When Thomas Bjorn arrived at Le Golf National at the start of last week, Europe’s captain could not have dreamed he would be reflecting on a landslide victory, nor imagined what a pain in the backside it could become.

Heading into yesterday’s singles matches, Europe held a number of decisive advantages, writes John McHenry

Brookline and Medinah loomed large in the minds of 2018 captains Thomas Bjorn and Jim Furyk on Saturday night as they considered the 10-6 lead Europe hold over the United States going into Sunday’s singles session at Le Golf National.

While assessing Europe’s dramatic performance in the Ryder Cup yesterday for today’s article, I was conscious of a number of factors;

As a sporting spectacle, the Ryder Cup has the capacity to reach the dramatic pitch of All-Ireland finals, a World Cup, the Six Nations Championship, the Super Bowl, and the NBA finals.

Keegan Bradley was never more nervous than the moments before his Ryder Cup debut. He had the opening tee shot in foursomes at Medinah against Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald, a European tandem that had never lost in four matches against some of America’s best players.

Ten of the leading contenders for the US PGA Championship (listed in predicted order of finish)

Rory McIlroy staged a stirring Open Championship fightback at Royal Birkdale that will send him into today’s second round feeling he can get right among the leaders.

Shane Lowry is looking forward to a return to the type of US Open courses which produce "carnage" after the experiment with two new venues in the last three years.

Rory McIlroy's pre-tournament comments looked set to prove disappointingly accurate as he battled to avoid missing the cut for the second year running in the US Open.

Erica Stoll may have got golf star Rory McIlroy to the tee on time but now she must rely on someone else to make sure he gets to his wedding on time.

Eighteen years and 71 majors later, more tears for Sergio Garcia.

Rory McIlroy said he needed a paracetamol after a raucous Saturday’s play in the cauldron that was Hazeltine National but you got the feeling that Darren Clarke had the bigger headache because of his underperforming captain’s picks.

Do you remember these Ryder Cup moments?

World number four Jordan Spieth would cherish Ryder Cup glory above a second FedEx title over the next fortnight.

US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III insists his final pick will be the best fit and not necessarily the best player.

Darren Clarke will take a step back from his hectic schedule as European Ryder Cup captain next week with a diary free of official business. Yet while on the face of it there will be some calm before the dramatic storm of the resumption of golfing rivalries with the US at the end of the month in Minnesota, it is doubtful the Irishman will be sleeping any easier.

Martin Kaymer’s strong performance at the PGA Championship has catapulted Germany’s double major winner into the mix for Europe’s Ryder Cup team to play the US next month.

The sight of European big guns limping over the finish line early on Sunday at the Masters need not necessarily give Ryder Cup team captain Darren Clarke cause for panic five months out from the 41st match-up at Hazeltine.

Jordan Spieth spent the first official practice day of the new year in good company.

Rory McIlroy believes the USA are ‘desperate’ to end Europe’s dominance in the Ryder Cup.

Miguel Angel Jimenez has expressed his disappointment at missing out on the Ryder Cup captaincy for 2016 and hinted his chance may have gone.

Miguel Angel Jimenez has expressed his disappointment at missing out on the Ryder Cup captaincy for 2016 and hinted his chance of the job may have gone.

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington has questioned the decision to appoint Davis Love as American Ryder Cup captain for a second time.

It did not need George O’Grady to tell us it is Darren Clarke’s time to captain Europe at the Ryder Cup, writes Simon Lewis.

Darren Clarke admits his lack of experience as a skipper will leave him heading into the unknown at Hazeltine in 19 months’ time.

Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell praised Paul McGinley as the best captain he had played under and then backed his friend Darren Clarke to succeed the Dubliner in 2016.

Paul McGinley deserved the praise he was receiving from his players as they sipped the champagne and held the trophy that meant he was a winning Ryder Cup captain.

Rory McIlroy and his European teammates are bracing themselves for the mother all warnings against complacency from captain Paul McGinley ahead of tomorrow's pivotal Ryder Cup singles matches.

The United States will need their own version of the ’Miracle at Medinah’ at Gleneagles after another brilliant foursomes performance gave Europe a 10-6 lead heading into the final day of the 40th Ryder Cup.

Updates from Day 2 of the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

Paul McGinley has turned to Rory McIlroy to get beaten and bruised Ian Poulter back into Ryder Cup hero-mode after reuniting the pair for this morning’s fourballs session at Gleneagles.

For once, Ian Poulter talked the talk but couldn’t walk the walk.

Rory McIlroy got the partner and the match-up he wanted as opposing captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson served up a fascinating opening session to the 2014 Ryder Cup this morning.

Rory McIlroy will stride into the Ryder Cup arena a changed man from his last appearance for Europe two years ago.