Europe clinch win in a nail-biting final day

EUROPE 14 ½  USA 13 ½

Europe have clinched the Ryder Cup in a thrilling and tense final day of competition at the Celtic Manor Resort on Monday.

The competition went down to the last pairing, Graeme McDowell – US Open and Wales Open winner – and Hunter Mahan, on the final hole before the crowd and audience discovered who would be the 2010 Ryder Cup Champions. Europe were leading the way during the front nine before a sensational USA fight back.

Viewers can enjoy highlights of the nail-biting finale as well as reactions and analysis from the event as a whole on Cwpan Ryder tonight at 18:20 and 22:50 on S4C.

Stricker clinched the opening point of the day with a power shifting match against Westwood. Among the point winners for Europe were Donald (against Furyk), Poulter (against Kuchar) and Jimenez (against Watson).

It was all square between McIlory and Cink and Edoardo Molinari and Fowler as they played the whole eighteen holes.

Joining Stricker on the winning list for the US were Dustin Johnson (beating Kaymer), Overton (beating Fisher), Woods (beating Francesco Molinari), Zach Johnson (beating Harrington) and Phil Mickelson (beating Hanson) as they grabbed vital points for Corey Pavin’s team.

History was made on Monday in Newport as the Ryder Cup competition continued into a fourth day for the first time in its 83 year history.

Extra Cwpan Ryder programmes on S4C this Monday

For the first time in it's long history, the Ryder Cup will continue into a fourth day at the Celtic Manor on Monday.

Two extra programmes will be broadcast on S4C at 18:20 and 22:50 with highlights and all the reaction from Monday's play.

Europe have taken the lead ahead of the final day but there's still a lot at stake - 12 points from 12 singles matches.

The singles matches will commence at 9:05.

Here are the twelve matches:

Lee Westwood v Steve Stricker
Rory McIlroy v Stewart Cink
Luke Donald v Jim Furyk
Martin Kaymer v Dustin Johnson
Ian Poulter v Matt Kuchar
Ross Fisher v Jeff Overton
Miguel Angel Jimenez v Bubba Watson
Edoardo Molinari v Rickie Fowler
Peter Hanson v Phil Mickelson
Padraig Harrington v Zach Johnson
Graeme McDowell v Hunter Mahan
Francesco Molinari v Tiger Woods

Power shifts as Europe take the lead ahead of final day

Europe 9 1/2 USA 6 1/2

Europe stormed ahead on the third day of the Ryder Cup with the Singles competition taking place on Monday - for the first time in it's history.

The home side won five out of Sunday's six matches. The Molinari brothers' second match ended in a draw against Stewart Cink and Matt Kucher.

Here's how the third day's results look:

Foursomes

3&2 Westwood/ Donald v Woods/Stricker
3&1 McDowell/McIlroy v Z. Johnson/Mahan

Fourballs

2&1 Harrington/Fisher v Furyk/D. Johnson
2T Jimenez/Hanson v Watson/Overton
2&1 Poulter/Kaymer v Mickelson/Fowler

Round 3 (as it stands)

Westwood and Donald 4up v Woods and Stricker
McDowell and McIlroy 3up v Z. Johnson and Mahan
Poulter and Kaymer 2up v Mickelson and Fowler
Harrington and Fisher 1up v Furyk and D. Johnson
Jimenez and Hanson 2up v Watson and Overton
E. Molinari and F. Molinari 1up v Cink and Kuchar

Americans take the early lead - Day Two

Europe 4 USA 6

Team America had the narrowest of leads at the end of the second day, but the Europeans gained momentum in the third round before darkness brought an end to the competition.

Europe lead in all six matches but Sunday morning's play has been postponed due to overnight heavy rain. This means that the competition will spill over to Monday for the first time in Ryder Cup history.

An announcement will be made about resuming play by officials at 11:00.

