Classic Ryder Cup moments, No 3: Olly’s dance: 1987

Published on 13/09/2012 03:31

HISTORY was made as Tony Jacklin’s team inflicted the USA’s first ever defeat on home soil. Just to rub it in, his old foe, Jack Nicklaus, captained USA, and the contest was played at Muirfield Village, the course which Jack himself designed.

With a five-point lead going into the final day’s singles, a Europe win seemed certain. But USA won five of the first seven duels and nerves were frayed.

In a fit of temper during his tense match against Eamonn Darcy, Ben Crenshaw, two holes down, snapped his putter on the sixth green. Amazingly, he fought back using a sand wedge or a three iron on the greens, and only lost on the final hole.

Seve Ballesteros sealed the win and the abiding image of the week is Jose Maria Olazabal’s (pictured) cha-cha-cha across the green as his team celebrated.