Irish Ryder Cup Memories

It has been a golden decade for Irish golf, with major championship wins for Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell since 2007. 

Perhaps it's a little more than a coincidence that this magical era followed a magical week at the K Club in 2006, when Ireland hosted the Ryder Cup and Europe trounced the USA by 18 and a half points to 9 and a half. 

This week, we have an Irishman in Paul McGinley captaining the continent, as Europe bid to make it 8 wins out of 10 over the Americans, who haven't won on this side of the pond in 21 years. 

It wasn't always this way.  Before McDowell was the main man at Celtic Manor in 2010, Irish heroics in past Ryder Cups helped give the Europeans confidence for future tournaments. 

In 1987, Europe won for the first time on American soil in Ohio, with Eamonn Darcy gaining a crucial win over Ben Crenshaw in the Sunday singles, as Tony Jacklin's team prevailed by 15 points to 13. 

It's about 5 minutes and 30 seconds in to this highlights reel: 

Then in 1989, Christy O'Connor Junior lined up a 2 iron on 18 against Fred Couples, and the rest is history, as Europe retained the Cup. 

Six years later, it was Philip Walton who gained the winning point in the singles against Jay Haas, as Europe came from behind to win at Oak Hill.  It's at the end of this piece.  

McGinley would hole the winning putt at The Belfry in 2002, and Darren Clarke brought a tear to many an eye with his drive down the first hole at the K Club in 2006, not long after his wife had sadly passed away. 

Captain that week, Ian Woosnam, reflects on a memorable tournament in Ireland.