The 44th Ryder Cup will get underway tomorrow - the latest edition of a sporting event that dates back to 1927 when it made its debut at the Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts.
First contested between Great Britain and Ireland and the USA, it was expanded to include European players in 1979 due to American dominance.
Originally scheduled for 2022, this year's event was pushed back a year after the previous competition was postponed to 2021 due to the global pandemic.
Europe will be hoping to win the cup back from the USA, who registered an impressive 19–9 victory in their home tournament at Whistling Straits.
Here are 15 quotes that show just how much is means to the players - even though they don't get paid a single penny to take part.
1. Peter Alliss
"It would be very easy to drool with sentimentality over the Ryder Cup. But, at the end of the day, it is simply two teams trying to knock seven bells out of each other, in the nicest possible way."
2. Padraig Harrington
"It’s not a pleasant feeling. It’s like riding a roller coaster or bungee jumping. As it’s happening, you’re thinking, ‘Why am I doing this?’ When it’s finished you’re thinking, ‘Oh, that was great'."
3. Mark James
"The only thing that scares me about the Americans now is their dress sense."
4. Johnny Miller
"f you are a bad putter, you will not make a putt. If you have a tendency to chili-dip wedges, you’ll be chili-dipping them all over the place for sure. Whatever your weakness, it will come up in spades during the Ryder Cup."