What are the largest winning margins in Ryder Cup history?

There have been a few landslides down the years – but what are the largest winning margins in Ryder Cup history? We’ve been back through the history books to find out…

Largest Ryder Cup winning margins

We’ve broken it down into four sections – overall scoreline, all formats, fourballs, foursomes, and singles.

• What is the biggest comeback in Ryder Cup history?

• Who has scored the most Ryder Cup points for Europe?

• Who has scored the most Ryder Cup points for USA?

Overall scoreline

The following records are for the 28-point era of the Ryder Cup, which began when it became Europe vs USA in 1979.

10

• USA beat Europe 19-9 (2021)

9

• USA beat Europe 18.5-9.5 (1981)
• Europe beat USA 18.5-9.5 (2004)
• Europe beat USA 18.5-9.5 (2006)

7

• Europe beat USA 17.5-10.5 (2018)

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In the Great Britain and Ireland vs USA era from 1927 to 1977, the number of points varied, and the three biggest winning margins were…

14

USA beat GB&I 23-9 (1963)

10

USA beat GB&I 11-1 (1947)

USA beat GB&I 21-11 (1975)

7

USA beat Great Britain 9.5-2.5 (1927)

USA beat Great Britain 9.5-2.5 (1951)

USA beat Great Britain 19.5-12.5 (1965)

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All formats

9&7

• Viktor Hovland/Ludvig Aberg beat Scottie Scheffler/Brooks Koepka (2023, foursomes)

8&7

• Tom Kite beat Howard Clark (1989, singles)
• Fred Couples beat Ian Woosnam (1997, singles)

7&6

• Miller Barber beat Maurice Bembridge (1969, singles)
• Hale Irwin/Tom Kite beat Ken Brown/Des Smyth (1979, foursomes)
• Paul Azinger/Mark O’Meara beat Sir Nick Faldo/David Gilford (1991, foursomes)
• Keegan Bradley/Phil Mickelson beat Lee Westwood/Luke Donald (2012, foursomes)
• Lee Trevino beat Brian Huggett (1971, singles)
• Tom Lehman beat Ignacio Garrido (1997, singles)

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Fourballs

7&5

• Lee Trevino/Jerry Pate beat Sir Nick Faldo/Sam Torrance (1981)

6&5

• Des Smyth/Jose Maria Canizares beat Bill Rogers/Bruce Lietzke (1981)
• Seve Ballesteros/Jose Maria Olazabal beat Tom Watson/Mark O’Meara (1989)
• Ian Woosnam/Peter Baker beat Fred Couples/Paul Azinger (1993)
• Jeff Maggert/Loren Roberts beat Sam Torrance/Costantino Rocca (1995)

6&4

• Arnold Palmer/Dave Marr beat Peter Alliss/Christy O’Connor (1965)
• Corey Pavin/Phil Mickelson beat Bernhard Langer/Per-Ulrik Johansson (1995)

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Foursomes

9&7

• Viktor Hovland/Ludvig Aberg beat Scottie Scheffler/Brooks Koepka (2023)

7&6

• Hale Irwin/Tom Kite beat Ken Brown/Des Smyth (1979)
• Paul Azinger/Mark O’Meara beat Sir Nick Faldo/David Gilford (1991)
• Keegan Bradley/Phil Mickelson beat Lee Westwood/Luke Donald (2012)

7&5

• Gil Morgan/Lanny Wadkins beat Sam Torrance/Jose Maria Canizares (1983)
• Jose Maria Canizares/Jose Rivero beat Tom Kite/Calvin Peete (1985)
• Ian Woosnam/Bernhard Langer beat Paul Azinger/Payne Stewart (1993)

• Scottie Scheffler reduced to tears after record-breaking defeat

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Singles

8&7

• Tom Kite beat Howard Clark (1989)
• Fred Couples beat Ian Woosnam (1997)

7&6

• Miller Barber beat Maurice Bembridge (1969)
• Lee Trevino beat Brian Huggett (1971)
• Tom Lehman beat Ignacio Garrido (1997)

6&5

• Gene Littler beat Tom Haliburton (1963)
• Gay Brewer beat Bernhard Gallacher (1973)
• Lee Trevino beat Neil Coles (1973)
• Davis Love III beat Jean Van de Velde (1999)

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