It is September 2014 and that only means thing for avid golf fans – The Ryder Cup. And even if you are not a massive golf fan, it is still one of the most exciting tournaments in the world of golf.
This year’s Ryder Cup kicks off at Gleneagles in Scotland – the so-called home of golf – tomorrow and will run until Sunday, 28 September.
The tournament, which is held every two years, is an epic battle between a team from the United States and a team from Europe. Naturally, some of the world’s greatest golfers are selected for these teams, so it really comes down to a battle of the greats.
The very first Ryder Cup was held in 1927 and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the prestigious tournament.
Team Europe has won the tournament for the past two occasions, and are looking to take home the title for a third consecutive year – and by the looks of their team, it is no surprise that they are the favourites.
Captained by Paul McGinley, team Europe consists of 9 veterans and 3 first timers, including the world’s number one golfer, Rory McIllroy. The full European team is as follows:
Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter.
As for team USA, they will surely like to claim the title this year, after they came so close in 2012. The final point standing in 2012 was 14.5 for team Europe and 13.5 for team USA. This year, the American team is captained by Tom Watson and also consists of 9 veterans and 3 first timers. Team USA is:
Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Bubba Watson, Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson.
Will team Europe be able to hang on to their title for the third year in a row? We’ll have to wait and see. Check out this video on what to expect at this year’s tournament -
Source: YouTube
