Matt Fitzpatrick thought he’d crafted a strong case to make Team Europe, but the worry of not securing a spot still flashed through his mind. “Of course it does,” Fitzpatrick said.

The Ryder Cup, a bi-annual event pitting the best golfers in the world against each other in sometimes legendary competition, has had many historic battles since the first event in 1927. Stars of the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland have represented their regions with pride.

The Ryder Cup will be played in the New York metro area for the first time since 1935 when Team USA meets Team Europe at the demanding Bethpage Black course on Long Island.

Bethpage Black was under a weather warning early Sept. 25, receiving about an inch of rain by 9 a.m., including several heavy downpours.

The 45th Ryder Cup on Friday with two intense, emotional duos facing off in a potentially explosive opening match and US President Donald Trump set to attend."The buildup of any Ryder Cup is pretty intense.

Hovland, 27, is making his third Ryder Cup appearance. In Rome, he teamed with Ludvig Aberg for a 9-and-7 romp in a foursomes match over Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Keopka. Aberg on Wednesday said he’d enjoy partnering with Hovland again this week, noting that he has a habit of talking about interesting topics such as UFOs.

Don’t sweat the small stuff, they say, but in the Ryder Cup it’s the smallest things that could make the biggest difference.

The U.S. has taken a 10-8 lead over Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup, with Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach going 1-1-1 in doubles.