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East Palestine’s McGee recalls his Ryder triumph
By Greg Gulas
EAST PALESTINE
The Ryder Cup takes golf’s center stage today and one area resident refuses to miss the commercials, let alone any of the action.
Jerry McGee, East Palestine’s self-proclaimed sports junkie who was a member of the winning USA team in 1977, will celebrate the 35th anniversary of his Ryder Cup selection glued to the television.
He calls the competition between America and Europe the top golfing event of the season and one of his top three sporting events of all time.
“The Ryder Cup is an electrifying event,” McGee said. “It’s unlike any other in which a golfer will play.
“Each and every week when on the tour, you play for yourself and family,” McGee said. “Now, you are being asked to shift gears and play for all of America.
“To me, it is without a doubt the biggest thrill and honor for a professional golfer.
This weekend’s event will be played at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. The Ryder Cup dates to 1927 with matches between the USA and Great Britain remaining relatively even through World War II.
The USA’s dominance through the ’70s, however, led Jack Nicklaus to suggesting that all of Europe be included in their team selection.
“I don’t think Jack [Nicklaus] realized at the time that it would be the USA against the world,” McGee said.
Captained by Ohio University’s Dow Finsterwald, the remainder of the ’77 Ryder Cup team included Raymond Floyd, Lou Graham, Hubert Green, Dave Hill, Hale Irwin, Don January, Nicklaus, Ed Sneed, Dave Stockton, Lanny Wadkins and Tom Watson.
That ’77 team had an Ohio flavor. In addition to Finsterwald, McGee (New Concord, Ohio State), Nicklaus (Upper Arlington, Ohio State) and Sneed (Ohio State) had a tie to the Buckeye State.
Played at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in St. Annes, England, McGee recalls that there was drama everywhere throughout the three-day event.
“Dave Stockton and I were paired against Neil Coles and Peter Dawson,” McGee said.
“We should have been beaten, 5-4, but rallied and ended up winning 1-up,” McGee said. We were the first team out and it just gave everyone else on Team USA an emotional lift.”
McGee was 1-1-0 overall as he helped lead the USA to a 12.5-7.5 victory.
“Every time I hear or stand for the national anthem, I revert back to 1977 when the Queen presented us with the trophy,” McGee said. “I get mellow, my eyes well up and I am just so proud to be an American. Much of that dates back to my Ryder Cup experience.”
McGee was also part of another first in the competition when Dawson became the first lefty to compete in the event.