The 25th Ryder Cup Matches were held October 14–16, 1983 at the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The United States team won the competition by a score of 14½ to 13½ points, the closest Ryder Cup since the tie in 1969.
In their third competition with players from the continent, Europe showed the ability to realistically challenge the Americans.
This was the first of four occasions that Tony Jacklin was the European captain and the sole occasion that his side lost.
Europe came within inches of pulling off a Ryder Cup coup – its first victory on U.S. soil.
England’s Tony Jacklin captained the Europeans and Jack Nicklaus guided the U.S. in to an 8-8 deadlock after two days.
The teams were still tied after the first 10 singles matches.
Europe was buoyed by a variety of special performances, including Spain’s Seve Ballesteros, who halved with Fuzzy Zoeller, after a brilliant fairway bunker approach shot on the 18th hole.
Ballesteros hit a 3-wood 240 yards from the bunker to the fringe of the green. He chipped and putted for par to secure the halve.
Many observers still rate Ballesteros’ shot, under the circumstances, as one of golf’s greatest pressure shots.
Meanwhile, Lanny Wadkins fell 1-down to Spain’s José María Canizares going into the 18th hole, a par-5 dogleg left into the wind.
Wadkins salvaged his team by hitting a 60-yard pitching wedge approach to within a foot of the hole to halve the match and secure the 14.5 to 13.5 win for the Americans