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The head-to-head nature of the Ryder Cup is what makes it so popular, drawing in casual sports fans, with the unpredictability of a contest creating memorable drama.
In an atmosphere unlike anything else in golf, a team dynamic is introduced in what is otherwise predominantly an individual sport.
However, whether it be Team Europe or the United States, the performance of one player can often lead their side to victory.
The format is simple: foursomes, four-balls, and singles. But navigating through them across a condensed three-day event is far from easy.
So much so, the likelihood of going undefeated is incredibly rare. In the Ryder Cup, just five players have gone 5-0-0 (wins, losses, ties).
Here, we take a look at who they are and when their feat occurred…
Arnold Palmer – 1967*
Playing in his fourth Ryder Cup, 'The King' - a seven-time Major Champion at the time - became the first player to win all five matches in which he played. Alongside Gardner Dickinson, who would emulate him in the same edition, the American pair won both their foursomes matches on the opening day at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. The duo first beat Peter Alliss and Christy O'Connor Snr 2&1, before teaming up to overcome Malcolm Gregson and Hugh Boyle 5&4 as the United States opened up a 5½ - 2½ opening-day lead. After missing the morning session of four-balls, Palmer partnered Julius Boros to a 1UP success against George Will and Boyle. With the United States holding a dominant ten-point advantage heading into the final day, Palmer beat Tony Jacklin 3&2 and then led out the hosts in the afternoon with a 5&3 success against Brian Huggett.
Gardner Dickinson – 1967*
In what was his Ryder Cup debut, Dickinson became the second American of the '67 US side to win all five matches in which he played. Bouyed by his two foursomes wins alongside Palmer on the opening day, the then 40-year-old - the oldest rookie across both teams by some way - teamed up with Doug Sanders in the four-balls. The two rookies first beat Huggett and Will 3&2 in the morning, before overcoming Aliss and Malcolm Gregson by the same margin. After missing the morning session of singles, he beat Jacklin 3&2 to claim his fifth win of the week.
Larry Nelson - 1979
The 1979 Ryder Cup marked the start of a new era, with players from continental Europe taking part for the first time as Team Europe replaced Great Britain and Ireland as the United States' opposition. One of eight rookies in Billy Casper's U.S. Team at The Greenbrier, Nelson paired up with Lanny Wadkins to record a 2&1 victory against Spanish duo Antonio Garrido and Seve Ballesteros in the lead match of the opening four-balls session, before the American pairing beat Bernard Gallacher and Brian Barnes 4&3 in foursomes that afternoon. They maintained their winning partnership on day two, again getting the better of Ballesteros and Garrido on two further occassions. With just one point seperating the two teams heading into the singles, Wadkins and Nelson were sent out in the first two matches of the morning session, with Nelson beating Ballesteros 3&2 to secure his fifth point.
In 1981, the format of the Ryder Cup was altered slightly with the third-day singles held in a single session featuring all 12 players on both sides.
Francesco Molinari - 2018
PARIS, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 30: Francesco Molinari of Europe celebrates winning The Ryder Cup during singles matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on September 30, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)It would take almost 40 years, but the first European to go 5-0-0 came at Le Golf National. The Italian, making his third Ryder Cup appearance, made history by completing a clean sweep in France. Forging a memorable partnership with Tommy Fleetwood, the duo beat Patrick Reed and Tiger Woods in four-balls, before again playing expertly in the anchor match as they eased past Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in the foursomes, helping Europe record their first clean sweep in that format at the Ryder Cup. Another victory in four-balls against Reed and Woods followed on Saturday, before Molinari and Fleetwood - affectionaly named 'Moliwood' - defeated Woods and Bryson DeChambeau. While Fleetwood was unable to claim his fifth point of the week in the singles, Molinari did just that with a 4&2 success against Phil Mickelson sealing the vital point.
Dustin Johnson - 2021
KOHLER, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 26: Dustin Johnson of team United States celebrates on the 15th green during Sunday Singles Matches of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 26, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)At Whistling Straits, the United States claimed a dominant 19-9 victory, with their ten-point winning margin a record in the Ryder Cup since 1967. Influential in that was the performance of the then World Number Two Dustin Johnson. After opening his week with victory alongside Collin Morikawa in the foursomes against Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland, he paired up with Xander Schauffele in the four-balls to beat Casey and Bernd Wiesberger. The Johnson/Morikawa duo then beat Casey and Tyrrell Hatton in foursomes, before a 4&3 victory against Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy put them well on their way to a comprehensive success against Europe. A 1UP win against Casey in the singles rounded out a stellar week for Johnson.
*From 1963 through to 1971, the Ryder Cup was staged over six sessions, with two sessions of foursomes and fourballs played over the opening two days, before two sessions of singles - featuring eight players from both sides - on the final day.
