Ryder Cup : What you need to know..

Ryder Cup Team Europe https://www.rydercup.com/team#team
Ryder Cup Team USA    https://www.rydercup.com/team#team

Click on my links above for bios and all the latest news on both teams.

Coverage of this 42nd Ryder Cup from the spectacular Le National outside Paris, France begins at 2am Friday morning on TSN 1/4 in Canada.. Check your local coverage in the USA. The Opening Ceremony is on at 11am EST today.

Remember Paris is 6 hours ahead of EST. So 9am there is 2am on the east coast.

Each of the first two days includes one four-match session of four-ball and one four-match session of foursomes. The final day is reserved for 12 singles matches.

I will post the all important matches as soon as they come out today. Remember unlike the Presidents Cup the captains submit their pairings without knowledge of the others selections.

Le National has a lot of water guarding greens and the rough has 2 levels. Just off the fairway is just 3" for 5 yards. Then it becomes lost ball deep and thick. A definite wedge out at best.

Therefore positioning tee shots in the fairway becomes a huge factor, so  more long irons and woods for position, then it becomes a second shot course.

Myth : The home team sets up the course to suit themselves or negate the strength of the opposition. It was the case in the past but now. The rule is the course must be turned over to the referees on Wednesday to set it up fairly and impartially.

USA are the defending champions, but haven't won on the road since 1993. Europe has dominated for the last 20 years, but the USA team with their young guns, Spieth, Thomas, Reed, De Chambeau, Koepka etal are all higher ranked in the world and are in for a long successful run.

I believe this year will be another close call, and I am picking Europe to regain the trophy. Remember both Tommy Fleetwood and Alex Noren have won the French Open on this course and the Europeans play on it at least once a year.

Bryan Angus