Sauron in Numenor

[Amarie of the Vanyar]

Tharlionglin, Sharkû posted in this thread the quote in which Tolkien says that Sauron had the Ring and used it when in Númenor. The quote is from letter 211, a letter to Rhona Beare.

And I realize now that I was wrong, because in this same letter, Tolkien makes also a comment about Sauron carrying the Ring to Mordor

Sauron was first defeated by a 'miracle': a direct action of God the Creator, changing the fashion of the world, when appealed to by Manwë: see III p. 317. Though reduced to 'a spirit of hatred borne on a dark wind', I do not think one need boggle at this spirit carrying off the One Ring, upon which his power of dominating minds now largely depended.

Letter 211; To Rhona Beare, 14 october 1958