1997 Ryder Cup 1997 Ryder Cup The 32nd Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, marking the first time the event was contested in continental Europe. The European team won the competition by a margin of 14½ to 13½ and retained the Ryder Cup. The Europeans held a 10½–5½ lead heading into the final day, but the Americans mounted a comeback by winning the singles matches 8–4 but fell just short. Colin Montgomerie halved the final match with Scott Hoch (conceding a par putt on the final hole) to seal the outright victory for the Europeans. This
1995 Ryder Cup to 9. For the first time, they overcame a deficit entering the singles to win the Cup. The unheralded Irish rookie Philip Walton secured victory for Europe by defeating Jay Haas by one hole. The next Ryder Cup where Europe won from behind was 2012, also held in the U.S. The Ryder Cup is a match play event, with each match worth one point. The competition format used in 1995 was as follows: With a total of 28 points, 14½ points were required to win the Cup, and 14 points were required for the defending champion to retain the Cup.