For the second match running the Ryder Cup will kick off on Friday with the clash everybody wanted to see.

 

At 8am BST on the first tee of the K Club west of Dublin the first-ever staging of the contest in Ireland will start with Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk against Colin Montgomerie and local hero Padraig Harrington.

 

Two years ago in Detroit only one of the names was different - Furyk stands in now for Phil Mickelson - and Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington struck a huge blow for Europe when they beat the top two players in the world.

 

Two days later the Americans suffered their heaviest-ever defeat by 18-9. They have been itching for revenge ever since.

 

After the first round draw bookies reacted by shortening Europe to around 4-6.