Based on the chart above, Team Europe has dominated in terms of having golfers who have consistently scored points for the team. Sergio Garcia has competed in 10 Ryder Cups in his career, and he holds the all-time record with 28.5 points earned in that span.

Long before Luke Donald was Europe's captain at the Ryder Cup, he was an amateur golfer at Northwestern University in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That time in the Chicago area overlapped with the tail end of Michael Jordan's heyday winning six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls.

The competition starts Friday but players from both Team Europe and Team USA will hit the golf course Tuesday as fans are allowed at Bethpage.

On Long Island, Team USA’s top golfers got to take a crack Monday at the Bethpage Black course ahead of the Ryder Cup. The golf tournament is expected to attract thousands of fans from all over the world,

Never mind that no American player has indicated plans to stuff their pockets already full from a PGA Tour schedule that offers $20 million purses at 10 tournaments, the $25 million prize fund at The Players Championship and official money of $40 million at the Tour Championship.

When the Ryder Cup was held in Palm Beach County in 1983 at PGA National, it was just a blip on the sports radar, more exhibition than rivalry.

Friday through Sunday single-day passes start at $838 including fees. Ahead of the tourney, fans can swing by Bethpage for events all week like the Junior Ryder Cup (Tuesday, Sept. 23), celebrity Ryder Cup All-Star Match (Wednesday, Sept. 24) and Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony (Thursday, Sept. 25).