Captain's picks (or wild-card picks) haven't always been a part of the Ryder Cup. However, they've become an integral part of the biennial competition pitting 12-man teams representing the United States against Europe in a 27 matches over three days.
The Europeans were the first side to create captain's picks, doing so in 1979, the first year that continental Europe became eligible to join what was previous a team of golfers only from Great Britain and Ireland (like the Walker Cup, the amateur equivalent). They've been doing it ever since, with the exception of 1983, adding two or three players to their team at the captain's discretion.
The United States began employing captain's picks in 1989, and they've done so in every Ryder Cup since, adding anywhere from two to four players to their team.
Some captain's picks have proven instrumental in helping their team win, or at least remain competitive. Others have been total flops. Others still have seen little action in the matches.
Ryder Cup captain's pick history, records and performance
| YEAR | TEAM | CAPTAIN | PLAYER | WIN | LOSS | DRAW | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Europe | John Jacobs | Peter Oosterhuis | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1979 | Europe | John Jacobs | Des Smyth | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | Europe | John Jacobs | Mark James | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1981 | Europe | John Jacobs | Peter Oosterhuis | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Jose Rivero | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Ken Brown | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Nick Faldo | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Sandy Lyle | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1987 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Jose Maria Olzabal | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1987 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Ken Brown | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Howard Clark | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Christy O'Connor Jr | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989 | Europe | Tony Jacklin | Bernhard Langer | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | U.S.A. | Raymond Floyd | Lanny Wadkins | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989 | U.S.A. | Raymond Floyd | Tom Watson | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 1991 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Jose Maria Olzabal | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3.5 |
| 1991 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Mark James | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1991 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Nick Faldo | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 | U.S.A. | Dave Stockton | Ray Floyd | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1991 | U.S.A. | Dave Stockton | Chip Beck | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Seve Ballesteros | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1993 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Jose Maria Olzabal | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1993 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Joakim Haeggman | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | U.S.A. | Tom Watson | Ray Floyd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1993 | U.S.A. | Tom Watson | Lanny Wadkins | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2.5 |
| 1995 | U.S.A. | Lanny Wadkins | Fred Couples | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2.5 |
| 1995 | U.S.A. | Lanny Wadkins | Curtis Strange | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Nick Faldo | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1995 | Europe | Bernard Gallacher | Ian Woosnam | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 1997 | U.S.A. | Tom Kite | Lee Janzen | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1997 | U.S.A. | Tom Kite | Fred Couples | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1997 | Europe | Seve Ballesteros | Jesper Parnevik | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | Europe | Seve Ballesteros | Nick Faldo | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 | U.S.A. | Ben Crenshaw | Tom Lehman | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 | U.S.A. | Ben Crenshaw | Steve Pate | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 | Europe | Mark James | Jesper Parnevik | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3.5 |
| 1999 | Europe | Mark James | Andrew Coltart | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | U.S.A. | Curtis Strange | Scott Verplank | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2002 | U.S.A. | Curtis Strange | Paul Azinger | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 2002 | Europe | Sam Torrance | Sergio Garcia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 | Europe | Sam Torrance | Jesper Parnevik | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 2004 | U.S.A. | Hal Sutton | Stewart Cink | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 2004 | U.S.A. | Hal Sutton | Jay Haas | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 2004 | Europe | Bernhard Langer | Colin Montgomerie | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2004 | Europe | Bernhard Langer | Luke Donald | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2.5 |
| 2006 | U.S.A. | Tom Lehman | Scott Verplank | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 | U.S.A. | Tom Lehman | Stewart Cink | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 2006 | Europe | Ian Woosnam | Darren Clarke | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 | Europe | Ian Woosnam | Lee Westwood | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2008 | U.S.A. | Paul Azinger | Chad Campbell | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2008 | U.S.A. | Paul Azinger | J.B. Holmes | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2.5 |
| 2008 | U.S.A. | Paul Azinger | Hunter Mahan | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 2008 | U.S.A. | Paul Azinger | Steve Stricker | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 2008 | Europe | Nick Faldo | Ian Poulter | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2008 | Europe | Nick Faldo | Paul Casey | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2010 | U.S.A. | Corey Pavin | Tiger Woods | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2010 | U.S.A. | Corey Pavin | Zach Johnson | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | U.S.A. | Corey Pavin | Stewart Cink | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 2010 | U.S.A. | Corey Pavin | Rickie Fowler | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2010 | Europe | Colin Montgomerie | Luke Donald | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2010 | Europe | Colin Montgomerie | Padraig Harrington | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | Europe | Colin Montgomerie | Edoardo Molinari | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2012 | U.S.A. | Davis Love III | Steve Stricker | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | U.S.A. | Davis Love III | Jim Furyk | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | U.S.A. | Davis Love III | Brandt Snedeker | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | U.S.A. | Davis Love III | Dustin Johnson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2012 | Europe | Jose Maria Olazabal | Nicolas Colaserts | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | Europe | Jose Maria Olazabal | Ian Poulter | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2014 | U.S.A. | Tom Watson | Keegan Bradley | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | U.S.A. | Tom Watson | Webb Simpson | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3.5 |
| 2014 | U.S.A. | Tom Watson | Hunter Mahan | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 2014 | Europe | Paul McGinley | Stephen Gallacher | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Europe | Paul McGinley | Ian Poulter | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | Europe | Paul McGinley | Lee Westwood | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Historically, then, here are the wild-card records for both teams:
Europe: 65-67-15 for 72.5 points, 41 picks averaging 1.71 points
U.S.A.: 50-42-31 for 60.5 points, 29 picks averaging 1.83 points
