2018: Europe v United States, Le Golf National Cup countdown begins

It’s going to be fun, says in-form Tiger on eve of tournament.

Tiger Woods expects some nervous excitement when he steps on the first tee for trophy-holders the United States against Europe in the Ryder Cup before 7 000 screaming spectators at Le Golf National.

The 14-time Major champion ended a five-year win drought last weekend to cap a successful comeback season from spinal fusion surgery and will be the star attraction when the biennial team showdown tees off this morning.

“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be an awesome environment,” Woods said. “There’s a lot of nerves, excitement. It’s something we don’t get to experience in that regard because basically it’s the final round of a tournament on the very first hole and every match.

“It’s a different atmosphere and one that we absolutely love.”

The huge grandstand will create a crucible for Woods and his team-mates to start En Avant, the opening 419-yard par-4 hole known as Go Ahead in English. Tee shots will be critical to setting up approaches as water comes into play from the start.

Woods expects the noise to reach a crescendo to rival Celtic Manor in 2010, when the crowd noise shook US players.

“I don’t know what it was acoustically, but they were so close together that it was reverberating. It was so loud,” Woods said. “When you get on the first tee, you could actually feel it. That was fun to be a part of.”

Woods has not won a Ryder Cup match since a 4&3 victory over Italy’s Francesco Molinari at Celtic Manor in 2010, going winless in 2012 at Medinah and missing the past two Cups with back issues.

There is already a trophy for Woods from Le Golf National. In 1994 he won the World Amateur Team Championship as a teen.

But he has played on only one Ryder Cup winner in seven attempts, that in 1999’s Battle of Brookline when the Americans mounted a record last-day fightback.

Woods is only 13-17 with three halved overall in Ryder Cup play, with eight losses in 13 matches each from foursomes and fourball pairings but 4-1 with two drawn marks in singles.

Woods will probably not be paired with Mickelson.

The duo lost twice with little chemistry in 2004 and while relations appear cordial, it’s not a risk US captain Jim Furyk likes.

“I won’t ever say it wouldn’t happen,” Furyk said. “But it’s probably not too likely.” –