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Team USA has only won one of the five Ryder Cup competitions to be held in the 2000's, but a squad led by Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson will hope to take back the title from Team Europe.
The European squad boasts the No. 1 player in the world in Rory McIlroy, who took the PGA Championship this season before winning two FedEx Cup events. He's joined by Justin Rose and Luke Donald, who finished second and third respectively at this weekend's Tour Championship behind Brandt Snedeker, who was one of four captain's picks by Davis Love III for the American squad. The talent doesn't stop with the event's bigger names, like McIlroy, Woods, and Phil Mickelson: its the first time in the history of the event that all 24 golfers are in the top 35 of the world rankings.
The event kicks off Friday at Medinah Country Club in the suburbs of Chicago: Friday and Saturday will feature four foursome and four fourball matches a piece, while Sunday will decide the event with 12 singles matches. Whoever reaches 14.5 points in the 28 matches brings home the cup.
For more on the Ryder Cup, check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.