Thursday, September 20, 2012
- by B.B. Branton
While the U.S. Ryder Cup team prepares to take on its European counterpart at the Medinah (Ill.) Country Club next week, the original Ryder Cup trophy will be in Chattanooga Saturday.
An English businessman, Sam Ryder was responsible for the making of the original Ryder Cup trophy.
Twenty-five teams will compete in a 2-ball modified select shot competition Saturday afternoon at Black Creek Mountain Golf Club.
Those involved in the organization of this event, include Tony Autry, a teacher at Heritage High School and long-time member at Woodland Park Baptist Church and Wyatt Gwen, a missionary from Wales, who has organized the Ryder Cup part.
Teams from America and Europe will compete in two flights - Sam Ryder and Bobby Jones - with members of the winning teams will receive replica Ryder Cup trophies.
Saturday Night Dinner: Former U.S. Ryder Cup member Loren Roberts will be the speaker at the dinner (also at Black Creek) following the golf competition. Roberts won eight PGA Tour events, including the 1999 GTE Byron Nelson Classic, and has 13 Champions Tour titles. He was a member of the 1995 U.S. Ryder Cup team and was 3-1-0, but Europe won the Cup, 14.5- 13.5.
The Sam Ryder Classic moves to Birmingham on Monday with Dave Ragan speaking at that dinner. Ragan was 2-1-1 for the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1963, 23-9. He won three PGA Tour events and was runner-up at the 1963 PGA Championship.
Did You Know?: Dave Ragan was the golf coach at Tenn. Temple Univ. (Chattanooga) in the early 1980s.
The 1987 Masters champion Larry Mize is the event speaker Wednesday in Atlanta. Mize was 1-1-2 for the 1987 U.S. Ryder Cup team which lost to Europe, 15-13.
The 2012 Ryder Cup - Sept. 28-30: Europe is the defending champion
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net