The First Look: Ryder Cup

Delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ryder Cup returns this week at Wisconsin's Whistling Straits, the scenic Pete Dye design on the shores of Lake Michigan. It's the 43rd playing of the team competition between the United States and Europe.

The U.S. Team is led by Captain Steve Stricker, who will helm his squad in his home state. The U.S. looks to avenge a 17 ½ -10 ½ loss to Europe three years ago in Paris. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington is Europe's captain this year.

U.S. ROSTER: Collin Morikawa (Rookie), Dustin Johnson (5th Ryder Cup), Bryson DeChambeau (2nd), Brooks Koepka (3rd), Justin Thomas (2nd), Patrick Cantlay (Rookie), Tony Finau (2nd), Xander Schauffele (Rookie), Jordan Spieth (4th), Harris English (Rookie), Daniel Berger (Rookie), Scottie Scheffler (Rookie).

EUROPE ROSTER: Jon Rahm (2nd), Tommy Fleetwood (2nd), Tyrrell Hatton (2nd), Bernd Wiesberger (Rookie), Rory McIlroy (6th), Viktor Hovland (Rookie), Paul Casey (5th), Matthew Fitzpatrick (2nd), Lee Westwood (11th), Shane Lowry (Rookie), Sergio Garcia (10th), Ian Poulter (7th).

STORYLINES: On paper, the U.S. Team is the favorite - its average world ranking is 9, while Europe's is 30 -- but Captain Steve Stricker is hoping a return to the United States and the firmly pro-American crowd will help his squad hoist the trophy at the end of the week. Team USA has won just two Ryder Cups in the last 20 years and both (2008, 2016) were home games… This will be the first Ryder Cup since 1993 without Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods, although Mickelson is one of Stricker's vice captains… It's setting up as a battle between youth and experience, as the U.S. Team is sending six rookies to Whistling Straits, while Europe boasts Ryder Cup veterans in Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and captain's picks Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter. Garcia has earned the most points of anyone in the history of the Ryder Cup and is looking to add to his total. The average age of the U.S. Team is 29.1, while Europe's is 34.6… While there were a few health questions surrounding the game's top guys recently, they seemed to be answered. World No. 1 Jon Rahm battled a stomach bug before missing the cut at the season-opening Fortinet Championship. Brooks Koepka withdrew from the TOUR Championship after hurting his arm on a tree root, but confirmed to Golfweek that he is good to go. A back injury caused The Open champion Collin Morikawa to struggle in the FedExCup Playoffs, as well… Will previous experience at Whistling Straits be a factor? The last major contested at the course was the 2015 PGA Championship, where five Americans finished inside the top 20 (led by Jordan Spieth, who was runner-up). There was just one European (Rory McIlroy) who finished inside the top 20 (although McIlroy did finish just one shot out of a playoff in the 2010 edition)… There hasn't been a 'close' Ryder Cup in any of the last three editions. Will this be the year where it comes down to the end? Europe won by seven points in 2018, while the U.S. won by six in 2016. Europe won by five in 2014. In 2012, Europe triumphed by a single point after the 'Miracle at Medinah,' coming back from a 10-6 deficit in the final day.

COURSE : Whistling Straits (Straits), par 71, 7,390 yards (yardage subject to change). The Pete and Alice Dye masterpiece on the shores of Lake Michigan was inspired by the dramatic links of Ireland and boasts rugged, wind-swept terrain. It hosted the PGA Championship in 2004, 2010, and 2015 plus the U.S. Senior Open in 2007.

RYDER CUP RECORD: United States leads 26-14-2. However, Europe holds a 11-8-1 edge since the old Great Britain & Ireland team was expanded to include the entire continent of Europe.

LAST TIME: Led by Francesco Molinari's 5-0-0 record, Europe defeated the U.S., 17 ½ -10 ½ and regained the Ryder Cup. The American squad got off to a fabulous start at Le Golf National in France - winning the opening session, 3-1. The U.S. was swept in the afternoon of the first day, however, and then lost the following session, 3-1. It went into Sunday's singles down 10-6, and despite winning 2 ½ of the first three points, Europe was just too strong and had too big a lead to overcome. Europe won the Sunday singles 7 ½ - 4 ½ . Sergio Garcia's singles win made him the all-time points leader in the Ryder Cup, while Molinari, winner of that year's Open Championship, became the first European to earn the maximum five points at a Ryder Cup.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Television: Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday: 8 a.m.-9 a.m. (Golf Channel), 9 a.m.-7 p.m. (NBC). Sunday: 12 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC)

Streaming: Featured Matches (Various): on Peacock, RyderCup.com, and the Ryder Cup app.

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