Dates | November 1–2, 1947 | ||||
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Venue | Portland Golf Club | ||||
Location | Portland, Oregon | ||||
Captains |
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United States wins the Ryder Cup | |||||
The 7th Ryder Cup Matches were held November 1–2, 1947 at Portland Golf Club in Portland, Oregon, marking a resumption of the competition after a full decade. World War II forced cancellations from 1939 to 1945; the last competition was in 1937. The United States overwhelmed the British team, 11–1.[1][2]
An invitation to renew the Ryder Cup was sent by the American P.G.A. in November 1946.[3] This was accepted by the British P.G.A. in December.[4] However it was not until August 1947 that the dates and venue were agreed.[5][6]
The revival of the Ryder Cup in 1947 was initiated by Portland businessman Robert A. Hudson, who paid for the expenses of the teams and chaired the event.[7] He even met the British team in New York, threw a lavish party at the Waldorf-Astoria, and accompanied them on the four-day rail journey across the U.S. to Portland.[8][9]
The course had hosted the stroke play Portland Open on the PGA Tour in 1944 and 1945, won by Sam Snead and Ben Hogan, and the match play PGA Championship in August 1946, won by Hogan.
The American team won all four matches on the opening day and continued to dominate by winning all but one singles match. The only British victory in the competition came when Sam King beat Herman Keiser 4 & 3.
Played in the Pacific Northwest in November in wind and rain, soft course conditions prevailed as a week-long rain preceded the event.[10][11] The next several matches in the U.S. were played in more southerly venues.