"The Shirt"

Team-Issued 1999 Ryder Cup Sunday Shirt

from Ben Crenshaw

        To golf fans, it's simply "The Shirt".

        The shirt offered here is arguably the most well-known golf shirt of all-time. It is an actual United States team-issued shirt from Sunday of the 1999 Ryder Cup.

        As any golf fan can tell you, Brookline was the stage for the greatest comeback in the history of the Ryder Cup. In fact, at least to the American sports fan, the 1999 Ryder Cup is one of the most famous sporting events of recent memory. At the close of play on Saturday, the United States team faced a seemingly insurmountable deficit; the Cup was surely headed back to Europe. Somehow the Americans came roaring back - capped by Justin Leonard's improbable sinking of a 45 foot putt to forever enter his name, and this tournament, into golf lore.

        On that fabled Sunday at Brookline, the United States wore a highly unusual (and admittedly ugly!) custom Jeff Rose maroon sirt depicting vintage Ryder Cup photographs. As explained by Ryder Cup hero Justin Leonard's caddie Bob Riefke, "when we first saw those shirts, we thought it was a joke!"  Well, maybe the U.S. Team simply needed something to rally around; once the Americans put on "The Shirt" they began dominating on a level never before seen. From that day forward, this shirt became the most recognizable golf shirt on the planet.

        Presented here is an actual team-issued shirt from Sunday of the 1999 Ryder Cup. Shirtmaker Jeff Rose made two shirts for each United States team member and captain. This exact shirt originally came from 1999 Ryder Cup Captain Ben Crenshaw, who gave it to a friend shortly after the tournament. A letter attesting to this fact accompanies this shirt. The shirt has also been signed by Ben Crenshaw. We can only assume that this was a backup shirt, as it does not exhibit any wear and Crenshaw's shirt is on display at the World Golf Hall of Fame.