Ryder Cup Sportsmanship: The Concession and a Hazeltine Fist Bump

A Ryder Cup opponent can receive an acknowledgement of respect while the match is still fiercely contested. Jack Nicklaus's concession to Tony Jacklin in 1969 and Patrick Reed's exchange with Rory McIlroy at Hazeltine in 2016 provide two memorable examples.

Nicklaus and Jacklin at Royal Birkdale

On September 20, 1969, Nicklaus holed his own short putt on the final green and conceded Jacklin's remaining putt. Their singles match was halved, producing the first tied Ryder Cup: 16–16, with the United States retaining the trophy.

The official 1969 results sheet records the match and team outcome. Sports Illustrated's account of the concession describes the friendship that followed between the two men. Here, the lasting relationship is part of the documented story, alongside the sporting gesture.

Reed and McIlroy at Hazeltine

In their October 2, 2016 singles match, Reed and McIlroy both made birdie at the eighth hole. After the putts and celebrations, they exchanged a fist bump and an embrace before continuing their contest.

Golf Digest's account of the eighth hole captures that exchange. Reed eventually won 1UP, the result identified in the Ryder Cup's official extended highlights.

The eighth-hole exchange did not settle the Hazeltine match. It showed that the players could appreciate the quality of an opponent's golf during the contest itself. The concession at Birkdale carried a different significance because it determined the final result.

Together, these moments offer a useful way to understand Ryder Cup sportsmanship: through specific actions on the course and, where documented, the relationships that followed. Explore the Ryder Cup history archive for more of the event's defining matches.