Even the stars struggle with pre-match nerves

An autumnal chill in the air, jelly in the legs and adrenaline coursing around the body. There’s no experience quite like hitting your first shot in a Ryder Cup.

Throw in the 6,000-seat grandstand that envelops the opening tee box at Le Golf National and hundreds if not thousands more along the ropes and you can see why the 2018 teams from Europe and the United States are feeling both relish and nerves as they anticipate the opening-session fourballs this morning.