Less of the chatter, the time for Cup action is thankfully upon us

This morning's tee shots have taken an age to arrive.

Soon we will be able to talk purely about the action; who sinks the putts, who places his partner in jeopardy, who wins the holes. And won't that be a relief.

Since the Americans touched down in Cardiff on Monday lunchtime, the build-up to the 38th Ryder Cup has been one long procession of staged events, from press conferences to preposterous concerts.

The media – 1,000 of us are estimated to descend on Celtic Manor for the three days that matter – have spent the past few days stoking the fires.

Nothing directly was said between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to suggest that if they were alone in a room together they would tear at each other like a pair of squabbling teenagers. But the merest whiff of body language suggesting the respect between the two was not sufficient of golfing gentlemen and the press pack pounced.

Even yesterday afternoon at the opening ceremony, there was opportunity to predict and second guess.

Corey Pavin, the US captain, read out his team in the order they qualified, leaving the four wildcards at the end.

Stewart Cink took his initial omission from the roll-call with good grace.

Pavin's opposite number and the man charged with wresting the cup out of the Americans' hands, Colin Montgomerie, stood true to the principles laid down by his past captains.

At Oakland Hills in 2004, Bernhard Langer announced his team to the watching world in alphabetical order, and so Montgomerie followed yesterday.

His belief is that it shows each man is of equal importance.

Again though, we're just speculating.

What matters is out on the course this morning, this afternoon and over the weekend.

The opening fourballs session is mouthwatering, and can set the tone for the entire weekend.

Gaining advantage by lunchtime today could be crucial. With this in mind Montgomerie has sent out his most inspirational player first – Lee Westwood. Just like he led from the front as a player – most notably at the Belfry in 2002 on the final day singles when his first-hole birdie got the adrenaline pumping – Montgomerie has empowered the 37-year-old from Worksop to do the same.

As a man earning his seventh cap, it was only right that Westwood should take a rookie under his wing, and although Martin Kaymer may be making his debut in the most fiercely competitive golfing arena of them all, as the sport's newest major champion he has shown he can handle the pressure.

The honour of the opening tee shot will fall to one of those two Europeans as Phil Mickelson – who like Westwood qualified first for his team and will be the talismanic figure his more inexperienced team-mates will look up to – and Dustin Johnson look on.

Many felt that honour was destined to fall to Rory McIlroy or Graeme McDowell, who will head out at 8am when the initial tension has been pricked.

As Montgomerie said, their pairing was the 'worst kept secret' in the run-up. Now all they have to do is deliver, not that Cink or Matt Kuchar will let them have it their own way.

Tiger Woods was met with warm applause when announced onto the stage yesterday and if that is a pre-cursor to how he will be greeted by the British golfing public on the first tee at 8.15am then the world No 1 might not be in for the stern reception many had predicted. He will be in the safe environment of a partnership with Steve Stricker, the man he went undefeated with at the President's Cup last year.

For now, the McIlroy versus Woods bout is on ice, though, no-one will relish greater the opportunity to tame the Tiger than Ian Poulter, who along with rookie Ross Fisher forms an exciting all-English duo that should dovetail well in the fourballs format.

The final fourball to to get the Ryder Cup moving forwards looks a potential banana skin for Europe.

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and the immaculate Luke Donald should be too strong for rookies Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton, shouldn't they? The Ryder Cup is never that straightforward.

In his first eight players out of the traps, Pavin has named four rookies.

A bold move? We shall see.

Waiting in the European wings, hoping they figure in this afternoon's foursomes is the Molinari brothers partnership of Edoardo and Francesco and Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson.

All four should feature today. With the rain expected to poor down throughout, Montgomerie would be foolish not to let all his players sample the conditions and taste the atmosphere.

This of course is all speculation, which in the run-up to the biggest international golf event in the world, is difficult to avoid.

Now, though, we can at last concentrate on the golf.

CLOSER LOOK AT MORNING PAIRS

Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer v Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson:

Europe's two highest-ranked players – Westwood is third in the world and Kaymer sixth – have been paired together in the opening game.

Mickelson, going out first just as he did two years ago, in 2004, 1999 and 1997, equals the American record with his eighth cap.

Johnson, who broke the head of his driver in yesterday's practice, is his 12th partner.

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy v Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar:

Not out first, as most would have predicted, but still together – US Open champion McDowell on the course where he won the Wales Open in June and

21-year-old fellow Northern Irishman McIlroy.

Cink, last year's Open champion, is a wild card pick for the third time in four matches. Kuchar is one of five debutants.

Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher v Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods:

Poulter and the uncapped Fisher hold golf's two World Match Play titles and were partners at the World Cup last November.

Stricker becomes the 12th partner for Woods. They won four points of four at the Presidents Cup and are currently ranked first and fourth in the world.

Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald v Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton:

Harrington has not won any of his last nine games, but having been given a wild card was always likely to start.

The same goes for Donald after his second place in America last weekend.

Big-hitting Watson and Overton, who qualified despite not winning a tournament, are Cup rookies.

RYDER CUP BULLETIN FROM CELTIC MANOR

Tony Jacklin believes the weather could prove "a huge factor" in the outcome of this year's Ryder Cup.

Winds of around 25 miles per hour are forecast to accompany today's opening fourballs between Europe and the United States at Celtic Manor, along with some heavy rain.

Fog is then predicted for early on Saturday morning before the threat of more rain during Sunday's singles matches.

Jacklin, the most successful European captain in Ryder Cup history after his team lifted the trophy three times from four attempts between 1983 and 1989, arrived in Wales yesterday from his Florida home.

But while most bookmakers are confidently predicting that Europe will regain the trophy they lost in Louisville, Kentucky two years ago, the 66-year-old Jacklin knows there could be numerous twists and turns.

"Everybody seems to know (the outcome), but me," he said last night. "I've never been one for making big predictions, other than when I had my finger on the pulse of it all.

"Europe look great on paper, but we will see.

"There are so many variables – the weather could be a huge factor – and there is the momentum to consider at the time the rain comes.

"There is always stuff that goes on over the three days that we don't account for."

William Hill currently make Europe 4-6 favourites, with the United States at 13-8 and 12-1 on a tie, with SkyBet having Europe as an 8-13 chance, the USA 7-4 and a tie 12-1.

France are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at their bid to host golf's Ryder Cup in 2018.

Two ministers plus a number of ambassadors including former footballer David Ginola are at Celtic Manor to try to win votes this week.

France are the favourites – their bid would see the event held in Paris – and are up against Germany, Spain, Holland and Portugal.

Ryder Cup organisers have already said the 2018 and 2022 would definitely be in continental Europe and perhaps the 2026 event too.

Valderrama in 1997 is the only time previously the Ryder Cup has been held in continental Europe.

Swedish Ryder Cup rookie Peter Hanson has declared himself fully fit and ready to tackle the United States.

Hanson pulled out of the Vivendi Cup in Paris last weekend after being laid low by a chest infection.

"I am feeling a lot better," he said, before yesterday's final official practice rounds on the Twenty Ten course.

"I had a bad cold that went down close to the lungs and into there, so it was a good decision to rest.

"I came here on Monday still not feeling great, but I have to say that from Tuesday morning to now it feels good."

Hanson, 32, is among six Ryder Cup debutants in Colin Montgomerie's European team, but he is relishing playing his part in trying to regain the trophy lost in Louisville, Kentucky two years ago.

"I think everybody is going to be nervous. It's hard as a rookie because you don't really know what to expect, but I am confident that I can handle it," he said.