How they line up

41st Ryder Cup

RICKIE FOWLER Age 27 World ranking 9 Ryder record 2010, 14 Won 0 Lost 4 Halved 4 Strength Popular in the dressing room and lovely to watch when he’s swinging the club with confidence. Weakness Can’t do much for self-belief when you’re the only player in the history of the Ryder Cup never to win one of your first eight matches. Best at Fourballs

JB HOLMES Age 34 World ranking 21

Ryder record 2008 Won 2 Lost 0 Halved 1

Strength A big hitter off the tee combined with a fearless approach to competition is usually a winning combination at match play.

Weakness Not great on the greens and highly suspect, therefore, in this area if Europe can put him under pressure.

Best at Fourballs DUSTIN JOHNSON Age 32 World ranking 2 Ryder record 2010, 12 Won 4 Lost 3 Halved 0 Strength Currently has it all but the awesome howitzers he delivers from the tee will always be his outstanding weapon. Weakness Like Rory McIlroy, you never quite know with Dustin on the greens. Will he deliver now that his nation expects? Best at Singles

ZACH JOHNSON

Age 40 World ranking 27 Ryder record 2006, 10, 12, 14. Won 6 Lost 6 Halved 2

Strength The American team have some great putters and he’s certainly one of them. He holes putts under extreme pressure as well.

Weakness Very short by modern standards off the tee — and Hazeltine is a long, long test. Best at Foursomes BROOKS KOEPKA Age 26 World ranking 22 Ryder record Debut Season’s best 2nd in the Byron Nelson and St Jude Classic. Strength A classic modern player who hits the ball a mile and goes for everything. Looks great when it all comes off. Weakness He can be very wild and likely to gift several holes to his opponents this week. Best at Fourballs MATT KUCHAR Age 38 World ranking 17 Ryder record 2010, 12, 14 Won 4 Lost 5 Halved 2 Strength Marvellous putter who invariably decorates his rounds with more than his fair share of birdies. Weakness At 6ft 3in he should exude an intimidating presence but does not. He seldom delivers when the heat is on at the big occasions. Best at Fourballs PHIL MICKELSON Age 46 World ranking 14 Ryder record 1995, 97, 99, 02, 04, 06, 08, 10, 12, 14. Won 16 Lost 19 Halved 7 Strength Perhaps the greatest short game in the history of golf — and a good job too, given his long game on occasion. Weakness Under severe pressure to deliver this time following the disgraceful mutiny he engineered at Gleneagles. Best at Singles

PATRICK REED Age 26 World ranking 8

Ryder record 2014 Won 3 Lost 1 Halved 0

Strength One of those players who just seems inspired by the fire and the energy of the Ryder Cup. Weakness His antics at Gleneagles, ‘shushing’ the crowd means there’s a target on his back as far as the European fans are concerned.

Best at Fourballs

BRANDT SNEDEKER Age 35 World ranking 23

Ryder record 2012 Won 1 Lost 2 Halved 0

Strength Good iron player and a great putter, so has the potential to make lots of birdies.

Weakness One of the fall guys from the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ and still looks horribly vulnerable when the chips are down and his team-mates are relying on him.

Best at Fourballs

JIMMY WALKER Age 37 World ranking 16

Ryder record 2014 Won 1 Lost 1 Halved 3

Strength Long off the tee, which is an advantage here, and anxious to build on an impressive Ryder Cup debut at Gleneagles.

Weakness When he’s off, he tends to be really off, for there doesn’t seem to be much of a Plan B to his game.

Best at Singles

WHO WILL BE THE 12TH MAN?

DAVIS LOVE will reveal his final wild-card pick at half-time during the NFL game between Chicago and Dallas tonight. Love had always wanted to wait until the completion of the Tour Championship before naming his 12th man and major winners Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk, plus Ryan Moore, Daniel Berger and Justin Thomas are all in the frame. JORDAN SPIETH Age 23 World ranking 4 Ryder record 2014 Won 2 Lost 1 Halved 1 Strength No one ever holed more 20-footers than the Texan and that makes him especially dangerous at match play. Weakness It’s a long course and he’s giving up a lot off the tee in terms of length and accuracy to the big hitters from Europe. Best at Fourballs RAFA CAB-BELLO (Spa) Age 32 World ranking 29 Ryder record Debut Season’s best 3rd in WGC-Dell Match Play

Strength One of the most consistent players in European game with barely a finish outside the top 30 all season.

