US mission for Ryder redemption

TIGER, Davis and the rest are back in Ireland this week, hell-bent on damage limitation after the USA’s humiliation in the Ryder Cup.

Beautiful Mount Juliet in the heart of Co Kilkenny is the stage for the American Express World Golf Championship, when 19 of the protagonists of Oakland Hills will be in action.

And though the Ryder Cup is already part of golfing history, the outcome of the latest clash of the two teams hasn't exactly receded from the memory! It would really sicken the Americans if they were upstaged once again by the Europeans, so this meeting so soon after Oakland Hills adds a delightful piquancy to what should in any case be a great occasion.