During Saturday's second round, Cink and Kuchar gained a point for the visitors against Irish duo McDowell and McIlroy. Woods and Stricker also beat Jimenez and Hanson before Mahan and Johnson spoiled the Molinari brothers' Ryder Cup debut. Poulter and Donald and Harrington and Fisher claimed European points, whilst Westwood and Kaymer halved their game against Furyk and Fowler.

Ryder Cup – The Best of the Opening Day

It was a frustrating opening day for the 2010 Ryder Cup. Organisers, players and supporters were victims of bad weather and a waterlogged course. Play was stopped for seven hours and eighteen minutes at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

Later in the day, the competition restarted and a power shift emerged on the leaderboard. It's the Americans, and not the Europeans, who now lead the way - with the opening round's games to be completed tomorrow morning.

Westwood and Kaymer lead in their match but things are all square between Poulter, Fisher, Stricker and Woods. Cink and Kuchar are two up against McIlroy and McDowell, while the Ryder Cup debutants lead against Donald and Harrington.

Away from the Twenty Ten course, the Ryder Cup organisers have announced a new structure to the competition to make sure that it finishes on time on Sunday evening.

Players will have to complete their matches from the opening round early on Saturday before moving on to the Foursomes. The change also ensures that every member of the teams will play in all of the remaining games. If the weather continues to affect the competition on Sunday, the Ryder Cup will extend to Monday.

New Structure

Round 2 - 6 Foursomes

Round 3 - 2 Foursomes / 4 Fourballs

Round 4 - 12 Singles

Ryder Cup announcement

The opening Fourball competition of the 2010 Ryder Cup will resume at 17:00 after heavy rain and a waterlogged course caused a major delay in proceedings.

Rain stops play at Celtic Manor

The opening morning of the 2010 Ryder Cup has been disrupted by bad weather with the rain stopping play until lunch time.

Before the play was stopped due to the waterlogged course, three of the four European teams were ahead. Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton lead Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington after two holes. Play is due to commence this afternoon.

Here are the first day's Fourballs pairings:

Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer v Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson

Rory McIlroy and Graham McDowell v Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar

Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher v Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods

Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington v Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton

Tiger Woods looks ahead to the start of the 2010 Ryder Cup

What are your first impressions of The Twenty Ten Course at the Celtic Manor?

I think it's going to be a little bit tricky out here in the sense of the weather coming in and what they are going to do with the tee markers and things of that nature. The greens are a little bit slow and I'm sure they will probably get even slower with the wet weather coming in, so just making adjustments.

Do you feel that you have to show your team and the public that you deserve this wild card pick?

I just need to go out there and play. Whoever the captain puts me out there with and however many times, hopefully I can earn so many points.

Are there any particular players on the European side that you would particularly relish and enjoy coming up against?

I think just anybody really. In the singles matches on Sunday, the whole purpose is to get a point for your team. That's your responsibility as a player - to try and get that one point.

With regards to the pairings, do you think that can have an effect on the final outcome?

We just have to get it done. No matter who you go out there with, it's about holing shots and basically beating your opponent. There have been matches where I've been 10 under par and lost. That's just the way it goes. You've just got to get the job done. Certainly the captain does have a role in putting it together, but ultimately it's up to us and executing.

Which team will lift the Ryder Cup at the end of the weekend?

S4C's coverage from the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport continues this weekend.

The early evening programmes will bring the atmosphere and thrill of Wales's main sporting event to viewers at home, with presenters Gareth Roberts, Rhodri Ogwen Williams, Llinos Lee, Dewi 'Pws' Morris. Professional golfers and golf fans including Siôn Bebb and Louise Davis will be among the contributors.

The late night programmes will feature highlights and reaction to the day's golfing news.

The US team took the Ryder Cup back to America in 2008 as Nick Faldo's European squad fell at the final hurdle. Before that, Europe retained the Cup on three occasions.

But with so much speculation and high expectations surrounding the current European team, led by Colin Montgomerie, will they be victorious at the end of the weekend?

Siôn Bebb says, "The Twenty Ten course is very special yet challenging, and I think the course will prove difficult if it rains - it will be an added challenge for Corey Pavin's Americans.

