HOWZAT

Hal Sutton's plan to pair Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson backfires spectacularly as first they are beaten by Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington in the fourballs and then they go down to Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood in the foursomes. Sutton believes that his big guns will have too much firepower for the Europeans but conveniently ignores what everybody else knows - his top two players do not get on. With a chance to make amends, Sutton compounds his error by keeping them together on the afternoon of the first day. By the end of play, the two players are barely speaking to each other.

9. Casey's ace - The K Club, 2006

Paul Casey, fresh from victory a week earlier at the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, carries the same form with him to the K Club, in Ireland. Playing with David Howell in the Saturday foursomes matches, the Englishman seals a 5 and 4 victory over Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson with a sensational hole-in-one at the 14th hole. It is his first hole in one as a professional and only the fifth in Ryder Cup history.

8. Monty's master class - Oakland Hills, 2004

Delighted that his team-mates had lobbied for his inclusion in the team after a torrid year on and off the course, Montgomerie delivers on all fronts. Playing with Padraig Harrington, he birdies the first hole on the way to defeating the "dream pairing" of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the opening fourball match and secures Europe's victory by beating David Toms in the singles.

7. Strange chokes against Faldo - Oak Hill, 1995

Curtis Strange, two up and with three to play against Nick Faldo, needs just to halve the match to retain the trophy for the United States. A controversial choice for the team, he chokes under pressure, bogeys each of the last three holes and is defeated by Faldo, who has to punch out of rough after a wayward drive at the 18th before hitting an exquisite 90-yard wedge shot to within four feet of the hole for a par. Alive and kicking, Europe seal victory when Philip Walton, of Ireland, defeats Jay Haas at the final hole.

6. The sign of things to come - The Belfry, 1985

Sam Torrance sinks the winning putt in his match against Andy North and stands there, arms spread wide, in virtual disbelief. The United States have lost the trophy for the first time in 28 years, beaten 16½ - 11½ and now know what the future holds against some of the best players Europe has ever produced, among them Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, Severiano Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal.

5. Concorde and cashmere for Europe - Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, 1983

Tony Jacklin, captain for the first time, insists on the best for his Europe team. They fly to the States on Concorde and play in cashmere sweaters. Most importantly, he brings Severiano Ballesteros back into the fold after he had been dropped two years earlier for accepting appearance fees. From this point on, Seve totally buys in to the competition. Europe are beaten by just one point, but Seve is upbeat. "This is not a defeat, this is a victory," he says to his deflated team-mates. He knows that a corner has been turned and, from this point, Europe never look back.

4. Battle lines drawn - Kiawah Island, 1991