00:00 The Ryder Cup has become one of the world's greatest sporting events. Every two years,
00:07 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head in match play competition.
00:13 Drama, tension, incredible golf, camaraderie and sportsmanship are served in equal measure,
00:19 captivating an audience of millions around the world.
00:23 Yeah, I mean, this is the standout of any player's career, really.
00:26 They can always go and win majors and win loads of tournaments,
00:30 but some players are really only remembered for their Ryder Cup contributions.
00:33 So it's a massive part of people's career and so forth.
00:37 I mean, golf is an individual sport and everyone plays for themselves,
00:40 but you only have to speak to the top guys here and they always go back to the Ryder Cup.
00:44 They always want to play on the European team or the American team.
00:47 So it's very important to these guys' career.
00:50 As we begin by looking at Team Europe,
00:53 Luke Donald has selected Ludwig Haberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Nikolaj Huygaard,
00:57 Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Sepp Strakke as his six captain picks
01:02 to compete in his 12-man European team for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy.
01:07 They join Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrell Hatton, Victor Hovland, Robert McIntyre,
01:12 Rory McIlroy and John Rahm, all whom qualified automatically for the contest
01:17 against the United States, which takes place at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome.
01:23 The European team seems to be peaking at just the right time.
01:26 If you looked at two years ago, the team that went to Whistling Straits,
01:29 they only had one guy in the top 13 players in the world.
01:33 That was John Rahm. And now you look at the team this year,
01:35 they've got three of the top four players in the world in Hovland, McIlroy and Rahm.
01:40 So the European team is in a great spot.
01:43 I think the contest is going to be a lot closer than originally expected.
01:46 I think the US team were just expected to sort of walk all over the Europeans
01:50 after the demolition job that they did on Harrington's side two years ago.
01:55 Sweden's Aberg, Denmark's Huygaard and Austria's Strakke
01:59 will each be making their first appearance for Europe in the Ryder Cup,
02:03 while Ireland's Lowry will be playing in his first on European soil,
02:07 having been part of the team at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin two years ago.
02:12 Maybe I'm biased, but I do think Europe do have the upper hand.
02:15 You look at they've got three of the four top players in the world at the moment
02:19 and they've arguably, I think we can all agree on this one,
02:21 they've got the hottest prospect in world golf in Ludwig Eber,
02:25 who seemingly has erupted out of nowhere.
02:28 I think it was back in June he was still an amateur
02:30 and now he's a professional playing in a Ryder Cup, having never played in a major before.
02:33 So little bits and pieces like that all seem to be falling into place for the European team,
02:38 which I think is going to play a major role.
02:40 But I am European. I am backing them to do it.
02:43 I think they've got the team to do so.
02:45 Well, as the golf is underway and the stage is set for many of Team Europe's new boys
02:50 to show what they're made of as they aim for their 15th ever win in the Ryder Cup,
02:55 they will no doubt produce more moments of brilliance on the course.
02:59 .
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