One of sport’s fiercest rivalries explodes back to life Friday as the Ryder Cup tees off at Bethpage Black, where Scottie Scheffler’s United States take on Rory McIlroy’s Europe under the glare of US President Donald Trump and the roar of a New York crowd.

A biennial duel with a long history of combustibility is likely to be given another jolt of intensity with Trump’s presence for the opening day while raucous home fans are expected to deliver both deafening support and merciless heckling.

“We all know it’s going to be very difficult and you’re not just playing 12 American golfers. You’re also trying to get past the crowd,” second-ranked McIlroy said.

“That’s something definitely that we’re going to have to overcome.”

The Americans, meanwhile, are counting on the extra energy boost.

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