The Ryder Cup Trophy is awarded to the biennial golf event winner who takes place between the United States and Europe. Although it is a significant price in terms of monetary value, winning the Ryder Cup is a pride and a symbol of prestige.
Let’s check out some interesting facts about the Ryder Cup Trophy.
Basics of the Ryder Cup Trophy
- The Trophy is made of gold.
- The height is 17 inches.
- Weight is four pounds.
Design
The cup sits on a wooden base called “plinth,” which has a gold band around it. The gold band contains the scores engraved on each Ryder Cup played. Hence, the wooden base needs to expand with the age of the competition to accommodate more scores.
Read Also: History of Ryder Cup Tournament
Why is the Ryder Cup so called?
The Ryder Cup Trophy was named after the person Samuel Ryder who originally donated the Trophy to organize a golf competition between team American and team Great Britain.
Read More : Ryder Cup and President Cup: Which is more Prestigious?
Who made the Ryder Cup trophy?
Mapping and Webb company made the Trophy as per the instruction from Samuel Ryder. He commissioned the Trophy to make in 1927, and after that, he donated it as a prize for the winners of a golf tournament played between Great Britain and the United States.
It cost about $400, equivalent to £250 when it was made in 1927, which is now $6000 worth. But in terms of prestigious value, it will surely be worth more than millions, and perhaps no one can measure it.
Who is Samuel Ryder?
Samuel Ryder is a British businessman, golf enthusiast, entrepreneur as well as a golf promoter. He built a successful business by selling garden seeds in penny pockets. However, at the age of 50, Ryder became a golf enthusiast and started sponsoring various golf tournaments from 1923 to 1925. Later in 1926, he proposed an idea to organize a golf match between the American professional and British professional golfers. Later he made himself involved with it and sponsored the event.
Who is the Person on Top of the Ryder Cup Trophy?
If you look at the Ryder Cup Trophy picture, you will clearly notice a figure of a golfer on the top part of the Trophy. So, there has been debate if the figure represents the real golfer. The person on the top represents Abe Mitchell, who was Samuel’s friend as well as his personal golf instructor. Mitchell appeared in three Ryder Cups in 1929, 1931, and 1933, in which the British team won two times.
Does the Winning Team Receive the Original Cup?
No, the Ryder Cup-winning team doesn’t get the original cup. Instead, they get a Ryder Cup Trophy replica. Nevertheless, Ryder donated the Trophy to the Professional Golfers Association of Great Britain, which is still at the headquarters in Britain.
On the other hand, the PGA of America has an extra replica of the cup. Further, an extra identical cup also made for the touring purpose. So, if you see any news of the Trophy being displayed, it is the third identical Trophy. Sometimes it is also referred to as “the travelling Ryder Cup.”
Moreover, slightly scaled-down replicas also available for each member of the winning team, and they can keep that.
However, the original Trophy was first displayed in public in 1927 and sent to Worcester, Massachusetts, with the British team for the first-ever Ryder Cup match.
Who Keeps the Trophy?
Currently, the original Trophy is unmovable and housed at the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland. But the winning team gets to keep the replica.
Nicklaus-Jacklin Trophy
The Ryder Cup has had an award for the “Man of the Match,” which is unofficial for the years. From the 43rd Ryder Cup 2021, the organizers have made a new official award for the top player from each team.
Ryder Cup Europe and PGA of America named this as the “Nicklaus-Jacklin Award.” From now on, one European and one American player will receive this as per voting by the select committee.
It was created to honor Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin for their famous conclusion of the 1969 final match at Royal Birkdale, which was a tie. However, team USA kept the cup as defending champion.