::The Concession

'69 Ryder Cup known for 'The Concession'
By Adam Schupak, PGATOUR.COM Contributor

Since the first Ryder Cup in 1927, the competition has been an unmatched display of talent, rivalry and drama. In the Cup's storied history, none stands out for high drama and sportsmanship as the 1969 Ryder Cup, held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England.

The 1969 Ryder Cup is best remembered for "The Concession." With the outcome of the match hanging in the balance, Jack Nicklaus conceded a 2-footer to Tony Jacklin on the last green. It resulted in the first tie in the matches' history and the U.S. retained the Cup. That singular act of charity is considered one of the grandest gestures of sportsmanship.

In the closest contest in its history, 17 of the 32 matches went down to the last hole. With the matches tied going into the last day, the British won five of the eight morning singles. But the U.S. roared back, winning four of the first six afternoon matches to even the score. The event hinged on the last singles match between Nicklaus and Jacklin.

Already having defeated Nicklaus 4 and 3 in a morning singles match, Jacklin faced a rematch in the final contest of the day. Jacklin was at the top of his game. The reigning British Open champion was unbeaten so far and had won more points for his team than any other player. Jacklin's unshakeable confidence was all the more impressive given that he carried the weight of his country's hopes on his shoulders.

"I didn't let anything get to me," recalled Jacklin. "The softest thing about me was my teeth."

The pivotal match did not disappoint. On the opening nine, the match seesawed back and forth. Nicklaus, playing in his first Ryder Cup, won the ninth hole with a bogey to level the match at the turn. Neither golfer was able to gain more than a one-hole advantage at any point on the inward nine and they remained all square heading into the final three holes.

Jacklin bogeyed the par-4 16th to fall one behind after he sprayed his tee shot into a bunker. With holes running out, Jacklin attacked the par-5 17th hole. His blocked 2-iron took a fortunate bounce off the steep bank and rolled down onto the green some 50 feet short of the hole. After a prodigious drive that flew 30 yards past Jacklin's, Nicklaus planted a 6-iron 20 feet from the hole. There was a palpable silence around the green as Jacklin stalked his eagle putt. If he missed, Nicklaus would have an opportunity to close out the match.

Moments later, the partisan crowd erupted when Jacklin's putt dived into the hole.

Given the length of the putt, Jacklin's caddie, who was tending the flag stick, also leaped into wild celebration.

"I can see his caddie, Willie Hamilton, now almost beating the high jump record with a set of clubs on his back as the ball went in the hole," recalled former teammate Peter Alliss.

History will record that Jacklin somehow ignored the pressures of the moment, and then executed a precise shot at the precise time. The history of the game is defined by such moments of excellence.

"It was one of the putts of my life, one of those you dream about making," said Jacklin. "You rarely hole a putt of that length when you really, really need it. For it to happen at that time was idyllic."

Now it was Nicklaus's turn. When his eagle attempt slid past the hole, the match was tied heading to the final hole.

Striding down the fairway together toward their fate, Nicklaus asked his foe how he was faring.

"Jack called after me," recalled Jacklin, "and he said, 'Tony are you nervous?' I said, I'm petrified. He replied, 'I just thought I'd ask you. If it's any consolation, I feel exactly the same way you do.'"

Jacklin may have been a puddle of nerves on the inside, but he maintained his composure well enough to fire an 8-iron to the green that skittered 30 feet past and left of the hole. Nicklaus countered with a 9-iron 20 feet right of the hole. Jacklin's birdie putt was destined for the cup had he hit it harder, but it halted 2 feet short of the hole and he marked.

The stage was set for Nicklaus.

Nicklaus aggressively stroked his bid for the win, but it raced 4½ feet past the hole. As Nicklaus stood agonizing over his first putt, Jacklin briefly considered conceding Nicklaus's putt had it managed to cozy up near the cup.

"I would've loved to have said a half, but he hit it so far by, it was impossible," Jacklin said.

Now the pressure shifted to Nicklaus. A three-putt would cost his country the Cup. Nicklaus diligently studied his comebacker and confidently knocked it in the hole. In one of golf's most memorable moments of sportsmanship, Nicklaus stooped down to grab his ball out of the cup, and then leaned over and picked up Jacklin's marker conceding the putt.

The match was halved and for the first time in its 42-year history, the Ryder Cup ended in a deadlock while the U.S. retained the trophy. The pair left the green with their arms around each other's shoulders.

"I think it was the greatest single sporting gesture in golf," Jacklin said. "If there was a greater one I don't know of it.

"Jack never lost sight of the bigger picture. Sam Ryder gave that trophy to forge goodwill between two nations at the beginning of it all, and I'm sure that's what he had in mind when he did so."

Some of Nicklaus's U.S. teammates were not pleased with the gesture. Nicklaus incurred the wrath of U.S. Captain Sam Snead for his decision.

"All the boys thought it was ridiculous to give him that putt," Snead said at the time. "We went over there to win, not to be good ol' boys."

Nicklaus has long been admired for his power and precision as for his sportsmanship. In his book, Jack Nicklaus: My Story, he explained why he conceded the putt.

"I believed good sportsmanship should be as much a part of the Ryder Cup as great competition."

Leo Fraser, president of the PGA of America, announced at the post-match banquet that both countries would hold the trophy for a year. This was in stark contrast to the long-held tradition that in the event of a tie the Cup would be retained by its previous holder. Instead, he passed the Ryder Cup to his British counterpart, Lord Derby, and it was the first time in a dozen years that the British had been in possession of the trophy.

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