1981 Walton Heath Golf Club, Surrey, England
Captains: Dave Marr (US), John Jacobs (Europe)
USA 18 ½ - EUROPE 9 ½
Larry Nelson continued his remarkable run with four more victories to boost the American team, the last time a U.S. Team would enjoy a dominating performance in the Ryder Cup Matches. The U.S. was composed of players who had combined for 36 major championships. The U.S. gained the momentum it needed the second day to win its 22nd consecutive Matches. The Americans piled up a 7-1 record, ranked just behind the U.S. all-time record set in 1967 of a 7 ½ to ½ margin in Four-Ball or foursomes for one day. Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson teamed for three victories and Nicklaus finished 4-0 overall. Germany's Bernhard Langer made his Ryder Cup debut as did Spain's Jos. Maria Canizares and Manuel Pinero. Spain's Seve Ballesteros, who had won the 1980 Masters and had spent much of his competitive season away from the PGA European Tour, was voted out of the competition by the European Team.
 United States |
 Europe |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Foursomes: Morning | |||
| B Langer & M Piñero | 0 | L Trevino & L Nelson (1 hole) | 1 |
| A Lyle & M James (2 & 1) | 1 | B Rogers & B Lietzke | 0 |
| B Gallacher & D Smyth (3 and 2) | 1 | H Irwin & R Floyd | 0 |
| P Oosterhuis & N Faldo | 0 | T Watson & J Nicklaus (4 & 3) | 1 |
| Four-Ball:: Afternoon | |||
| S Torrance & H Clark (halved) | ½ | T Kite & J Miller (halved) | ½ |
| A Lyle & M James (3 & 2) | 1 | B Crenshaw & J Pate | 0 |
| D Smyth & J M Canizares (6 & 5) | 1 | B Rogers & B Lietzke | 0 |
| B Gallacher & E Darcy | 0 | H Irwin & R Floyd (2 & 1) | 1 |
| Four-Ball: Morning | |||
| N Faldo & S Torrance | 0 | L Trevino & J Pate (7 & 5) | 1 |
| A Lyle & M James | 0 | L Nelson & T Kite (1 hole) | 1 |
| B Langer & M Piñero (2 & 1) | 1 | R Floyd & H Irwin | 0 |
| J M Canizares & D Smyth | 0 | J Nicklaus & T Watson (3 & 2) | 1 |
| Foursomes: Afternoon | |||
| P Oosterhuis & S Torrance | 0 | L Trevino & J Pate (2 & 1) | 1 |
| B Langer & M Piñero | 0 | J Nicklaus & T Watson (3 & 2) | 1 |
| A Lyle & M James | 0 | B Rogers & R Floyd (3 & 2) | 1 |
| D Smyth & B Gallacher | 0 | T Kite & L Nelson (3 & 2) | 1 |
| Singles | |||
| S Torrance | 0 | L Trevino (5 & 3) | 1 |
| A Lyle | 0 | T Kite (3 & 2) | 1 |
| B Gallacher (halved) | ½ | B Rogers (halved) | ½ |
| M James | 0 | L Nelson (2 holes) | 1 |
| D Smyth | 0 | B Crenshaw (6 & 4) | 1 |
| B Langer (halved) | ½ | B Lietzke (halved) | ½ |
| M Piñero (4 & 2) | 1 | J Pate | 0 |
| J M Canizares | 0 | H Irwin (1 hole) | 1 |
| N Faldo (2 & 1) | 1 | J Miller | 0 |
| H Clark (4 & 3) | 1 | T Watson | 0 |
| P Oosterhuis | 0 | R Floyd (1 hole) | 1 |
| E Darcy | 0 | J Nicklaus (5 & 3) | 1 |
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