The year 1927 was an eventful one in the United States and the world, to say the least. That was the year that Charles Lindbergh became the first human being to fly an airplane solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and the year The Jazz Singer, the first movie with a soundtrack, was released.
Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees hit an astonishing 60 home runs, and a sculptor named John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, the son of a Danish immigrant, began carving figures in the the side of a South Dakota hillside called Mount Rushmore. The first image ever transmitted by a futuristic technology called “television” — a picture of U.S. commerce secretary Herbert Hoover — was sent over telephone wires from New York City to Washington D.C.
Those are just a few of the extraordinary events of 1927. But in the small city of Worcester, Massachusetts, about 50 miles west of Boston, another significant event took place.
First Ryder Cup in 1927. Or Was it 1926?
That, of course, was the first-ever Ryder Cup golf championship, the brainchild of a seed salesman named Sam Ryder, held at the Worcester Country Club, pitting teams of eight golfers from the U.S. against eight from Great Britain.
Actually, a Ryder Cup competition took place at Wentworth in England the previous year, but for various reasons, the hastily assembled, somewhat ramshackle 1926 tournament has been erased from the record books.
Now, 98 years after the first “real” Ryder Cup was played, the 45th edition of the bi-annual competition takes place starting Friday, on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, just outside of New York City.
Television has come a long way since the days of Herbert Hoover, and golf fans of course can watch the entire competition on TV, and via live stream. Here are the specifics.
Friday, TV and Streaming Coverage
The USA Network, a cable channel owned by NBCUniversal — itself of subsidiary of Comcast — will carry wall-to-wall coverage starting at 7 a.m. Eastern Time. The foursomes competition runs until noon, with four-balls from noon until 6 p.m.
The NBCUniversal-owned streaming app Peacock will carry featured matches from each session, though times and pairings have yet to be announced.
For viewers who do not have a paid Peacock subscription, RyderCup.com will provide free streaming coverage throughout the day — and throughout the weekend — as will the Ryder Cup YouTube channel.
Saturday, NBC Takes Over
As the competition heats up over the weekend, coverage switches to the main NBC television network. Local NBC affiliates will begin coverage at 7 a.m. Eastern Time once again. Foursomes are set to tee off at approximately 7:10 a.m., with four-ball sessions starting at about 12:25 p.m. Eastern.
Once again, Peacock will simultaneously stream NBC coverage, as well as offering breakout streaming of featured matches.
Sunday — the End. Until 2027
Day Three of the Ryder Cup is devoted to the highly anticipated singles matches that traditionally close out the tournament. Both NBC and Peacock will offer complete coverage, this time starting at noon Eastern and running until 6 p.m.
For those without cable TV, NBC and USA Network coverage is available through several “over the top” subscription streaming platforms such as YouTube TV, Sling TV, Fubo, and Hulu with its live TV package.
How to Watch the Ryder Cup: TV and Streaming Options, Start Times