Born over beers. Built for bragging rights.

Like many great ideas, the OHMi Cup began during a round of golf, over a few cold beers, with one dangerous question: how much fun would it be to stage our own little Ryder Cup? By the time the scorecards were signed, everyone agreed it had to happen.

The first Cup teed off in 2001 with 12 players per side. Ohio spotted Michigan strokes, then handed them a loss anyway. In 2002, the rosters grew to 14 and Ohio escaped with a two-point victory. A year later, the Cup took its first road trip to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where the good times traveled well and Ohio pushed its early lead to three Cups.

Year four brought 16-player teams and four flights, making the matches easier to schedule and much harder to predict. Michigan answered by adding a couple of the "Ford boys," found its footing, and won enough Cups to tie the rivalry at three apiece in 2006. From there, the OHMi Cup became exactly what those friends imagined: competitive golf, relentless trash talk, unforgettable weekends, and a border rivalry that never stays quiet for long.

The tradition kept growing. North Baltimore, Ohio, welcomed the Cup back to where it all began, while travel years delivered new courses and even bigger stories. Rick Doane and Greg Frost, the founders who turned a beer-fueled idea into a lasting event, became the first OHMi Cup Hall of Fame class.

Twenty-five years later, the 2026 OHMi Cup is getting underway. The swings are being tuned, the excuses are already being prepared, and both sides are ready to write the next chapter. Ohio wants the Cup on its side of the border. Michigan has other plans. One thing is certain: the golf will be competitive, the laughs will be loud, and nobody will leave without a story.