Weakness Best results have tended to come in tournaments blessed with warm sunshine, which is unlikely at Hazeltine.

Best at Fourballs RORY McILROY (N Ire) Age 27 World ranking 3 Ryder record 2010, 12, 14, 16 Won 6 Lost 4 Halved 4 Strength Alongside Dustin Johnson, the best driver in the game. There again, what part of his game isn’t a strength when he’s on form? Weakness Better than he was in midsummer but he’s still-hit-and-miss on those vital putts in the 6-15ft range. Best at Singles

MATT FITZPATRICK (Eng) Age 22 World ranking 44 Ryder record Debut Season’s best 1st in Nordea Masters

Strength Terrific match-play record, became the first Englishman in over a century to win the US Amateur in 2012.

Weakness Not a long hitter and will be playing second shots from a long way behind the likes of Dustin Johnson.

Best at Foursomes SERGIO GARCIA (Spa) Age 36 World ranking 12 Ryder record 1999, 02, 04, 06, 08, 12, 14, 16 Won 18 Lost 9 Halved 5

Strength The passion with which he plays in these matches makes him a worthy successor to Ballesteros and Olazabal.

Weakness Putting, as ever, and certainly not the man you’d want standing over a six-footer to win the Ryder Cup.

Best at Foursomes MARTIN KAYMER (Ger) Age 31 World ranking 52 Ryder record 2010, 12, 14, 16 Won 4 Lost 3 Halved 3 Strength Holed the PICK winning putt in 2012 despite not playing well that week, which says everything about his unflappable temperament. Weakness Desperately poor chipper from tight lies around the greens for a man blessed with so many other gifts. Best at Singles THOMAS PIETERS (Bel) Age 24 World ranking 39 Ryder record Debut Season’s best 1st in Made in Denmark tournament Strength Looks on his way to become Europe’s answer to Dustin Johnson. Tall and athletic, he exudes an intimidating air. Weakness He needs a lot of work on his wedge play before he cracks the world’s top 10. Best at Fourballs JUSTIN ROSE (Eng) Age 36 World ranking 11 Ryder record 2008, 12, 14, 16 Won 9 Lost 3 Halved 2 Strength Seems to grow a couple of inches come Ryder Cup week and relishes combative nature of these matches. Weakness Not the best on the greens from 6ft or less but usually comes up with an answer when it really matters. Best at Foursomes HENRIK STENSON (Swe) Age 40 World ranking 5 Ryder record 2006, 08, 14, 16 Won 5 Lost 4 Halved 2 Strength The best iron player in the game bar none as he showed during his Open win at Troon in that final-day showdown with Phil Mickelson. Weakness Not played for three weeks owing to another knee injury. Is he fit, therefore? Will he be rusty? Best at Fourballs ANDY SULLIVAN (Eng) Age 30 World ranking 48 Ryder record Debut Season’s best Tied 2nd Omega Dubai Desert Classic Strength Never underestimate the importance of a bubbly personality at the Ryder Cup and he has one in spades. Weakness When his game is off he can really struggle and his form over the last month has not been great. Best at Fourballs LEE WESTWOOD (Eng) Age 43 World ranking 45 Ryder record 1997, 99, 02, 04, 06, 08, 10, 12, 14, 16 Won 20 Lost 15 Halved 6 Strength Remains a fantastic driver of the ball. Formidable Ryder Cup record gives him a psychological edge. Weakness Another one vulnerable on the greens. Now 43, so unable to go five matches as in the past. Best at Foursomes DANNY WILLETT (Eng) Age 28 World ranking 10 Ryder record Debut Season’s best 1st in Masters Strength There are few players who can match him when it comes to putting away vital putts under extreme pressure. Weakness No experience of Ryder Cup cut-and-thrust so can he keep his concentration and stay level-headed when the US crowd gets a little rowdy? Best at Foursomes CHRIS WOOD (Eng) Age 28 World ranking 30 Ryder record Debut Season’s best 1st in PGA Championship, Wentworth Strength Perhaps the only man in the team who could give Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer a run for their money in a putting competition. Weakness There are some who worry he is too nice for the heat of Ryder Cup battle. Best at Fourballs