Revived Tiger, No. 1 Rose spice up Ryder Cup showdown
Paris: A powerful American squad featuring nine major winners tries to end a 25-year drought in Europe at next week's 42nd Ryder Cup against a veteran-laden European team at France's Le Golf National.
Tiger Woods, a 14-time major winner back on form after spinal fusion surgery, and five-time major champion Phil Mickelson are joined by 10 of the world's 17 top-ranked players a juggernaut US lineup for the biennial showdown.
World number one Justin Rose of Britain and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy anchor a Europe squad with five rookies and seven players who are 35 or older that will try to win back the trophy.
"Europe has as strong a team as we've ever had. So does the American team," Sweden's Henrik Stenson said. "So it's all set for possibly the greatest battle ever."
The United States won 17-11 in 2016 at Hazeltine and owns an edge of 26-13 with two halved in the all-time rivalry. But since the event expanded from Britain and Ireland only, the European side leads 10-8 with one drawn. "We know what America brings, but I'm confident that this is the group of guys that can do the job," Europe captain Thomas Bjorn said. This will be only the second time the Cup is staged outside of Britain and Ireland after Spain's Valderrama in 1997. The last time an American side won on European soil was at The Belfry in England in 1993. "The atmosphere we're going into in Europe, the boisterous crowd, I wanted guys that really enjoy that atmosphere and these guys enjoy that challenge," US captain Jim Furyk said.
"We thought these players would handle the situation well and would thrive." Europe supporters chanting and singing songs create an intense mood during matches.
"There's no atmosphere like it," Rose said. "It's an atmosphere you can't really prepare for. You don't know how you're going to react until you've done it a couple times.
"It's a cauldron like no other that we play in." The Americans are slight favorites overall as a global audience awaits a first Cup spectacle with a French flair.
"The Ryder Cup is one event that maybe transcends golf," Rose said. "It really captures sports fans' attention as well as just golf's attention." Woods, who hasn't won an event in five years and last captured a major at the 2008 US Open, was second in last month's PGA Championship and electrified crowds just as he might in France, where he last played in 1994 as a teen amateur.
"He just brings something special," Denmark's Bjorn said. "The buzz with him being there and playing well, that just brings something extra. And that would be great for the Ryder Cup." Agencies
