But the expansion of the opposition in the 1970s to include the whole of Europe tranformed it into one of the most compelling contests in international sport.

Here is News Online's selection of five of the most exciting Ryder Cups.

1997 Ryder Cup

Match facts
Captains: US: Tom Kite Europe: Seve Ballesteros
Venue: Valderrama, Spain
Score: Europe 14½ USA 13½
Winning putt: Colin Montgomerie

If ever a captain could will his team to victory from the sidelines, Seve Ballesteros was the man.

The moment when Europe retained the Ryder Cup

The proud, charismatic Spaniard, who brought the competition to continental Europe for the first time, stalked his chosen course like a matador looking for a bull on every green, exorting his players to spill every last ounce of effort in pursuit of the game's greatest team prize.

Under pressure: European captain Seve Ballesteros ponders his tactics

Some did not like his style, but it worked as Europe - led by rookies Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, Ignacio Garrido, Jesper Parnevik and Lee Westwood - built a commanding five-point lead going into the final day against one of the most talented American teams yet assembled.

But America - with nine of that year's top 20 in their line-up - pulled together for an amazing rally which saw them lose only three out of twelve singles matches.

The BBC's Tony Adamson: "This particular match is not over, yes it is, yes it is"

One of the few European successes was an unlikely 4 and 2 victory for Costantina Rocca over US Masters champion and golf's new sensation, Tiger Woods.

Bernhard Langer beat Brad Faxon, Per Ulrik Johansson saw off USPGA champion Davis Love III and Thomas Bjorn salvaged a half against Justin Leonard to keep Europe's hopes alive - just.

For despite the final day collapse, Europe could still win the Ryder Cup if Colin Montgomerie managed to scrape a half point from Scot Hoch in the last match out on the course.

Under the most extreme pressure, Montgomerie bisected the 18th fairway from the tee and found the heart of the green with his second.

Hoch meanwhile took three to reach the green via the trees. Rather than see Hoch suffer the agony of losing the final hole, Ballesteros came on the green to concede the half which was enough for Europe to win the Cup.

1995 Ryder Cup

Match facts
Captains: US: Lanny Wadkins Europe: Bernard Gallacher
Venue: Oak Hill Country Club, New York
Score: Europe 14½ USA 13½
Winning putt: Philip Walton

Only four teams have ever come from behind on the final day. Bernard Gallacher's 1995 European side - two points down after two days and on alien soil - were one of them.

But when Tom Lehman beat Seve Ballesteros 4 and 3 in the first match out on the course, little did the Americans know that was to be one of only four singles wins to an inflamed European side.

An emotional Philip Walton is embraced by Bernard Gallacher as Europe win

Howard Clark (who had a hole-in-one), Mark James, Costantina Rocca, David Gilford, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo and Sam Torrance all won their matches against experienced Major winners like Fred Couples, Curtis Strange and Ben Crenshaw to set up little-known Irishman Philip Walton for a thrilling climax.

Walton's opponent Jay Haas came back from three down with three to play - Walton missing a five-foot putt on the 17th that would have won the match - to take the tie up the 18th.

But it was Haas who finally buckled under the pressure - he fired his drive into the trees and could only make a bogey.

Walton, with two putts to halve the hole but win the match, held his nerve to clinch a European victory which had seemed impossible at one stage.

1991 Ryder Cup

Match facts
Captains: US: Dave Stockton Europe: Bernard Gallacher
Venue: Ocean Course, Kiawah Island
Score: Europe 13½ USA 14½
Winning putt: Hale Irwin (conceded by Bernard Langer)

It was dubbed "The War on the Shores" - and not just because of the intensity of golf which saw the lead swing to and fro on numerous occasions.

The partisan South Carolina crowd, whipped up by some of the American players - notably Paul Azinger and Corey Pavin - became increasingly vociferous in their support of the home side.

Agony for Bernhard Langer as his putt at the last slips past the hole

There were even accusations of more dubious intimidatory tactics such as late-night telephone calls to the European players with early tee times.

But perhaps the wave of patriotism created by the historic win in 1985 which carried Europe undefeated through the rest of the '80s, was simply harnessed more effectively by the street-wise Americans on their home soil.

The deciding moment came down to a six-foot putt faced by German Bernhard Langer, who needed to win the final hole to retain the Cup.

Hale Irwin had taken a bogey five after his approach shot flew wide but Langer, only needing par, knocked his 45-foot birdie putt six-feet past. He missed it and the match was halved, handing the Ryder Cup to America by a point.

Match facts:
Captains: US: Lee Trevino Europe: Tony Jacklin
Venue: The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Score: Europe 16½ USA 11½
Winning putt: Sam Torrance

After so long in the wilderness, Europe had signalled their determination to end America's Ryder Cup dominance when they lost by a single point at Palm Beach in 1983.

Back on home soil, Tony Jacklin assembled a formidable team which included Nick Faldo, Howard Clarke, Sandy Lyle, Bernard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Seve Ballesteros and Manuel Pinero.

Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam toast a famous, epoch-ending victory

But the match will be forever remembered for the final-day heroics of Scot Sam Torrance who came-back from three down to US Open champion Andy North to clinch victory on the 18th green with a huge birdie putt.

The match swung on a crucial moment on the second day when Craig Stadler missed a three-foot putt which would have put the Americans ahead going into the afternoon session.

His miss left the sides level and the iniative was seized for Europe by the team's Spanish contingent who put Europe two points ahead going into the final day until Torrance, with tears streaming down his face, ended the 28-year run of defeats.

1957 Ryder Cup

Match facts
Captains: US: Jack Burke Jnr Britain: Dai Rees
Venue: Lindrick, Yorkshire
Score: GB 7½ USA 4½
Winning putt: Ken Bousefield

Only a £10,000 cash donation to the cash-strapped PGA from a wealthy Yorkshire steel mill owner, Sir Stuart Goodwin, saved the Ryder Cup from being scrapped.

The US side was more vulnerable than usual - Ben Hogan had not played in the 36-hole event since injuring his legs in a car crash in 1949, Sam Snead was being punished for snubbing a USPGA event while Cary Middlecoff and Julius Boros were off playing exhibition matches instead.

Peter Allis is one of only two players to follow their fathers into the Ryder Cup

Still, with 24 years standing between Britain's last victory, no-one was surprised when the Americans took a 3-1 lead after the first day.

But the home side were galvanised by a public spat between captain Dai Rees and Harry Weetman - who said he would never again play under the Welshman after being dropped for the final day.

The rest of the team rallied around their skipper and the turning point came as a result of a piece of final day sportsmanship from Rees.

When Ted Kroll pulled out of the US team injured, rather than claim a forfeited point - as he was entitled to do - the British captain allowed his American counterpart Jack Burke to take his place against debutant Peter Mills.

Against all odds Mills, in what was to be his only Ryder Cup appearance, thrashed Burke 5 and 3.

The Americans recorded only one singles victory - Fred Hawkins beating Peter Allliss.

But Allis, now a BBC commentator whose own father Percy had played in Britain's previous victory in 1933, was to half the last laugh as his team broke America's winning run.

After 24 years of success, the US had finally been beaten.

Sadly for those on the European side of the Atlantic, it was to be another 28 years until the Americans lost the Ryder Cup again.