Team Captains Begin Countdown To Ryder Cup

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The battle for golf's storied Ryder Cup has begun with a friendly exchange between team captains in Minneapolis.

The cross-ocean competition featuring golf's top players is a year away. European team captain Darren Clarke and U.S. captain Davis Love III met Monday for a breakfast to mark the countdown in the state that will host the event.

Clarke says he's counting on an "electric" atmosphere at Hazeltine National next fall with the spectators skewing against his 12-member squad. After the American team was defeated last year in Scotland, Davis says he's looking forward to a "home game" on U.S. soil.

The event is part of Minnesota's upcoming run in the international sporting spotlight, with a Super Bowl and basketball Final Four both in store.