After an arduous season where accumulating points towards selection has been at the forefront of many players' mind, the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup finally gets underway on Friday.
The make-up of this event could have been very different. Henrik Stenson was initially in charge of Team Europe before opting to accept an offer to represent LIV Golf, while there are players in the home side who would not have been considered for selection a couple of months ago.
Nevertheless, Luke Donald and Zach Johnson have the 12 players at their disposal that have either earned their spots by right or have been brought in as one of their six captain's picks.
While Team USA will be looking to back up their dominant 19-9 victory at Whistling Straits, Europe are looking to defend an unbeaten home record that has lasted since 1993.
Here, Sports Mole previews the event, which is being staged at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
TEAM SELECTION
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The dynamics involved in each selection were entirely different, with Johnson blessed with an array of riches that made it inevitable that some star names would be omitted and Donald more reliant on players who were proving themselves on the PGA and DP World Tour.
That said, much of the American side picked itself. Scottie Scheffler is the world number one, Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman have each won major championships in 2023, and the likes of Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele have been the most consistent of the best of the rest.
With Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa and the resurgent Rickie Fowler all requiring captain's picks, that only left two remaining slots, which went to Justin Thomas and rookie Sam Burns.
Both of them divided opinion, particularly in the case of Thomas who has endured one of his worst seasons as a professional, but his Ryder Cup record of 6-2-1 and being undefeated in foursomes and singles earn him a third appearance on the team.
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As far as Europe are concerned, much of the old guard have gone, a consequence of their switch to LIV Golf, but it is arguably a transition that the team required after their heavy defeat two years ago.
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland are three bona fide elite players in this team, backed up by major champions in Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry as well as Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood.
Robert MacIntyre got in by right through the qualification system to make his first appearance, and a further three rookies are present in the shape of Sepp Straka, Nicolai Hojgaard and Ludvig Aberg.
As a two-time PGA Tour winner since the start of 2022 and two top 10s in 2023 majors, Straka's selection is justified, but the picks of Hojgaard and Aberg generated debate.
Despite only turning pro in June, Aberg's victory at the European Masters and the acknowledgement that he is a generational talent got him in through the back door, edging out Adrian Meronk.
The statistics favoured the consistent Polish hitter - who won the Italian Open at this course earlier this year - over Hojgaard, yet Donald have opted for the 22-year-old Dane instead, helped by his stronger showings over the past month.
2021 EVENT
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As the holders from 2018, Europe went into the 2021 edition with the belief that they could pull off another Medinah from 2012, the kind of heroics that would be needed to overcome a stacked American team.
Instead, they suffered a record loss, going down 19-9 after losing the opening three sessions by a 3-1 scoreline. Sharing Saturday's fourballs kept Europe with a glimmer of hope at 11-5 down, yet that soon evaporated in the singles.
Europe won just three of the 12 matches - McIlroy, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood delivering the full points - and an 8-4 loss on Sunday highlighted the gulf in class.
Partnerships played a pivotal role, with Dustin Johnson and Morikawa winning each of their foursomes alongside Cantlay and Schauffele, while Johnson put together a perfect record of five points from five matches.
Of the partnerships that are still possible in the European team this time around, only the pairing of Lowry and Hatton have experience of winning a match at Whistling Straits.
COURSE
Since the end of 2015, it has been known that the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club would host this edition of the Ryder Cup, despite only one professional event having been held at the course prior to that bid being won.
For the 2023 Italian Open, it was played at 7,255 yards - not particularly long by professional golf standards - yet a winning score of 13-under-par showed that it comes with its complexities.
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Throughout the entire week, there were only four 65s or better, and just 31 of the field finished under par in an event that was won by Meronk.
Hojgaard and MacIntyre are previous winners from 2021 and 2022, and Fleetwood and Fitzpatrick each have runners-up placings on their record, something which will be of note to both teams.
PREDICTION
The bookmakers are struggling to split these two teams. Given the depth of their team, USA should probably be favourites, but this is Europe at home in front of their home fans.
Europe benefitted from that dynamic and setting when clawing back USA from 4-0 down to draw 14-14 in the Solheim Cup last week, and it would come as no surprise if we witnessed similar circumstances.
While there is no Italian in this team that could have the same impact as Carlota Ciganda on home turf, the collective unity and momentum generated from one of the best atmospheres in sport could see Europe edge this by 14.5-13.5 or 15-13. Remember, though, that USA will retain the trophy with a draw.
Darren Plant
