rookie
Brian Huggett307152–2–150.00
Bernard Hunt3746216–12–335.71
Tony Jacklin2350Rookie
Christy O'Connor Snr4266197–11–139.47
Dave Thomas3323131–9–319.23
George Will30102102–7–125.00

Friday matches

October 20, 1967

Morning foursomes

Results
Huggett/WillhalvedCasper/Boros
Alliss/O'Connor2 & 1Palmer/Dickinson
Jacklin/Thomas4 & 3Sanders/Brewer
Hunt/Coles6 & 5Nichols/Pott
1Session2
1Overall2

Afternoon foursomes

Results
Huggett/Will1 upCasper/Boros
Gregson/Boyle5 & 4Dickinson/Palmer
Jacklin/Thomas3 & 2Littler/Geiberger
Alliss/O'Connor2 & 1Nichols/Pott
1Session3
2Overall5

Saturday matches

October 21, 1967

Morning four-ball

Results
Alliss/O'Connor3 & 2Casper/Brewer
Hunt/Coles1 upNichols/Pott
Jacklin/Thomas1 upLittler/Geiberger
Huggett/Will3 & 2Dickinson/Sanders
0Session4
2Overall9

Afternoon four-ball

Results
Hunt/Coles5 & 3Casper/Brewer
Alliss/Gregson3 & 2Dickinson/Sanders
Will/Boyle1 upPalmer/Boros
Jacklin/ThomashalvedLittler/Geiberger
Session3
3Overall13

Sunday matches

October 22, 1967

Morning singles

Results
Hugh Boyle4 & 3Gay Brewer
Peter Alliss2 & 1Billy Casper
Tony Jacklin3 & 2Arnold Palmer
Brian Huggett1 upJulius Boros
Neil Coles2 & 1Doug Sanders
Malcolm Gregson4 & 2Al Geiberger
Dave ThomashalvedGene Littler
Bernard HunthalvedBobby Nichols
3Session5
6Overall18

Afternoon singles

Results
Brian Huggett5 & 3Arnold Palmer
Peter Alliss2 & 1Gay Brewer
Tony Jacklin3 & 2Gardner Dickinson
Christy O'Connor3 & 2Bobby Nichols
George Will3 & 1Johnny Pott
Malcolm Gregson2 & 1Al Geiberger
Bernard HunthalvedJulius Boros
Neil Coles2 & 1Doug Sanders
2Session5
8Overall23

Individual player records

Each entry refers to the win–loss–half record of the player.

Source: [8]

United States

PlayerPointsOverallSinglesFoursomesFourballs
Julius Boros32–1–20–1–11–0–11–0–0
Gay Brewer33–2–01–1–00–1–02–0–0
Billy Casper4.54–0–11–0–01–0–12–0–0
Gardner Dickinson55–0–01–0–02–0–02–0–0
Al Geiberger3.53–1–12–0–00–1–01–0–1
Gene Littler21–1–20–0–10–1–01–0–1
Bobby Nichols4.54–0–11–0–12–0–01–0–0
Arnold Palmer55–0–02–0–02–0–01–0–0
Johnny Pott44–0–01–0–02–0–01–0–0
Doug Sanders22–3–00–2–00–1–02–0–0

Great Britain

PlayerPointsOverallSinglesFoursomesFourballs
Peter Alliss11–5–01–1–00–2–00–2–0
Hugh Boyle00–3–00–1–00–1–00–1–0
Neil Coles22–3–02–0–00–1–00–2–0
Malcolm Gregson00–4–00–2–00–1–00–1–0
Brian Huggett1.51–3–11–1–00–1–10–1–0
Bernard Hunt10–3–20–0–20–1–00–2–0
Tony Jacklin2.52–3–10–2–02–0–00–1–1
Christy O'Connor00–4–00–1–00–2–00–1–0
Dave Thomas32–1–20–0–12–0–00–1–1
George Will0.50–4–10–1–00–1–10–2–0

Nicklaus absence

Despite having won his seventh major title as a professional at the U.S. Open in June, 27-year-old Jack Nicklaus was not a member of the U.S. team. At the time, a five-year apprenticeship as a professional was required before Ryder Cup points could be earned. Nicklaus turned pro in November 1961 and was granted tournament status at the end of that year.[12] He expedited his status by passing PGA business classes in February 1966, and was granted full membership that June.[13] Only then was he eligible to accumulate Ryder Cup points, which ended with the Masters in April. Captain's selections did not exist in 1967 and Nicklaus was in a slump following his win at the Masters in 1966;[14] entering the Masters in 1967 as the two-time defending champion, he was in 13th place in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings. Also just off the team were Dave Marr and Bob Goalby.[15] Nicklaus and Goalby missed the cut at Augusta and Marr's T-16 finish was not enough to pass Johnny Pott for the tenth and final spot on the team.[9] Pott was 4–0–0 in the competition.

The outmoded five-year rule had similarly kept Arnold Palmer off the teams in 1957 and 1959. Don January won the PGA Championship in 1967 in July, but was also at home; the only reigning major champion on either team in 1967 was Masters champion Gay Brewer.

Nicklaus competed in the Ryder Cup as a player from 1969 through 1981, missing only in 1979. He was the non-playing captain in 1983 and 1987.

References

  1. ^ Wright, Alfred (October 30, 1967). "Ben and Arnie liven up the weekend". Sports Illustrated. p. 56.
  2. ^ "British swamped in Ryder Cup play". Eugene Register-Guard. UPI. October 23, 1967. p. 4B.
  3. ^ "Palmer ace in Cup win, 23½ to 8½". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. October 23, 1967. p. 34.
  4. ^ "Ryder Cup 2006 » History » 1967 Results". The PGA of America. Archived from the original on October 22, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2007.
  5. ^ "Hogan named Ryder captain". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. May 25, 1967. p. 20.
  6. ^ "Hogan elects small ball for Ryder Cup matches". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. October 2, 1967. p. 29.
  7. ^ "October date for Ryder Cup contest". Glasgow Herald. April 6, 1966. p. 7.
  8. ^ "2016 Ryder Cup Media Guide". Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  9. ^ "Five newcomers chosen for Ryder Cup team". Miami News. Associated Press. April 13, 1967. p. 3B.
  10. ^ "Butler favoured to win Schweppes tournament". Glasgow Herald. 28 April 1966. p. 13.
  11. ^ "Will wins Ryder Cup place". Glasgow Herald. 17 July 1967. p. 4.
  12. ^ "Nicklaus must return to school to qualify for Ryder Cup team". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. December 18, 1965. p. 38.
  13. ^ Auclair, T.J. (June 1, 2016). "Jack Nicklaus celebrates 50 years of PGA Membership". PGA of America. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  14. ^ "Big Nick may miss action on Cup team". Times-News. UPI. March 29, 1967. p. 8.
  15. ^ "Ryder spot is elusive for Nicklaus". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. March 28, 1967. p. 12.