This Day in Golf History: September 26

The 1861 Open Championship ended on this date at Prestwick Golf Club, Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the second Open Championship and had a field of 10 professionals and eight amateurs. The winner was Tom Morris, Sr., aka Old Tom, by four shots over Willie Park, Sr. with a score of 163. A pair of close U.S. victories in the Ryder Cup on this date in the 1990s are a couple of the latest grand moments the Americans have had to celebrate as Europe is now the dominating team in the biennial series. In 1993 at The Belfry, the U.S. won 15-13, for captain Tom Watson, with Davis Love III clinching the Cup with a 1-up victory over Italy’s Costantino Rocca. And in 1999, the Americans won the fabled match at The Country Club, 14½-13½, after trailing 10-6 going into the singles and making a monumental comeback. The victory didn’t come without a price, though. The U.S. players were chastised for poor team sportsmanship during a major celebration while play was still ongoing.