The United States kept the Ryder Cup until 1985 after retaining it in the tied 1969 matches at Royal Birkdale.
The 1969 Ryder Cup ended 16–16, but the United States was the defending champion, so it retained the trophy. The team then remained in possession of the Cup through the next four competitions: 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1977. The United States also won each of those matches, extending its long period of dominance.
The streak finally ended in 1985 at The Belfry in England. Europe, captained by Tony Jacklin, defeated the United States 16½–11½. That victory was Europe’s first Ryder Cup win since the competition expanded beyond Great Britain and Ireland, and it marked a major shift in the event’s balance of power.
The year 1985 refers to the end of the United States’ continuous hold on the trophy, not to the end of the 1969 event itself. The 1969 tie explains why the American team retained the Cup, while the 1985 result explains when that possession ended.