FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The Ryder Cup never lacks sporting drama of the highest degree. As a biennial event, players' national pride is sky-high and tempers are spilling over by time it rolls around.

This year, the subplots include a captain who could have called his number but chose not to; a war of words between two of golf's biggest personalities; and a course known for its brutal difficulty, flooded with New York sports fans ready to make some noise.

The United States team will try to seize the Ryder Cup back from Team Europe when the 45th playing of the competition begins Friday at Bethpage Black.

Europe has captured eight of the past 11 Cups, most recently in 2023 outside Rome, where the hosts sailed to a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory. That marked the fifth straight Ryder Cup won by the home

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