The Ryder Cup has always been defined by its passion and drama, but nothing in the event's history quite matches the shock and theater of its greatest comebacks.
Twice, the ultimate underdog has stared down a seemingly insurmountable four-point deficit heading into the final day of singles matches, only to deliver a performance so fierce it completely rewrote the tournament's narrative. These rallies are not just points on a scoreboard; they are legendary chapters in golf history.
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The Sporting News has you covered on some of the biggest comebacks in Ryder Cup history.
Biggest comebacks in Ryder Cup history
The first Ryder Cup comeback dates all the way back to 1929.
In 1957, Great Britain finally broke through. The U.S. led 3-1—there were only eight points available then—but Britain stormed back to win 7.5-4.5. It was their first victory since 1933, snapping a seven-match losing streak. The rally was fueled by dominant singles play, where Britain captured 6.5 of a possible eight points.
Another notable European comeback came in 1995 at Oak Hill. Trailing 9-7 heading into the final day, Europe surged with 7.5 Sunday points to edge the U.S. 14.5-13.5. It marked only their second victory on American soil—and their first time overturning a deficit in the U.S.
But the two most iconic comebacks are remembered by their venues.
The “Battle of Brookline” in 1999 saw the U.S. rally from a 10-6 deficit, capped by Justin Leonard’s legendary putt on the 17th hole. The turnaround was set in motion the night before, when captain Ben Crenshaw, facing long odds, declared, “I’m a big believer in fate. I have a good feeling about this.” The next day, his team came out firing, winning the first six singles matches to flip the scoreboard and ride the momentum to victory.
Thirteen years later came the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012, when Europe returned the favor. Also trailing 10-6, they stormed through Sunday’s singles, claiming 8.5 of 12 points to stun the U.S. 14.5-13.5 on American soil.
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Top five biggest comebacks in Ryder Cup history
Here are the five biggest final-day comebacks in Ryder Cup history since the competition expanded:
| Year | Venue | Winning Team | Score Before Singles | Final Score | Deficit Overcome (Points) |
| 2012 | Medinah Country Club (USA) | Europe | USA led 10–6 | 14.5–13.5 | 4.0 |
| 1999 | The Country Club (USA) | United States | Europe led 10–6 | 14.5–13.5 | 4.0 |
| 1995 | Oak Hill Country Club (USA) | Europe | USA led 9–7 | 14.5–13.5 | 2.0 |
| 1993 | The Belfry (EUR) | United States | Europe led 8.5–7.5 | 15–13 | 1.0 |
| 1989 | The Belfry (EUR) | Europe (Retained Cup) | Europe led 9–7 | 14–14 (TIE) | 2.0 |
Note: The 1989 match ended in a 14-14 tie, but because Europe was the defending champion, they retained the Cup, counting as a successful comeback to prevent a loss.
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1. 2012: The "Miracle at Medinah"
Team Europe, captained by José María Olazábal, entered Sunday’s singles at Medinah Country Club trailing the United States 10-6. They needed eight points to retain the Ryder Cup and 8.5 to win it outright.
Fueled by the memory of Seve Ballesteros, Europe stormed through the session, winning 8.5–3.5. Martin Kaymer delivered the putt that ensured the Cup would stay with Europe, and Francesco Molinari’s half-point against Tiger Woods clinched the 14.5–13.5 comeback victory.
2. 1999: The "Battle of Brookline"
Team USA faced the same daunting 10-6 deficit against Europe heading into the final day's singles at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The Americans stormed out to win the first six matches, completing the massive comeback when Justin Leonard sank a now-famous long putt on the 17th hole against José María Olazábal to secure the crucial half-point, giving the U.S. a 14.5–13.5 win.
3. 1995: Europe at Oak Hill
The United States led the Europeans 9-7 heading into the final day's singles matches at Oak Hill Country Club in New York.
Come Sunday, the Europeans put together a dominant performance, winning 7.5 of the 12 singles points to overcome the two-point deficit and win the Cup with a final score of 14.5–13.5.
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4. 1957: Great Britain at Lindrick
Team USA was heavily favored, and Great Britain found themselves trailing 3-1 after the opening day's foursomes matches.
Come Sunday, Great Britain delivered a stunning performance in the eight singles matches, winning 6.5 out of 8 possible points to secure a totally unexpected 7.5–4.5 victory, ending a 24-year winless drought.
5. 1993: USA at The Belfry
The United States trailed Europe 8.5–7.5 heading into the final-day singles at The Belfry in England.
Though, the Americans played exceptionally well in the singles, securing 7.5 points out of the 12 available to overturn the one-point deficit and win the tournament by a final score of 15–13.
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