Seve Transforms Ryder Cup?

Research Task:

Find the results of the Ryder Cup matches from 1969 through 2000. Create a simple record showing which team won each match. What pattern do you see? When does the shift in European competitiveness begin? Does the data support the argument that Ballesteros and his generation transformed the competition?

Parent-Teacher Note:

The Ryder Cup data task is a concrete quantitative exercise that grounds the narrative of this lesson in verifiable evidence. The Wikipedia article on Ryder Cup history has a clear results table that works well for this purpose. Encourage your student to look for the pattern rather than just copying the data — when does the change happen, how dramatic is it, and does it hold consistently?