It will be a test of short game

At 1.20pm today, the 39th Ryder Cup will officially commence.

Gone will be the official functions, the posturing and experimentation. Gone too will be the friendships as both teams go into action in what, on paper, looks the most evenly contested Ryder Cups of all time.

The players will now carry the expectations of both continents. There will be no place to hide. They will no longer be judged as individuals but as a team.