The brainchild of Samuel Ryder, a wealthy seed merchant from St Albans, the Ryder Cup was a bi-annual British-American professional golf tournament that was first played for the trophy bearing his name in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1927. America won the match and gradually became the dominant force in the competition. During the 1960s the results were so one-sided that the Ryder Cup was expanded so that players from Ireland could compete for the British team. As the Americans continued to win comfortably, Jack Nicklaus led the movement to alter the teams so that European players were also allowed to compete against them. Since 1983 the contest has become one of the most competitive tournaments in the world, with many players achieving sporting immortality for their exploits on green and fairway on both sides of the Atlantic. This book examines the careers and Ryder Cup contributions of 50 of the greatest golfers in history, from Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer to Steve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. Lavishly illustrated throughout, this book provides the perfect accompaniment to the upcoming tournament at Gleneagles in Scotland.