The Ryder Cup Envelope

On Saturday evening, after completion of the foursome/four ball matches and on the eve of the singles matches, both Captains are required to submit a sealed envelope to Ryder Cup officials.  Enclosed within each envelope is the name of one player on each twelve man roster.  This contingency plan addresses circumstances (i.e. sickness/injury) that would prevent a player from competing in the singles matches, simultaneously eliminating a non-sick/injured player from the opposing team.  Both players would sit out the following day’s singles match and the non-played match would result in a draw, with each team earning a half of a point. The “envelope” scenario has occurred on two occasions:

• 1991 – Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, South Carolina (War by the Shore): Steve Pate (United States) was injured in a car accident while being driven to the Ryder Cup (gala) dinner on Thursday evening. Pate did not compete on Friday however, he did play in the Saturday afternoon match with Corey Pavin, losing 2-1.  Pate was too sore to compete on Sunday.  David Guilford sat out the singles match for Europe. The score entering Sunday’s singles matches was 8-8.  The United States won the Ryder Cup 14 ½-13 ½.  In the event Pate would have played on Sunday and lost his match to David Gilford, Europe would have earned a full point (in lieu of the half point draw) and retained the Ryder Cup with a 14-14 score.  There is speculation (certainly on the European side) that the scenario was a bit contrived by the United States team, wanting to (at least) secure the ½ point.
• 1993 – The Belfry Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield, England: Sam Torrence (Europe) injured his toe.  Torrence played in the Friday morning match with Mark James, losing 4-3 and did not compete on Saturday and was too sore to compete on Sunday. The score entering Sunday’s singles matches was 8 ½ -7 ½ in favor of the United States. The United States won the Ryder Cup 15-13.  Lanny Watkins sat out the singles match for the United States.

The general consensus is that Torrence was more significantly injured than Pate.

Information for this article was gathered from John Feinstein’s recent publication, “The First Major.”

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