The U.S. team staged a major comeback in 1999, winning 8.5 of the 12 possible points on the final day.
In 2017, the U.S. team achieved a record-setting 19-9 victory, the most points scored since the format changed in 1979.
Europe secured a dramatic win in 2012 after overcoming a 10-6 deficit on the final day of singles matches.
Ranking Ryder Cups is like wishing you walked into a candy store with more money. You want to include a little bit of everything by the time you walk out, but it’s not possible. Especially when the task at hand is a top-five list within the past 40 years. But lines have to be drawn somewhere, and the Ryder Cup has existed since 1927.
Plus, there’s an argument that 1985 is the start of the modern Ryder Cup era (a point to be explained later).
In no particular order, the top five Ryder Cups since 1985:
1999, The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts (U.S. 14.5-13.5)
With 12 points up for grabs on Sunday, the U.S. grabbed 8.5 in the singles matches and won the first six matches of the final day. Hal Sutton finished with a team-best 3.5 points, and a 23-year-old Tiger Woods went 2-3 on the weekend.
2021, Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin (U.S. 19-9)
An absolute rout by the home country. The Americans won the first three sessions 3-1 and also took down eight of the 12 singles matches on the final day. No team had ever reached 19 points since the format of the tournament changed in 1979.
1991, Kiawah Island, South Carolina (U.S. 14.5-13.5)
A duel from start to finish that included some on-course trash talking from both sides. The U.S. hadn’t won since 1983. Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal, the Spanish super-pair, won three matches and halved another in the four they played together. It was also the first Ryder Cup televised live.
2012, Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois (Europe 14.5-13.5)
The European team honored the recently deceased Ballesteros with images of him on their sleeves and his silhouette embroidered on their bags. Olazábal was the captain who saw his team surge on Sunday and overcome a 10-6 deficit. Francesco Molinari tied Woods in the final match for the halve, tipping the difference in favor of Europe.
1985 and (bonus) 1989, Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, England (Europe 16.5-11.5, 1985; Halved 14-14, 1989)
Taking the liberty to group these two together since both tournaments took place at the Belfry. The 1985 European victory was that side’s first in 28 years. The trans-Atlantic rivalry finally had some juice to it, and the trophy has passed hands back and forth for the past four decades. Craig Stadler’s missed two-footer that Saturday on the 18th hole in 1985 proved demoralizing, and Ballesteros led Europe with 3.5 points.
In 1989, the second tie in Ryder Cup history occurred. Europe’s Christy O’Connor Jr. upset Fred Couples, 1 up.