The Ryder Cup, an event founded on prestige rather than prize money, was first held in 1927 and will be contested for the 38th time in 2010.

The origin of the idea to stage international matches between the best American professionals and their British counterparts is a subject of debate among golf historians.

Regardless of who came up with the initial concept, though, the first informal matches were played in 1921 at Gleneagles, Scotland, while another unofficial match occurred when the R&A decreed regional qualifying rounds before the 1926 Open Golf Championship and a team of American players took on British rivals at Wentworth.

English seed merchant and entrepreneur Samuel Ryder was among those watching and after having tea with some of the golfers, he proposed the formation of a regular competition which was to take his name.

Ryder agreed to donate a solid gold cup and the first competition took place the following year at the Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts.

The introduction of players from continental Europe into the Ryder Cup fold in 1979 marked a new chapter in the history of the competition and after years of American domination, the tide started to turn.

The first Ryder Cup under the new format was played at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, with the first two Europeans to make the overseas squad being Spaniards Severiano Ballesteros and Antonio Garrido. Ballesteros went on to become one of the greatest players in the history of the event.

The Ryder Cup was not contested in 2001 after the September 11 terrorist attacks upon the USA and was rescheduled for the following year. Subsequent competitions have taken place in even-numbered years.