"I think we'll see a close competition with the winner being decided in the drama and excitement of the final few holes. The captains have picked their wildcards - some controversial and some tactical - and the stage is set for the players to make their mark. Our players know the course well and I think that will work to our advantage."

Dewi Pws adds, "The competition could go either way - Europe and USA both have players of great ability and strength, so who knows who will win come Sunday.

"Of course it would be great to see Europe win but if I'm honest, I'm excited about the event as a whole. The course is fantastic, a good walk and picturesque scenery. I've been fortunate enough to have played the course and I've seen the problems and challenges the players may face. It won't be easy, even for the best players in the world."

Cwpan Ryder
Saturday 2 October at 19:00 and 22:40
Sunday 3 October at 18:30 and 23:20

All the excitement of the Ryder Cup on S4C

Sport fans in Wales will be able to catch daily highlights from golf's biggest global tournament - The 2010 Ryder Cup from the Celtic Manor Resort - on S4C.

The final preparations have been made, the European and United States teams are ready for the challenge, supporters have arrived in Newport from all over the world and the stage is set for Wales's first ever Ryder Cup.

One person looking forward to the grand event is presenter and keen golfer Llinos Lee.

"Wales's big moment is finally here. We've been waiting for this day since 2001 and the tournament will be a pinnacle of the hard work and organisation of everyone involved. The Ryder Cup is television's third biggest sporting event after the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup final - the perfect shop window to sell our country to the world.

"We'll be looking at the Ryder Cup as an event, while also presenting highlights of the action on the course. Golffio will go behind the scenes, meet the fans and discuss the day's golf news with a panel of experts."

S4C's golf provision tees off on Wednesday 29 September as the Golffio team look ahead to the three-day event. On the eve of the tournament, an hour-long preview will include highlights of The Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony.

Llinos adds, "I think Europe will win the Cup. The European players have performed well in recent and have been successful on the circuit. I have faith that they can transfer their individual success into a successful team effort. Colin Montgomerie has chosen a mix of experienced players such as Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood, and rookies like the Italian Molinari brothers, who are both playing well lately. But I'll be neutral during the tournament, of course!"

Full coverage of the event including the best of each day's action on The Twenty Ten Course will be broadcast from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 October. The early evening programme will also provide special analysis by a panel of experts as well as revealing the pairings for the following day's matches.

Lat- night programmes, featuring daily highlights and analysis, will also be broadcast live from the Celtic Manor Resort.

Llinos will be joined by fellow presenters Gareth Roberts, Rhodri Ogwen Williams, Llinos Lee and Dewi 'Pws' Morris. Analysis and discussion will be provided by professional golfers and golf fans, including Siôn Bebb and Louise Davis.

Golfing galore

The S4C series Golffio makes a welcome return, featuring more golf than ever before.

The series tees off on with daily highlights from the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe, held at Conwy Golf Club from 12-15, with the final round live on the Sunday.

It's a special year for golf in Wales as Newport prepares to stage the main golfing competition in the world, the 2010 Ryder Cup. Hundreds of thousands of the sport's supporters are expected to travel to Wales to follow the competition from28 September-3 October and the Golffio cameras will also be there.

Llinos Lee, one of the Golffio presenters, says, "It's good to be back on the golf course because it's such a big year for golf in Wales with the Ryder Cup looming. It's on our doorstep for the first time ever and it's going to be a spectacular event."

Llinos and the team will bring us all the Ryder Cup build-up, as European and American golfers vie to represent their teams and we'll hear Colin Montgomerie's European team announcement in Gleneagles.

Before that, Golffio will broadcast the very best of the men and ladies' main competitions on the European Tour, US PGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.

Golf professional Siôn Bebb, who is part of the Golffio presenting team, says: "August and September will be really important to determine who makes the grade and who will lose out. Rhys Davies is our best hope in Wales."

"There's a lot of golf to be played between now and the autumn with big tournaments being staged. No matter who plays in the Ryder Cup, I have a feeling it will go to the wire with the final holes offering drama and excitement for the viewers at home."