Justin Thomas will be making his Ryder Cup debut in September when the U.S. team travels to France to take on Europe. The pressure will be on, as the U.S. looks to defend the title for the first time since 2010. We wondered, how have other notable players done in their Ryder Cup debuts?
RELATED: The youngest American golfers to compete in a Ryder Cup
From Walter Hagen captaining the U.S. team to victory in the very first Ryder Cup to Jack Nicklaus’ concession at Royal Birkdale in his debut, there have been some impressive storylines out of first appearances. Here are some of the top names:
WALTER HAGEN
(Hagen, holding the Ryder Cup trophy on the left at the 1927 Ryder Cup)
Debut: 1927 Ryder Cup at Worcester Country Club in Worcester
Foursome: Hagen/Johnny Golden win 2&1 against Ted Ray/Fred Robson
Singles: Hagen wins 2&1 against Arthur Havers
Record: 2-0-0
Result: U.S. wins 9 ½ to 2 ½
SAM SNEAD
(Snead, top row, second from right, at the 1939 Ryder Cup, his second ever)
Debut: 1937 Ryder Cup at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club in Southport, England
Foursome: DNP
Singles: Snead wins 5&4 against Dick Burton
Record: 1-0-0
Result: U.S. wins 8-4
BEN HOGAN
(Hogan, second from left at the 1947 Ryder Cup)
Debut: 1947 Ryder Cup at Portland Golf Club in Portland, Oregon
Foursome: Hogan/Jimmy Demaret win 2 up against Jimmy Adams/Max Faulkner
Singles: DNP
Record: 1-0-0
Result: U.S. wins 11 to 1
ARNOLD PALMER
(Palmer, sixth from right, at the 1961 Ryder Cup)
Debut: 1961 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lytham St. Annes, England
Foursomes: Palmer/Billy Casper win 2&1 against Dai Rees/Ken Bousfield; win 5&4 against John Panton/Bernard Hunt
Singles: Palmer halves against Peter Alliss; wins 2&1 against Tom Haliburton
Record: 3-0-1
Result: U.S. wins 14 ½ to 9 ½
JACK NICKLAUS
Debut: 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.
Foursomes: Nicklaus/Dan Sikes win 1 up against Peter Butler/Bernard Hunt
Four-ball: Nicklaus/Sikes lose 1 up against Tony Jacklin/Neil Coles
Singles: Nicklaus loses 4&3 to Jacklin; halves with Jacklin
Record: 1-2-1
Result: Draw, U.S. retains
PHIL MICKELSON
Debut: 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York
Foursomes: DNP
Four-ball: Mickelson/Corey Pavin win 6&4 against Bernhard Langer/Per-Ulrik Johansson; Mickelson/Jay Haas win 3&2 against Seve Ballesteros/David Gilford
Singles: Mickelson wins 2&1 against Johansson
Record: 3-0-0
Result: Europe wins 14 ½ to 13 ½
TIGER WOODS
Debut: 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain
Four-ball: Woods/Mark O’Meara win 3&2 against Colin Montgomorie/Bernhard Langer; Woods/O’Meara lose 2&1 against Nick Faldo/Lee Westwood
Foursomes: Woods/O’Meara lose 5&3 to Langer/Montgomerie; Woods/Justin Leonard halved against Jesper Parnevik/Ignacio Garrido
Singles: Woods loses 4&2 against Costantino Rocca
Record: 1-3-1
Result: Europe wins 14 ½ to 13 ½
PATRICK REED
Debut: 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland
Four-ball: Reed/Jordan Spieth win 5&4 against Stephen Gallacher/Ian Poulter; win 5&3 against Thomas Bjorn/Martin Kaymer
Foursomes: Reed/Spieth halved against Kaymer/Justin Rose
Singles: Reed wins 1 up against Henrik Stenson
Record: 3-0-1
Result: Europe wins 16 ½ to 11 ½
JORDAN SPIETH
Debut: 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland
Four-ball: Spieth/Patrick Reed win 5&4 against Stephen Gallacher/Ian Poulter; win 5&3 against Thomas Bjorn/Martin Kaymer
Foursomes: Spieth/Reed halved against Kaymer/Justin Rose
Singles: Spieth loses 2&1 against Graeme McDowell
Record: 2-1-1
Result: Europe wins 16 ½ to 11 ½
