Europe will look to regain the Ryder Cup on home soil later this month against the United States of America.
Press Association Sport looks at the event in more detail.
When and where is it happening?
Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, a suburb south-west of Paris and close to Versaille. The match takes place between Friday September 28 and Sunday September 30.
What do we know about the course?
Teams
Rookies: 5 (Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm).
USA total previous appearances: 34* (one wild card pick remaining)
Rookies: 2 (Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas)
Total previous points won by current teams
Europe: 72.5
USA: 67*
Current team’s leading points scorer
Europe: Sergio Garcia (22.5)
USA: Phil Mickelson (21.5)
Major wins since 2016 Ryder Cup
Sergio Garcia (Masters, 2017), Francesco Molinari (Open, 2018)
USA: 6
Brooks Koepka (US Open, 2017, US Open, 2018, USPGA, 2018), Jordan Spieth (Open, 2017), Justin Thomas (USPGA, 2017, Patrick Reed (Masters, 2018)
What do the bookmakers expect to happen?
See you guys in Paris… pic.twitter.com/7SXrdznWoz
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 4, 2018
USA, with their raft of twentysomething major winners, are the favourites at 5/6. Europe, with concerns over their large number of rookies, are generally 6/5. The draw, which would see USA retain the cup, is 10/1.
How much does home advantage count?
Phil Mickelson has played on a record 12 Ryder Cup teams. One thing he hasn’t done? Won on foreign soil.
Looking to change that this year.?? #GoUSA?? pic.twitter.com/iU3J3dVHV4
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 4, 2018
Europe have not lost on home soil for 25 years. Since that 1993 defeat at The Belfry the margin of victory in matches in Europe has been: one point (Valderrama, 1997), three points (Belfry, 2002), nine points (K Club, 2006), one point (Celtic Manor, 2010), five points (Gleneagles, 2014).
How much of a threat do the USA pose?
Tiger Woods plans on bringing the Ryder Cup back home. pic.twitter.com/urecCsdNWi
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 4, 2018
They are the holders and many of their players’ arcs are on an steep upward curve, with the likes of Brooks Koepka winning three of the last seven majors as he and his team-mates have claimed six of the last eight. Even veteran Tiger Woods, who played his way into the team from outside the world’s top 1,000 a year ago, is excited on his return. “I haven’t been part of the team playing-wise for six years. This year, to be able to play again is beyond special,” he said.
