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The major champion who lost 10&8 in the heaviest singles defeat in Ryder Cup history

Originally posted on HITC | By Jordan Harris | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 11:30 AM ET

While the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black didn’t offer Team USA much to celebrate, Keegan Bradley’s side did come away with the week’s most emphatic win.

Justin Thomas and Cameron Young took down Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard 6&5 on Friday afternoon in New York. It was the only match of the week that didn’t make it past the 13th hole.

Xander Schauffele delivered a strong performance in the singles, defeating Jon Rahm 4&3 as the home side made a push for one of sport’s great comebacks.

Rahm is not alone among major champions who have taken heavy defeats in Ryder Cup singles matches.

And even so, his loss doesn’t quite measure up to some of the biggest margins ever seen in singles play at this event.

Ryder Cup history: the major champion with the worst singles defeat ever

The Ryder Cup took a long time to become what it is today, and for more than half a century, only players from Great Britain and Ireland were involved. It wasn’t until 1979 that continental Europeans joined the mix.

Ben Hogan opted not to play in the 1953 Ryder Cup, deciding against making the trip across the Atlantic. That year, he won three majors, including The Open Championship—his only appearance in that event.

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But back in 1929, just weeks after that year’s Ryder Cup, another American had his name etched onto the Claret Jug. In fact, he was also his side’s captain during just the second edition of the competition.

Walter Hagen led Team USA into Walton Heath Golf Club as they looked to retain their title but came up short. Great Britain ended up taking a 7-5 win on home soil and he lost his singles match 10&8 against playing-captain George Duncan.

Hagen is still considered one of golf’s most recognisable figures today. Only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus have more major wins than his career total of 11 titles.

If not for World War I interrupting part of his career, it’s fair to assume he would’ve added even more to that tally. Also worth noting: much of Hagen’s prime years came before The Masters was even established in 1934.

The Americans actually held a one-point lead after Friday’s foursomes. Hagen and Johnny Golden beat Ernest Whitcombe and Henry Cotton by two holes for their only point together during their time as partners over four editions of this event (1927-1933).

How Walter Hagen responded to his loss against George Duncan

Hagen, who led the USA in the first six Ryder Cups and played in five of them, didn’t leave empty-handed despite the defeat. Just two weeks later, he claimed his fourth Open title, winning by six shots at Muirfield.

That victory meant Hagen had won a major title in every year of the 1920s except two. The 1929 Open was his last major win among what we now consider golf’s four biggest tournaments.

He did find some payback against Duncan a couple of years later. In 1931, Hagen and Denny Shute beat Duncan and Arthur Havers 10&9 in the Friday foursomes at Scioto. The Americans went on to win that contest 9-3.

That result put Hagen into the Ryder Cup record books for both the largest margin of victory in a foursomes match and the biggest singles defeat. No stranger to the spotlight, it’s hard to think that Hagen would have minded one bit.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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